Virginia emissions testing rules

Vehicles garaged in the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William or Stafford, or the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas or Manassas Park, must meet the requirement.

“Your vehicle must meet Virginia's emissions inspection requirements if it is garaged in one of the localities listed below:”

• “Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William or Stafford”
• “Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas or Manassas Park”

An inspection is valid for two years, from a certified station or a RAPIDPASS on-road test.

“Inspections are valid for two years and may be obtained by having your vehicle inspected either by:”

Exemptions include motorcycles, new or demonstrator vehicles titled for the first time (for 4 years), used vehicles of the current and three previous model years (for up to 4 years), gasoline vehicles more than 25 years old or over 10,000 pounds GVWR, vehicles powered only by clean fuel such as electricity, and diesels, except diesels newer than model year 1996 under 8,501 pounds GVWR, which are tested.

“Motor vehicles exempt from emissions inspections include:”

• “Motorcycles”
• “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.”
• “Gasoline powered passenger or property carrying vehicles with a manufacturer's designated gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds.”
• “Diesel powered vehicles”
• “Note: Diesel powered vehicles are NOT exempt from the emissions testing program requirements when they have:”
• “A model year newer than 1996, and”
• “A Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) less than 8,501 lbs., (if GVWR is not available, empty and gross weights will be used) and”
• “A registration that expires in July 2007 or later.”
• “Vehicles EXCLUSIVELY powered by clean fuel, including compressed or liquified natural gas, electricity, or solar energy”
• “New or demonstrator vehicles being titled for the first time are exempt from emissions inspections for 4 years.”
• “Used vehicles of the current and three previous model years are exempt from emissions inspections for up to 4 years.”

The DMV will not register or renew a subject vehicle until it passes or gets a repair-cost waiver; even exempt antique vehicles pay the $2 emissions fee at renewal.

“No vehicle subject to an emissions inspection will be registered or reregistered by DMV until it has passed an emissions inspection or has been issued an emissions inspection waiver due to repair costs that exceed a repair cost threshold.”

• “Vehicles 25 years old or older qualify as antique motor vehicles but are not required to display antique license plates to qualify for the emissions exemption. Although exempt from the emissions inspection, the $2 emissions fee is required when renewing these registrations.”

A vehicle registered in Virginia for the first time with a valid emissions certificate from the last 12 months can be titled and registered without a Virginia inspection.

“If your vehicle is being registered for the first time in Virginia and has a current valid emissions certificate (performed in the last 12 months), it may be titled and registered without a Virginia emissions inspection.”