ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles is transitioning to a new inspection sticker design and that means a transition to new software.

A New York state vehicle inspection involves typical safety and emissions checks — something inspectors like Randy Jaehn from Schrader’s Garage in Rochester have a lot of experience with.

“We have a checklist on our tablet that we go through,” said Jaehn. “I would complete the other services they’re getting and then when I’m done I’d run it through for inspection."

But as the DMV transitions to a new inspection sticker design, they are also transitioning inspection software from NYVIP2 to the newest version NYVIP3, changing the way inspectors like Jaehn will print the newest version of the inspection sticker.

"Now the companies print their own now," Jaehn said.

The newest sticker design will include vehicle-specific information such as license plate number and mileage along with a QR code linked to the vehicle’s inspection record.  

“So for the inspector, not much should change actually going over the vehicle," said Dan Schrader, general manager. "When its time to connect to the New York state computer, the interface will be a little different, but it’ll still be asking for all the same information and then instead of having a booklet with all of our stickers in it, we’ll just print out a sticker and put it on the window."

As one of more than 10,000 inspection sites across the state, the new software is an upgrade that inspectors at Schrader’s Garage won’t be getting right away.  

“Due to the chip shortages that they’ve had, there was a delay in the rollout of the NYVIP3 program," said Schrader. "So they prioritized any station that did not currently have a NYVIP2 system."

That means, for now, some inspectors like Schrader’s will be sticking with the old system instead of bringing in the new one. However, they say it isn’t something inspectors or customers should be concerned about. Although stickers printed with the older software won’t include specific information about the vehicle, they are still valid inspection stickers.

“There should be nothing different that any motoring public should recognize," Schrader said.

All inspection sites will be required to get the newest software for the new sticker design over the next year, but for now, it’s hard for Jaehn to know the real impact the new machines will have.  

“I hope that problems with the printers go away," said Jaehn. “I don’t know, I would have to speculate at this point. I could tell you better once it’s all in place. But to me, it sounds like a good thing.”

Jaehn thinks only time will tell.