(a) The director shall develop inspection criteria and standards for specific safety systems and components of the vehicle in order to promote the safe and uniform installation, maintenance, and servicing of vehicle safety systems and components.

(b) The director shall issue vehicle safety systems inspection licenses to stations and technicians to conduct inspections of, and repairs to, safety systems of vehicles. The director may electronically issue these licenses.

Terms Used In California Business and Professions Code 9888.5

(c) By January 1, 2024, the director shall adopt the regulations, in accordance with the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Inspection criteria and standards for specific safety systems and components of the vehicle in order to promote the safe and uniform installation, maintenance, and servicing of vehicle safety systems and components.

(2) The application fee and process for applicants, including any specialized application process for those licensees licensed pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 9887.1) and Article 6 (commencing with Section 9888.1).

(3) The certificate of compliance fee and certification process for vehicles, including any specialized certification process for those vehicles certified pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 9889.15). The director shall prescribe a form for the certificate of compliance that contains, at a minimum, the date of issuance, the make and registration number of the vehicle, and the official license of the station.

(d) The vehicle safety systems inspection license shall replace licenses issued pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 9887.1) and Article 6 (commencing with Section 9888.1). Licenses issued in accordance with those articles shall remain valid until six months after the effective date of regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (c). A licensee with a license issued pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 9887.1) or Article 6 (commencing with Section 9888.1) shall thereafter be regulated under this article and shall apply for and be issued a vehicle safety systems inspection license under this article.

(e) The vehicle safety systems inspection certificate shall replace certificates issued pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 9889.15). Certificates issued in accordance with that article shall remain valid until six months after the director adopts regulations pursuant to subdivision (c).

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 681, Sec. 9. (AB 1263) Effective January 1, 2024.)