Emissions Inspections to End in Three NC Counties; Safety Inspections Still Required Statewide
ROCKY MOUNT – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved a reduction in North Carolina counties required to perform yearly vehicle emissions tests.
Beginning Nov. 1, vehicle owners in Lee, Onslow, and Rockingham counties will join 78 other counties that are not required to conduct emissions tests. EPA published its final approval in the Federal Register on August 11, 2022, approving the revised I&M State Implementation Plan and CAA Section 110(l) noninterference demonstration to remove the three counties from the I&M program.
The Division of Motor Vehicles must implement the program changes on the first day of a month that is 60 days after the DEQ Secretary certifies to the Revisor of Statutes that EPA has approved the amendment to the SIP.
The approval was a result of the passage of the Regulatory Reform Act of 2016-2017 by the N.C. General Assembly during the 2017 long session. The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality has certified the Implementation Plan to the EPA, details of which can be found on the NCDEQ website.
It is important to note that all counties still require annual safety inspections.
The Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) Program for cars and trucks makes sure that the air pollution controls are working properly on vehicles. This is important because motor vehicles contribute substantially to air quality problems.
North Carolina requires emission systems tests for cars and light-duty trucks as part of the annual safety inspection in 19 counties. Vehicles from 1996 and newer are usually equipped with On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) systems, which help inspectors check that the vehicle’s pollution controls are working.
After Nov. 1, annual vehicle emissions inspections will only be required in the following 19 counties: Alamance, Buncombe, Cabarrus, Cumberland, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Johnston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, New Hanover, Randolph, Rowan, Union and Wake counties.
Information on emissions and safety inspections is available on the NCDMV website.