How many of you are paying in excess of $400 to a shop for the national, three times yearly, pre-inspection tech for PCA HPDE?

for clarification, I referring to this form; https://rmr.pca.org/files/Event%20Pa...ction_Form.pdf

This form does not allow for self tech.

Some regions allow for self tech and there is a different form they use that allows self tech.

 

What the hell are you talking about? National pre inspection tech?

 

There are national minimum standards but variability across regions. In my experience many Porsche dealers will do a PCA DE tech inspection at no charge, but check first.

 

This is their tech inspection form. https://rmr.pca.org/files/Event%20Pa...ction_Form.pdf

I call it pre because it has to be done before you show up at the track day. There's another form that is checked off the day of.

 

Interestingly, PCA's minimum standards are “Regions may have more stringent Minimum Standard Tech form requirements than the National Tech Form, but none more lenient.”

 

Ah, I see. Yeah, some regions allow multiple events on a single tech form. Others don’t.

regardless, $400 is absurd. The shop I use does inspections for free.

 

The local region requires a fresh one every six months. I think that's the new national requirement. That's OK because we only have a six month track season here, anyways.

Maybe someone can say if this is for a standard across regions, insurance or just because. It would simplify taking the car to other regions' events.

I've gotten them for free or $50.

A good look takes a half hour or so. Most shops use the inspection as an opportunity to find customers and give estimates. Hard to look at a car and not find something that needs fixing or improvement.

 

I am a tech inspector for our region. Our region is still doing some local member-run tech inspections, but the new requirements that make it pretty much necessary to put the car on lift has made some of the sponsoring shops bail out due to insurance purposes (non-employees putting cars on/off their lifts).
Currently some areas of the region have a local place, others you would have to drive pretty far or pay for a shop to do it.
A couple shops are doing the tech inspections themselves for free as marketing for their shop (eating/taking the insurance risk).
There is some wierd stuff like you are supposed to check torque on center locks (yeah right).
It's kind of a mess.
The new longer inspection period is nice vs having to do it before every event.

 

In 2025, PCA National allowed regions to choose anywhere between 30 (1 month) and 120 days (4 months) for technical inspection validity. Regions may choose to adopt anywhere in between those time frames for their events. As has always been the case, when you drive with a region, you must use each region's tech form, as some make their requirements more stringent than the minimum standards.

ALL regions must also do an at-event final tech inspection prior to cars going on track. That is done in a tech line by region volunteers to check a list of items like loose objects, car numbers, ability to turn off auto emergency braking and lane drift correction, turn signals, brake lights etc. This is IN ADDITION to the 30-120 day much more thorough technical inspection.

As far as cost of technical inspections, it varies all over the country. Some are free, some are $100 - $200. I haven't heard of one costing $400, so that's surprising - unless you are saying that 3 x inspection for a total of $400. So, yes, if the region requires a 30 day inspection and you are doing 3 events, a $400 cost would be normal for a track seasonl. These inspections do catch a number of mechanical issues which could be hazardous on track (fluid leaks, rotor cracks, brake pad thickness etc.)

Many regions host a technical inspection event at a local shop 2-3 weeks prior to an HPDE and attendees are invited to the inspection for free. The sponsoring shop opens the garage and lifts up for the capable and competant qualified region-approved inspectors to do the inspection. PCA provides no-cost moving car insurance for these tech inspections to regions which submit a request.

PCA's insurance to regions is VERY REASONABLE. PCA has strong risk management policies in place, which allow our insurance company to provide a very thorough insurance (on track and in paddock for drivers, instructors and guests who sign the event waiver) for any injuries which may occur and to cover the region' liabilities. Depending on the number of drivers in an event, the region only pays $300-$600 per event, including all days of multiple day events. The tech inspection requirements are part of that risk-management strategy.

- Mia Walsh, PCA National HPDE Chair

 

@PCADECHAIR so self inspection is no longer allowed at a PCA DE?

 

Section 5 d of the Minimum Standards covers your question and it is up to the Region on what they adopt. PCA NATIONAL HAS NOT CHANGED THIS -- it has always been the case.

d) Region Authorized Tech Inspector
For the Pre-Track Car Safety Technical Inspection Form, the Region may authorize Porsche or other dealerships, specialty repair shops or independent Porsche or other mechanics, or competent and capable PCA National Instructors or persons to perform this inspection. For individuals approved by Region to perform technical inspections, Tech Session Event Insurance is required due to cars moving on lifts or ramps, and is provided at no cost to the Region (see application in Event Insurance Enrollment). PCA Tech Session Event insurance is not required for businesses or shops performing technical inspections on their own premises.

 

I was waiting for someone to bring this up — my experience has been all over the place and really depends on the region. At one HPDE event I attended as an instructor, I was allowed to tech my own car. At another region, they told me “no,” explaining that it’s a national rule requiring all cars to be inspected by a pre‑approved shop — instructors included. Here in Florida, yet another region won’t even accept the 120‑day tech form, saying Sebring is too hard on cars and you need a new tech inspection for every event.

CHIN instructors can still Tech their own car. As far as being charged it depends on the shop.

 

I was the Tech Chair in my region for several years. As far as I know, self inspection was never allowed, at least it wasn’t in our region. A few years ago our region basically did away with our tech inspection program, we used to host at several locations 10 days before an event and would tech cars for free. Now it has to happen at a shop, which as NickShu has said, varies in cost depending on where you go.
I’m not sure this is a better way to go compared to what we used to do, which worked well and never led to any track incidents due to a bad tech inspection.

 

Are there regions where they're rigid about only region approved inspectors? Meaning a driver shows up with their "passed" tech form and it's rejected because the shop/inspector isn't on "the list".

I've driven with a few different regions with different orgs and volunteered as a morning inspector so I've seen... a lot of... "interesting" approaches and allowances, I'm really curious what people here are willing to say publicly about all this.

 

I always did HPDE techs for free. NASA race annuals varied, depending on their car and attitude, but were still 'subsidized' by the shop for marketing exposure.
$400 says "I really don't want to do these" or "We are God's gift to the motorsport community, and you must supply proper tribute before you may enter."
Just my opinion, of course...