Virginia Windshield Inspection Checker

Check whether common windshield damage appears to match a current Virginia safety-inspection rejection rule.

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Important: This tool summarizes Virginia windshield inspection rules for damage and visibility. It is not legal advice and cannot guarantee an inspection result. An authorized Virginia inspector applies the current regulation to the actual vehicle.

1. Is the damage above the bottom 3-inch zone of the windshield?

Virginia defines the bottom of the windshield from where the top of the dashboard contacts the windshield.

2. Is there a pit, chip, or star crack larger than 1½ inches in diameter?
3. Do two or more cracks come from the same point?
4. If multiple cracks come from one point, is at least one longer than 1½ inches?
5. Do multiple cracks run from a star crack that extends above the bottom 3-inch zone?
6. Is any crack so severe that one piece of windshield can move relative to another?
7. Is any glass cracked or broken in a way likely to cut or injure someone in the vehicle?
8. On the driver’s side, is there a scratch more than ¼ inch wide AND 6 inches long within the wiper-swept area, excluding the bottom 3 inches?
9. Is there cloudiness in the windshield’s main viewing area beyond the limited border zones allowed by Virginia?
10. Does distortion, damage, or another obstruction interfere with the driver’s vision?
Please answer all ten questions before checking the result.

What to do next

    Legal note: This checker covers common windshield damage/visibility rules, not every Virginia inspection rule for glazing, tint, stickers, vehicle equipment, or every possible condition.

    Virginia Windshield Rules Guide Contact the Site

    Virginia’s 1½-Inch Windshield Rule

    Virginia requires rejection when a pit, chip, or star crack larger than 1½ inches in diameter is located above the bottom 3-inch zone of the windshield. The regulation separately addresses multiple cracks from the same point and structural windshield weakness.

    Multiple Cracks From One Impact Point

    Above the bottom 3-inch zone, more than one crack from the same point can cause rejection when at least one crack is longer than 1½ inches. The rule also specifically addresses multiple cracks running from a star crack that extends above that zone.

    Scratches, Cloudiness & Driver Vision

    Virginia’s windshield inspection rules also cover driver-side scratches, cloudiness, distortion, and other obstructions to clear vision. A windshield can therefore fail even when the issue is not a typical chip or long crack.

    What Happens After an Inspection Rejection?

    Virginia State Police states that a rejection sticker is valid for 15 days in addition to the day of inspection. The rejection sticker itself does not create an exception to laws governing defective vehicle equipment.

    Official Virginia Sources

    Need Windshield Repair or Replacement in Richmond, VA?

    If your windshield has inspection-related damage, use the Repair or Replace Windshield Checker to screen repairability, or review the Virginia cracked windshield rules guide for more detail.

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