What is the first step a customer must take when getting a replacement sticker for a newly replaced windshield?

When a customer replaces a windshield, obtaining a new inspection sticker is necessary to ensure the vehicle remains compliant with inspection requirements. The first step in this process is to hand in the section of glass with the old sticker. This is important because it provides proof that the original inspection sticker was legitimately on the vehicle and that the windshield has been replaced in accordance with state regulations.

By submitting the glass section that held the old sticker, the inspection station can verify that the sticker was valid and not fraudulently obtained. This step is both a practical measure to maintain the integrity of inspection processes and an administrative necessity for issuing a new sticker that accurately reflects the current condition of the vehicle.

Returning the old windshield to the inspection station or reporting to the DMV, while part of certain procedures, are not prerequisites for obtaining the new sticker in the same way that submitting the glass section is. Payment of the inspection fee typically occurs after the new sticker is issued, rather than before the process begins. Thus, handing in the section of glass with the old sticker is the definitive first step in this procedure.