In the United States, vehicle safety inspection and emissions inspection are governed by each state individually. Fifteen states have a periodic (annual or biennial) safety inspection program, while Maryland requires a safety inspection and Alabama requires a VIN inspection on sale or transfer of vehicles which were previously registered in another state. An additional 16 states require periodic emissions inspections.
In 1977, the federal Clean Air Act was amended by Congress to require states to implement vehicle emissions inspection programs, known as I/M programs (for Inspection and Maintenance), in all major metropolitan areas whose air quality failed to meet certain federal standards. New York's program started in 1982, California's program (Smog Check) started in 1984, and Illinois's program started in 1986. The Clean Air Act of 1990 required some states to enact vehicle emissions inspection programs. States impacted were those in metropolitan areas where air quality did not meet federal standards. [1] Some states, including Kentucky and Minnesota, have discontinued their testing programs in recent years with approval from the federal government. [ citation needed ]
State | Periodic safety inspections | Periodic emissions inspections |
Alabama | no | no |
Alaska | no | no |
Arizona | no | biennially for Phoenix and Tucson metros |
Arkansas | no | no |
California | no | biennially for cars from out-of-state or in-state cars 7 or more years old in all or some zip codes in 41 of 58 counties |
Colorado | no | biennially in all or parts of 9 out of 64 counties, except for vehicles 7 model years old and newer |
Connecticut | no | biennially |
Delaware | biennially | biennially |
District of Columbia | no | biennially |
Florida | no | no |
Georgia | no | annually for Atlanta metro |
Hawaii | annually | no |
Idaho | no | no – (since July 1, 2023 [61] ) |
Illinois | no | biennially for Chicago and St. Louis metros (1996 model year and newer) |
Indiana | no | biennially for Lake and Porter counties |
Iowa | no | no |
Kansas | no | no |
Kentucky | no | no |
Louisiana | annually [a 1] /biennially | annually for Baton Rouge metro |
Maine | annually | annually (for Cumberland County only) |
Maryland | no | biennially for 13 of 23 counties and Baltimore |
Massachusetts | annually | annually |
Michigan | no | no |
Minnesota | no | no |
Mississippi | no | no |
Missouri | biennially | biennially for St. Louis metro |
Montana | no | no |
Nebraska | no | no |
Nevada | no | annually for urban areas of Clark and Washoe counties for most vehicles |
New Hampshire | annually | annually (Models less than 20 years old) |
New Jersey | no | exempt for first five years, then biennially |
New Mexico | no | biennially for Bernalillo county only |
New York | annually | annually |
North Carolina | annually | annually for 19/100 counties |
North Dakota | no | no |
Ohio | no | odd/even for Cleveland metro |
Oklahoma | no | no |
Oregon | no | yes for Portland and Medford metros |
Pennsylvania | annually | annually in 25 of 67 counties |
Rhode Island | biennially | biennially |
South Carolina | no | no |
South Dakota | no | no |
Tennessee | no | no – (since February 5, 2022 [62] ) |
Texas | no | annually for large urban areas Bexar County (San Antonio) emissions testing beginning on November 1, 2026 |
Utah | no | yes for four most populated counties |
Vermont | annually | annually |
Virginia | annually | biennially for urban and suburban northern Virginia |
Washington | no | no – (since Jan 1, 2020 [63] ) |
West Virginia | biennially | no |
Wisconsin | no | biennially for select counties |
Wyoming | no | no |
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