Vehicle Emissions Inspections to Begin Jan. 1 in Berks, Lehigh and Northampton Counties

Emissions Inspections Now Required Annually at the Time of Safety Inspection

HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 31 -- Beginning Jan. 1, the Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation (PennDOT) and Environmental Protection (DEP) will implement federally mandated vehicle emissions inspections in Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties for most gasoline-powered vehicles from 1975 and newer.

The testing program will bring Pennsylvania into compliance with federal air-quality standards.

More than 281,000 vehicles in Berks County, 223,000 vehicles in Lehigh County and 225,000 vehicles in Northampton County will be subject to the emissions inspection. Emissions inspections will be required once a year during the time of the annual safety inspection.

"Not all vehicles will be required to pass an emissions inspection this month since expirations of safety inspections are spread out over a 12-month period," said Kurt Myers, PennDOT's Director of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. "For example, motorists can get a vehicle inspected up to three months prior to the expiration of a safety inspection, and many customers may have already taken their vehicle for its safety inspection prior to today. In that case, those vehicles won't need an emissions inspection until the current safety inspection expires."

Emissions inspections can be done at any participating private garage or dealer that is certified to perform emissions inspections. Fees are market driven.

Street rods, classics, collectibles, antiques or specially constructed vehicles and motorcycles will be exempt by a certified emissions inspector. Drivers will receive a computer-generated report that lists inspection results. A computer-generated report for a vehicle that fails will also include information regarding the cause of the failure. Passing vehicles will receive an emissions sticker to be affixed to the windshield.

If a vehicle doesn't pass the emissions inspection, the vehicle owner must make emissions-related repairs. Once repairs are made, the vehicle can be re-inspected for free, within 30 calendar days, at the station that initially conducted the inspection. If an owner waits longer than 30 days, or takes the vehicle to a different emissions inspection station, re-inspection is not free. If the vehicle doesn't pass the re-inspection, in most cases the owner can get a one-year waiver if a minimum of $150 on emissions-related repairs has been spent. In some cases, the vehicle owner may be required to spend more if the needed repair is the only repair that corrects the problem.

The remaining counties in the South Central Region will phase in emissions inspections according to the following schedule: Feb. 1, 2004 for Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties.

For a comprehensive list of certified emissions inspection stations and their fees, visit the Drive Clean PA Web site at www.drivecleanpa.state.pa.us or call 1-800-265-0921.