Will a Car Pass Inspection With a Cracked Windshield?

Which states still run safety inspections

Fewer than 20 states still require a periodic safety inspection for passenger cars, and the list shrank in 2025 and 2026. The Vermont Legislative Research Service counted 17 such states in November 2025. Its list includes New Jersey, but the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission says passenger vehicles get a biennial emissions-only inspection. A crack can only fail a safety inspection in a state that still checks the windshield. The table shows the status of the programs this guide checked in October 2026.

State	Passenger-car safety inspection	Is the windshield glass checked?
Pennsylvania	Annual (67 Pa. Code 175.41)	Yes, 67 Pa. Code 175.80
Virginia	Annual	Yes, 19VAC30-70-210
New York	Annual	Yes, 15 NYCRR 79.21
Massachusetts	Annual	Yes, 540 CMR 4.04
Maine	Annual	Yes, Maine State Police rule 222-1-170
Vermont	Annual	Yes, star-break rule eased from September 1, 2026
Missouri	Every two years; cars under 10 model years and under 150,000 miles are exempt	Yes, 11 CSR 50-2.270
North Carolina	Annual	No, only the wipers
Louisiana	No sticker citations since June 30, 2026; sticker ends January 1, 2027	Program ending for most personal vehicles
New Hampshire	Suspended “until further notice” (February 13, 2026)	Not while suspended
Texas	Ended for non-commercial vehicles on January 1, 2025	No
New Jersey	Emissions only for passenger vehicles	No

Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island and West Virginia also appear on the research service’s list. Their glass rules sit in each state’s inspection manual. Missouri’s SB 1408 (2026) would end most Missouri safety inspections on January 1, 2027, if it becomes law. Check the Missouri Department of Revenue before you skip an inspection.

Crack limits in each state’s inspection rules

Each inspection state writes its own limit, so the same crack can pass in one state and fail in the next. The six rulebooks below set the limit by length, by damage diameter and by where the damage sits. None of them uses a single national number.

State and rule	Crack that fails	Chip or star that fails	Zone checked
Missouri, 11 CSR 50-2.270	Any crack over 3 in inside the driver’s vision area	Any unrepaired star, bullseye or half moon inside the area; over 2 in outside it	Normal wiper sweep above a line 4 in from the bottom
Massachusetts, 540 CMR 4.04	A single crack reaching more than 3 in into the critical area; several cracks with one inside it	Over 1 in inside the critical area; over 2 in outside it	Wiper sweep minus its outer 2 in
Maine, rule 222-1-170-01	Any crack over 6 in in the critical vision area	Over 1 in at the extreme edges, if it blocks the view	Critical vision area
New York, 15 NYCRR 79.21	A crack over 11 in with any part in the wiper path	A star over 3 in anywhere on the windshield	Wiper path
Virginia, 19VAC30-70-210	Two or more cracks from one point if one is over 1 1/2 in; any crack that lets one piece move	A pit, chip or star crack over 1 1/2 in	Everything above the 3-inch line at the bottom
Pennsylvania, 67 Pa. Code 175.80	Any defect in the acute area; hazardous cracks that interfere with vision	Any defect in the acute area	An area 8 1/2 in wide and 5 1/2 in high in the driver’s line of vision

Vermont changed its manual on September 1, 2026. The Vermont DMV proposed moving “two or more star breaks or bullseyes larger than 1.5 inches” in the critical area from a failure to an advisory. Vermont Public reported that a legislative rules committee approved the DMV’s changes.

Does a small crack or chip fail inspection?

A small chip often passes, but each state defines “small” with its own number. Massachusetts fails a bullseye or star break over 1 inch inside the critical viewing area. Virginia fails a pit, chip or star crack over 1 1/2 inches above the 3-inch line. New York fails a star only when it is over 3 inches across. Missouri is the strictest of the six. It fails any unrepaired star break, bullseye or half moon inside the driver’s vision area, whatever its size.

A repair changes the outcome in some states. Missouri’s rule names only unrepaired damage inside the vision area. Maine rejects a repair that impairs vision in the critical area or leaves blemishes that extend more than 1 inch. Virginia’s rule says repairs to minor damage are allowed as long as the windshield then meets every standard in the section. A repair has to be done before the damage grows past the repair limits. See how big a windshield crack can be repaired for those limits, and windshield repair vs replacement for the choice between the two.

The driver’s viewing area and the wiper sweep

Where a crack sits matters as much as its length, because most rules only count damage in front of the driver. Massachusetts uses the area covered by the wiper sweep, minus the outer 2 inches of that sweep. Missouri uses the normal wiper sweep above a line 4 inches from the bottom of the windshield. Virginia ignores the bottom 3 inches, measured from where the dashboard meets the glass. Pennsylvania looks hardest at a box 8 1/2 inches wide and 5 1/2 inches high, centered in the driver’s normal line of vision.

New York counts a long crack if any part of it reaches the wiper path. A crack that starts at the edge and runs into that path can therefore fail. Several rules also cover wiper scratches. Virginia rejects a driver-side scratch more than 1/4 inch wide and 6 inches long in the wiper area. Massachusetts rejects wiper scrapes wider than 1/4 inch in the critical area. Maine rejects a wiper scratch over 4 inches long and 1/4 inch wide that blocks the view. For streaks and arcs, see how to fix wiper marks on a windshield.

States where the inspection does not check the glass

A cracked windshield cannot fail a safety inspection in a state that does not inspect the glass or has no passenger-car inspection. North Carolina lists windshield wipers as an inspection item but not the windshield. The NCDMV inspector guide fails a cracked windshield only when it “impedes wiper blade operation”. North Carolina dropped the window tint check on December 1, 2025, and the glass was never a separate item. The full rule set is in will a cracked windshield pass inspection in NC.

Texas ended the safety inspection for non-commercial vehicles on January 1, 2025. Even before that, the Texas Department of Public Safety said the windshield was not an item of inspection. The details are in will a cracked windshield pass inspection in Texas. New Jersey inspects passenger vehicles for emissions only. New Hampshire told drivers in February 2026 that they are still responsible for a safe vehicle under RSA chapter 266 while the program is suspended. Road laws on visibility still apply in every state.

Commercial vehicles: the federal 49 CFR 393.60 rule

Trucks, buses and truck-tractors under federal motor carrier rules follow 49 CFR 393.60, not a state passenger-car rule. Section 393.60(c) requires a windshield free of damage in the area from the top of the steering wheel upward. That area excludes a 2 inch (51 mm) border at the top and a 1 inch (25 mm) border at each side. Two kinds of damage are allowed inside the area. A single crack that no other crack intersects is allowed. Damage that a 3/4 inch (19 mm) disc can cover is allowed if it is not closer than 3 inches (76 mm) to other similar damage.

The federal rule sets no maximum length for a single crack. It fails crossing cracks instead. Commercial vehicles keep their inspections where passenger-car programs ended. Texas still requires an annual inspection for commercial vehicles registered in the state. New Jersey still puts commercial vehicles through mechanical defect testing. Louisiana’s 2026 law keeps safety inspections for some commercial vehicles, school buses and certain farm vehicles, according to WAFB.

How to check a crack before your inspection

You can compare a crack with your state’s written rule before you book the inspection. The steps below use only a ruler and the official rule text. State rules measure damage in inches, and most count only the area in front of the driver.

A crack that is under the limit today can spread with heat, cold and road shocks. Read how long you can drive with a cracked windshield for the safety side. The inspector applies the rule on the day of the inspection. Ask the inspection station or the state agency when a measurement is close to a limit.

Frequently asked questions

Will I fail inspection if my windshield is cracked?

It depends on your state’s rule and on where the crack sits. Missouri fails cracks over 3 inches in the driver’s vision area, Maine over 6 inches in the critical vision area and New York over 11 inches that reach the wiper path. North Carolina does not inspect the glass itself.

Can I pass inspection with a cracked windshield in Texas?

Texas no longer has a safety inspection for non-commercial vehicles, so a crack cannot fail one. Commercial vehicles are still inspected. See will a cracked windshield pass inspection in Texas for emissions counties and road rules.

Can you pass inspection with a cracked windshield in NC?

Usually yes. The NC safety inspection checks the wipers, not the glass, and a crack fails only if it stops the wipers from working. Details are in will a cracked windshield pass inspection in NC.

Does a repaired chip pass inspection?

A clear repair usually passes when the windshield then meets the state rule. Missouri’s rule names only unrepaired damage in the vision area, and Virginia allows repairs that meet its standards. Maine rejects repairs that impair vision in the critical area.

Can I get a ticket for a cracked windshield even without an inspection?

Yes, in states whose road laws ban driving with a windshield that impairs the driver’s view. Inspection rules and traffic laws are separate. See can you get a ticket for a cracked windshield.

Sources

• 67 Pa. Code 175.80, Pennsylvania inspection procedure (glazing), current through 56 Pa.B. 5370, August 8, 2026 (checked October 28, 2026)
• 67 Pa. Code 175.41, Pennsylvania inspection cycles (checked October 28, 2026)
• 19VAC30-70-210, Virginia State Police: glass and glazing (checked October 28, 2026)
• 15 NYCRR 79.21, New York inspection procedure (checked October 28, 2026)
• 540 CMR 4.04, Massachusetts inspection requirements (checked October 28, 2026)
• Maine State Police rule 16-222 ch. 1, 222-1-170-01, Class A inspection (checked October 28, 2026)
• 11 CSR 50-2.270, Missouri State Highway Patrol: glazing (checked October 28, 2026)
• 49 CFR 393.60, Glazing in specified openings (eCFR), text as of October 1, 2026
• NCDMV safety inspection item help (checked October 28, 2026)
• Texas DPS: FAQ, items of inspection
• TxDMV: register your vehicle
• New Hampshire DMV: inspections and emissions (checked October 28, 2026)
• New Jersey MVC: vehicle owner inspection guide
• Vermont Legislative Research Service: state motor vehicle safety inspections and emissions testing (November 2025)
• Vermont DMV: proposed changes to the Periodic Inspection Manual (February 11, 2026)
• Vermont Public: new car inspection rules (August 21, 2026)
• WAFB: Louisiana inspection stickers (HB 1085) (June 2, 2026)
• Carscoops: Missouri SB 1408 and safety inspections (May 4, 2026)
• Missouri Department of Revenue: SB 89 inspection exemption (2019)