Licensed inspection facility
Out of province &
salvage inspections
Alberta requires a licensed facility to inspect a vehicle brought in from another province, and to inspect a salvage vehicle before it can be registered again. We’re licensed for both — and because we’re a full repair shop, anything that fails can be fixed here and re-inspected.
- We’re licensed for
- Out of province & salvage inspections
- If it fails
- Repairs and re-inspection on site
- Booking
- By appointment — call ahead
Out of province inspection
Moved to Alberta?
Bought a vehicle
from out east?
If a vehicle was last registered in another province or territory, Alberta needs it inspected at a licensed facility before it can be registered here. It’s a mechanical safety inspection — a look through the systems that matter for roadworthiness, with a report you take to the registry.
People are often surprised by what comes up, particularly on vehicles from places that don’t salt their roads the way we do, or from provinces with different inspection standards. Tires, brakes, suspension components, corrosion, glass, lights and warning lamps are the usual sources of a failure.
The advantage of doing it here is what happens next. If something fails, we can quote the repair and do it in the same building, then re-inspect — instead of handing you a list to take somewhere else and starting over.
What gets looked at
A broad picture of the areas covered. The full standard is set by the province — we inspect to it, we don’t write it.
- Brakes — pads, rotors, lines, parking brake, performance
- Steering and suspension — joints, bushings, shocks, linkage
- Tires and wheels — tread depth, condition, matching, fasteners
- Lighting — headlights, signals, brake and marker lights, aim
- Glass, wipers and mirrors — cracks in the driver’s view, washer function
- Body and frame — structural corrosion, sharp edges, mounting integrity
- Exhaust and fuel systems — leaks, security, condition
- Warning lamps and restraints — including an SRS light, which is a fail
Inspection standards and requirements are set by the Government of Alberta and can change. We inspect to the current standard — if you want to read the official requirements yourself before you come in, look up the provincial vehicle inspection program, and call us with anything you’re unsure about.
Salvage inspection
Getting a rebuilt
vehicle back
on the road.
A vehicle written off by an insurer carries a salvage status, and it can’t simply be repaired and registered. Alberta requires a salvage inspection at a licensed facility before the status can change and the vehicle can go back on the road.
It’s a more involved inspection than an out of province one. Alongside the mechanical condition, it looks at how the vehicle was repaired — whether the structure was put back properly, whether restraint systems are intact and functional, and whether the documentation matches what’s in front of us.
Bring your paperwork: the salvage documentation, receipts for the parts used, and anything showing what was done during the rebuild. Missing records are the most common reason a salvage inspection stalls, and it’s much easier to sort out before the appointment than during it.
- Structural repair — how the vehicle was put back together
- Restraint systems — airbags and belts intact, functional and correctly replaced
- Mechanical safety — the same ground as a standard inspection
- Documentation — salvage papers and parts receipts for the rebuild
How it goes
Same shape for both inspection types — the salvage one just takes longer and needs more paperwork.
Book ahead
Inspections take a bay for a decent stretch, so they’re by appointment. Tell us which type you need and what the vehicle is when you call.
Bring the paperwork
Registration and ownership documents for an out of province inspection; salvage documentation and rebuild receipts for a salvage inspection.
We inspect
The vehicle goes on the hoist and gets worked through against the provincial standard. You get the results and the report.
Pass, or fix and re-inspect
If it passes, you take the report to the registry. If not, we quote the repairs, and once you approve them we do the work and re-inspect here.
Inspection questions
Do I need an out of province inspection?
If the vehicle was last registered somewhere other than Alberta and you want to register it here, then generally yes. That covers moving to the province with your own vehicle and buying one from another province. If you’re not certain your situation requires one, call us with the details before you book — we’d rather tell you that you don’t need one than sell you an inspection you didn’t.
How long does an inspection take?
An out of province inspection generally takes a couple of hours of bay time, depending on the vehicle. A salvage inspection takes longer because there’s more to examine and more paperwork to review. We’ll give you a realistic window when you book, and tell you whether it’s a wait-for-it or a drop-off.
What if my vehicle fails?
You get a report listing what needs correcting. You’re never obliged to have the repairs done here — but most people do, because the alternative is towing or driving it to another shop, then bringing it back for the re-inspection. We quote the work, you approve it, we fix it and re-inspect.
How much does an inspection cost?
Call us for current pricing — it differs between an out of province inspection and a salvage inspection, and can depend on the vehicle. We’ll give you the number over the phone before you commit, along with what a re-inspection would cost if it comes to that.
Will an airbag or check engine light fail the inspection?
An illuminated airbag/SRS warning lamp is a fail item, and warning lamps generally are taken seriously in an inspection. This is a good place to be if that happens: SRS work is one of our specialties, so a fail on that item can be diagnosed, repaired and re-inspected without moving your vehicle to another shop.
Can you inspect a vehicle I’m thinking of buying?
That’s a pre-purchase inspection, which is a different thing from a provincial inspection — it’s for your information rather than for the registry. We’re happy to do those too, and on a used vehicle that’s about to become your problem, it’s money well spent.
Do you inspect trailers and larger vehicles?
Call us with the details — what we can take depends on the class of vehicle and the bay it needs. We’ll tell you straight whether it’s something we can inspect rather than having you drive across the city to find out.
Related services
Book your inspection.
Tell us which type you need and what the vehicle is, and we’ll set aside the bay time and tell you exactly what to bring.