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NC DEQ »   About »   Divisions »   Air Quality »   Motor Vehicles and Air Quality »   Inspection / Maintenance (I/M) Program

Inspection / Maintenance (I/M) Program

For Station Owners & Inspectors For Analyzer Vendors

Update on efforts to remove Lee, Onslow, and Rockingham counties from the State Inspection and Maintenance Program after January 1, 2021

The following process needs to be completed before North Carolina can remove three counties (Lee, Onslow, and Rockingham) from the Inspection and Maintenance (I&M) program after January 1, 2021. The removal of these three counties was enacted in Session Law 2020-5, House Bill 85 of the 2020 session of the North Carolina General Assembly.

On December 14, 2020, the NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Division of Air Quality (DAQ), submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval the revised I&M State Implementation Plan (SIP) and Clean Air Act (CAA) Section 110(l) noninterference demonstration to remove Lee, Onslow, and Rockingham counties from the I&M program. The final submittal package can be found here.

Note: All counties will still require the annual safety inspection.

Next Steps

  • EPA will publish a notice in the Federal Register proposing to approve the revised I&M State Implementation Plan and CAA Section 110(l) noninterference demonstration to remove the three counties from the I&M program and will take public comments on the proposal for 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.
  • EPA will publish its final approval in the Federal Register addressing any public comments received.
  • The DEQ Secretary will submit a certification letter of the SIP approval by EPA to the Revisor of Statutes after the final EPA approval is published in the Federal Register.
  • 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.

Inspection / Maintenance

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.

  • General Information FAQ
  • Map of Counties
  • Inspection Station Locations
  • Inspection Fee Pie Chart
  • 3-Year Exemption FAQ
  • 3-Year Exemption Calculator

Emissions Testing

North Carolina requires emission systems tests for cars and light-duty trucks as part of the annual safety inspection in 22 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.

  • Emissions Testing FAQ
  • Do you drive a 1996 or newer car or light truck?
  • Smoking Vehicle Complaint Form

Other Links

  • National OBD Clearinghouse
  • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  • Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

Have Any Questions?

E-mail your questions to us and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

For Free Copies of Brochures and Publications 

Please contact the DAQ Public Information Officer.

Motor Vehicles and Air Quality

  • Alternative Fuels and Vehicles
  • Leak Tightness Testing
  • Idle Reduction
  • Reducción de inactividad o Ralentí
  • Inspection / Maintenance (I/M) Program
    • Station Owner/Inspector Information
    • Analyzer Vendor Information
    • 3 Year and 70,000 Miles Exemption Calculator
    • 3-Year and 70,000 Miles Exemption Information
    • General Information
    • Emissions Inspection Results Information
  • Programa de Inspección y Mantenimiento (I/M)
  • Transportation Conformity
  • Mobile Source Emissions Reduction Grants
  • What is E15?
  • Smoking Vehicle Complaint Form
  • Volkswagen Settlement

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https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/air-quality/motor-vehicles-and-air-quality/inspection-maintenance-im-program