What To Do When You Don’t Pass Your Virginia State Emissions Test
Purcellville, Virginia – The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has implemented a Virginia State Emissions program whereby motorists in the state of Virginia are required to pass a Virginia State Emission test in order to renew their vehicle’s registration.
There is no doubt that pollution is a problem. When you hear the word “smog”, you might imagine urban areas in the western part of the country. But the state of Virginia is not immune. In fact, not long ago the DC, Baltimore, and Northern Virginia areas were listed by the American Lung Association among the top ten smoggiest regions in America. Fortunately, that distinction has passed. But it hasn’t happened on its own.
Since vehicle emissions are considered to be the single greatest source of pollutants in Northern Virginia, efforts have been made to reduce those emissions in the area. The program known as Air Check Virginia requires that vehicles garaged in ten highly-populated areas of the state pass an emission inspection every two years in order to qualify for Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) registration. Sometimes known as a “smog check”, these tests measure the emissions of your vehicle and compare them to Environmental Protection Agency requirements for air pollutants released into the atmosphere.
What is a Virginia Emission Inspection?
Unlike some problems you might encounter with your vehicle – low fluids, clogged filters, bad brakes, bald tires – the level of air pollutant coming from your tailpipe is not something that you can easily diagnose yourself. An emission inspection is a test of your vehicle’s exhaust system. It is designed to check the level of air pollutants emitted through the exhaust pipe. If a vehicle fails to pass a required emission inspection in certain areas of Virginia, a DMV registration will not be issued until repairs have been made to correct the problem. While some repairs can be costly, the emission inspection itself only costs a nominal fee not to exceed $28.
The areas affected by Air Check Virginia regulations include the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford – as well as the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park.
What vehicles need to be inspected for a Virginia Emission Test?
In general, gasoline-powered vehicles manufactured within twenty-five years (and below 10k pounds gross vehicle weight rating, or GVWR), and diesel vehicles (under 8.5k pounds GVWR) built after 1996, require emission inspections – although most new vehicles may be exempt when they are first titled. Other exemptions may be given for hybrid vehicles that exceed fifty mpg and other clean-fuel vehicles.
The inspection requirement applies to vehicle owners in the designated counties and cities, as well as to regular commuters into the area. Government vehicles are also included. The DMV will contact owners six to eight weeks prior to when an inspection is due to be completed and vehicle registration can be processed only once the inspection has been passed (or a waiver has been issued). How is a Virginia Emission Test performed? An emission inspection can be conducted at a repair shop that is certified by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. At a certified shop, three types of emission tests can be performed to accommodate any vehicle that requires inspection.
The Acceleration Simulation Mode Test (performed on a measuring device called a Dynamometer and with a probe in the exhaust pipe) and the Two-Speed Idle Test (also with a tailpipe probe) are both performed on older vehicles. But most cars, trucks, and SUVs built in the last twenty-or-so years have a built-in link to the onboard computer system that allows access to emission data. So most vehicles today are tested by means of the On-Board Diagnostic System Test, where a technician will plug a special diagnostic computer into the vehicle’s data connection and access the emission information.
Prior to the emission inspection, the inspector will conduct a pre-inspection safety check. This is essentially an assessment of any safety hazards – fluid leaks, missing fuel cap, smoke, mechanical or electrical problems, or other defects that might cause safety concerns. If the preliminary inspection is not satisfactory, the vehicle will not be a candidate for emission testing until repairs are made.
Vehicles can also be inspected by driving through one of several RAPIDPASS testing sites. Featured at several points across the northern part of the state are testing locations known as RAPIDPASS testing sites. These drive-through zones do not require anything more than a slow drive past the emission sensors. And a flat fee. A camera photographs the vehicle license plate. Results are sent to the DMV and drivers can access results online.
But not all vehicles qualify for the RAPIDPASS system, and the inspection is generally more stringent than other test formats. And while this type of inspection only takes about one second, a certified repair facility is also able to make repairs if your vehicle does not pass inspection.
Emission tests can be completed up to ninety days before a vehicle registration expires and is good for up to two years. If performed prior to the ninety-day window, a test will yield only a one-year vehicle registration.
Can I Get A Virginia Emission Inspection Waiver?
You will receive an emission inspection waiver if the projected costs required repairs to your vehicle exceed the Virginia mandated cost threshold. The current repair threshold, as of April 1, 2016, is $815. Emission specific repairs previously done to the vehicle will only count towards the waiver balance if they were completed by a Certified Emissions Repair Technician employed at a Certified Emissions Repair Facility.
Am I Exempt from a Virginia State Emission Test?
There are exemptions to Virginia’s Emission Testing for diesel, older gasoline cars, and a car that run on clean fuel. Some common exemptions are as follows, for a complete list visit a Certified Emissions Repair Facility. Gasoline-powered passenger or property carrying vehicles with a model year that is more than 25 years old before January 1 of the current calendar year. Diesel powered vehicles; unless they are a model year newer than 1996, or a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) less than 8,501 lbs., (if GVWR is not available, empty and gross weights will be used) and registration that expires in July 2007 or later. Vehicles exclusively powered by clean fuel, including compressed or liquified natural gas, electricity, or solar energy.
What if my car doesn’t pass the Virginia Emission Inspection?
While it is not easy to tell if your vehicle will pass an emission inspection without actually going through with an inspection, if your check engine light is illuminated on the dashboard, chances are the vehicle will not pass the test. What causes a car from to fail an emission test? A rich idle mixture (too high a fuel to air ratio), worn spark plugs, defective emission control components (including the EVAP sensor or O2 sensors), or even a loose or defective gas cap are a few examples of conditions that would lead to a failed test. In any of these cases, the check engine light will likely come on.
If your vehicle does not pass its emission inspection, you will be required to make repairs to bring it up to compliance. The inspector will issue a report that includes a list of required repairs that need to be completed by a certified repair shop. Once repairs have been made, you can retest for free at the same testing location within fourteen days.
If, after repairs, your vehicle fails the second inspection and repair costs exceed a designated threshold, you can apply for an inspection waiver. Any costs incurred toward repairing the problems that led to the failed emission tests can be applied toward the waiver – provided the work was performed by a Certified Emissions Repair Technician employed at a Certified Emissions Repair Facility. Repairs completed by anyone else will not count toward a waiver.
Once your vehicle passes inspection – or a waiver is issued – the results are passed on to the DMV within 24 hours and you can apply for registration. The inspection will be good for two years, which means that the following year you will not need to get another inspection (provided you obtained one within the ninety-day window).
To ensure that you do not find yourself stuck in line at the DMV trying to apply for registration without a required emission inspection, have your vehicle tested at a qualified auto repair facility. Hogan & Sons Tire and Auto has licensed inspectors for the Virginia State Emission Inspection as well as a full staff of technicians to perform required repairs.
Make Hogan & Sons Tire and Auto your one-stop shop for emission testing and certified repairs.
Hogan & Sons Tire and Auto | Author: Mike Ales | Copyright November 2018
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