Muscat: The Royal Oman Police (ROP) has authorised qualified car maintenance and repair centres in industrial areas to offer vehicle inspection services.
Meanwhile, the (ROP) has outlined the regulations needed for providing vehicle technical inspection services.
According to the new guidelines, car centres and workshops offering this service must be fully owned by Omani nationals.
Owners should not have prior criminal convictions related to dishonesty unless legally rehabilitated.
Additionally, obtaining all necessary approvals from the relevant authorities is mandatory, and inspection sites must be in locations designated by the ROP's traffic administration.
The ROP also said that these centres must not exceed their authorised scope of technical inspection services.
As for vehicle inspectors, they must be Omani citizens with a certified qualification in mechanics or automotive electricity from an accredited university, college, or institute.
They must have a clean criminal record concerning dishonesty-related offenses and be in good health.
Inspectors are also required to pass a technical inspection course conducted by the administration.
Licensed service providers must equip their facilities with approved tools and devices, maintain up-to-date records of inspected vehicles and their owners, and ensure a well-documented electronic system that registers vehicle data, equipment used, and personnel details.
According to ROP, the regulations mandate the presence of a sufficient number of specialised technicians to carry out inspections while adhering to safety and security protocols.
In a statement, the ROP prohibited the licensee from the following:
Performing technical inspections on vehicles involved in traffic accidents.
Selling or installing spare parts or repairing vehicles to help pass the required technical inspection.
Subcontracting with authorized car agencies or repair workshops for vehicle repairs, part installations, or fixes on vehicles that have already been inspected.
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