DMV car inspection -best day/time and how much time to allow?

OK so I haven't had to get a car inspected in years...where best to go, day/time and what can I expect?

Do yourself a favor and pay the $ and bring it into a local garage to have it inspected. We took a trip to Newark on a weekday morning a few months ago - got there before they opened and there was a line already....like wind about 1/2-3/4 mile long line. We high-tailed it out of there, left it with Toomey's on Baker street and got breakfast in town and we were done in an hour's time. I can't remember how much it was, but it was well worth it. Call first to make sure they can take you, but that's my advice.

I had my car inspected at the Newark station 1.5 years go. It was the middle of the week and the line was very long. I figured I'd be there forever but it only took about 30 minutes or so (they have multiple lanes and operate like an assembly line).  A surprisingly efficient process.

I went to the free one in Piscataway at 11am in the middle of the month in October. (I was near there for work). There was only one car in front of me.

Bring all the required documents (check the website). I handed them the forms. They checked the exhaust, and maybe one more thing? Took less than 5 minutes.

A private inspection is something like $80. A state inspection is free. I do state inspections. Mid-day wait times are nada. But don't go at the end of the month. Duh.

It's far less than $80. More like half that. Just sayin.

Thanks everyone, very helpful. Avoid first thing, try mid day, Decide if willing to wait 1/2 hour (I am not) and try a local place to avoid the whole thing. Thanks!

I've used the free one in Randolph a couple of times. Not sure all of them are drive through but this one is. Total time from when I pulled up and took a ticket til when I drove out the other end had to be less than 10 min each time. Both times were around noon if I remember correctly. Little bit of a drive but I'm up that way all the time and you can beat free.  

State inspection requirements have been drastically reduced.  I recall reading that a study found that less than 1% of accidents were caused by the type of equipment failure that state inspections were all about.  So NJ virtually eliminated the inspection requirement.  At present, I believe, it's only Federally mandated emissions test and checking your documents.  That takes a couple of minutes total.

Apollo_T said:

State inspection requirements have been drastically reduced.  I recall reading that a study found that less than 1% of accidents were caused by the type of equipment failure that state inspections were all about.  So NJ virtually eliminated the inspection requirement.  At present, I believe, it's only Federally mandated emissions test and checking your documents.  That takes a couple of minutes total.

What I remember the guy doing was getting in the driver's seat, rolling forward a few inches and stepping on the brake. Then he pulled up the parking brake and checked that it held. During the brake check he looked in some mirrors that were around the car to see if the lights where working. I don't remember an emissions test at all. Both my cars were PZEV at the time so maybe that's why or maybe I was just not paying attention. Can't t see paying or waiting for that. Not much of an inspection. I didn't have to have my motorcycle inspected at all when I registered it. 

My memory is $69 or $79 for a private inspection. I have been going to the state facilities for years so may have that wrong, but it's not $40.

You can go check out the wait times by looking at the live feed cams from the inspection stations online here:

http://pweb.nj-cleanair.com/waitqueue/pages/facility/home.jsf

I find Plainfield and Randolph are often empty.  Worth the drive depending on where else you are or need to go that day.

I rarely go to Newark, and would never pay to have it done.  That's just throwing money away.

And if you have reason to be farther afield, there are three inspection stations that actually take appointments in Cape May, Salem, and Washington, NJ.

http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Inspections/inspection_schedule_page.htm

I went to the one in Randolph the other day, and despite it being the last day of the month at lunch hour, there were no cars in line when I pulled up, I waited about 30 seconds before I was motioned in, and the whole inspection took about three minutes before I was driving away with my new sticker.

I've had great success with the one in Newark which is also a quick trip from Maplewood.

Mid-morning on a weekday is best but more importantly is to go in the middle of the month before folks remember that their inspection sticker is about to expire or has just recently expired.

Yes, even then there can be a bit of a line but it does move along quickly and free is good. 

Rahway all the way!  It's one of the better ones for license renewal or driver testing, too.