Can a duplicate registration certificate be issued if it is lost, and will there be a fine for driving without it?

Is there a penalty for losing the inspection certificate?

The vehicle inspection certificate, also known as the registration book, is a document certifying that the vehicle has met the required standards for safety, technical quality, and environmental protection before being permitted to operate on the road.

The 2008 Law on Road Traffic requires vehicles to have both the inspection certificate and the inspection sticker to be valid while on the road. These two documents must be presented together to be considered valid.

The registration book is one of the documents that drivers must carry when operating a vehicle on the road (Photo illustration: Nhat Minh).

If a vehicle is operating without the inspection certificate, Decree 100/2019/ND-CP stipulates the following fines:

- No inspection certificate or inspection sticker: fine ranging from 4 million to 6 million VND;

- Possessing an inspection certificate that is expired by one month or more: fine ranging from 4 million to 6 million VND;

- Not carrying the inspection certificate or inspection sticker: fine ranging from 200,000 to 400,000 VND.

For tractor trucks, trailers, and semi-trailers, the fines are as follows:

- No inspection certificate or inspection sticker: fine ranging from 1 million to 2 million VND and vehicle impoundment for 7 days;

- Possessing an inspection certificate that is expired by one month or more: fine ranging from 1 million to 2 million VND and vehicle impoundment for 7 days;

- Not carrying the inspection certificate or inspection sticker: fine ranging from 200,000 to 400,000 VND.

Can the inspection certificate be reissued if it is lost?

Article 9 of Circular 16/2021/TT-BGTVT states that the inspection certificate is given to the vehicle owner to carry while driving, and the inspection sticker is to be affixed to the upper right corner of the front windshield of the vehicle.

If the inspection certificate or inspection sticker is lost or damaged, the vehicle owner must have the vehicle re-inspected to obtain a new inspection certificate and sticker.

According to the provisions in Decree 2/2023/TT-BGTVT, there are two cases in which the inspection certificate can be reissued without the need for re-inspection:

Case 1: If the vehicle owner loses the vehicle registration book and inspection sticker for the first inspection of the exempted vehicles, the owner can apply for a replacement inspection certificate within 7 working days from the issuance of the first certificate.

Case 2: If the inspection certificate and inspection sticker show signs of damage or incorrect information for the exempted first inspection, the vehicle owner can bring the incorrect certificate to the inspection authority to obtain a new one.