RICHMOND, Va. (WDBJ/Virginia State Police Release) - Vehicles in Virginia that have passed safety inspections are receiving a new safety inspection sticker design to go with the arrival of a new year.

The sticker, which is green for the first time, includes some changes from previous version, according to Virginia State Police, who say the changes are designed to make the inspection sticker more difficult to counterfeit.

The new sticker includes a holographic state seal, as well as a dogwood tree flower image. Both images are difficult for counterfeiters to effectively copy, says VSP. The sticker also, for the first time, includes two QR codes. The larger QR code directs people to the Virginia State Police Safety Division webpage . The smaller code is for administrative purposes. The expiration month appears on a white background, while the expiration year is placed on top of the dogwood image.

“We want Virginians to have confidence that when they see an inspection sticker on a vehicle that the vehicle has been truly inspected by a qualified professional, and that vehicle is, in fact, safe to be out on the road,” said Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Hanley, Interim Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “These new features add an additional layer of security to ensure criminals are not circumventing the safety inspection system.”

Inspection stickers being placed on vehicles in 2025 (expiring in 2026) will be green. Inspection stickers expiring in 2027 will be blue. For 2028 and 2029, the stickers will be red (2028) and yellow (2029).