Inspection / Maintenance (I/M) Program For Station Owners & Inspectors For Analyzer Vendors Update: Efforts to remove Lee, Onslow & Rockingham counties from the I/M Program 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 published a notice in the Federal Register on June 22, 2022, 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. (87 FR 37280, June 22, 2022) 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 rule will be effective on September 12, 2022. (87 FR 49524, August 11, 2022) The DEQ Secretary submitted a certification letter of the SIP approval by EPA to the Revisor of Statutes on August 15, 2022. The Division of Motor Vehicles will implement the program changes on November 1, 2022. 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.
Inspection / Maintenance (I/M) Program For Station Owners & Inspectors For Analyzer Vendors Update: Efforts to remove Lee, Onslow & Rockingham counties from the I/M Program 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 published a notice in the Federal Register on June 22, 2022, 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. (87 FR 37280, June 22, 2022) 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 rule will be effective on September 12, 2022. (87 FR 49524, August 11, 2022) The DEQ Secretary submitted a certification letter of the SIP approval by EPA to the Revisor of Statutes on August 15, 2022. The Division of Motor Vehicles will implement the program changes on November 1, 2022. 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.
