Smog & Emission Checks

All gasoline-powered passenger cars and light trucks 1982 and newer in the following Georgia counties must pass an emission inspection before being issued license plates:

• Cherokee

• Clayton

• Cobb

• Coweta

• DeKalb

• Douglas

• Fayette

• Forsyth

• Fulton

• Gwinnett

• Henry

• Paulding

• Rockdale

Motorcycles, RVs, and motor homes do not require emissions testing.

The cost of emission testing varies from $10 to $25, depending on location.

If your vehicle does not pass the test, you will be required to make the necessary repairs and will be given one free retest within 30 days of the original test.

Senior Exemptions

Senior citizens who don't drive much and whose cars are 10 model years old or older might qualify for an exemption from emissions testing.

If you are at least 65 years old and meet the following criteria, you can visit one of the state's Waiver Centers in your vehicle to waive your emissions requirement. The vehicle's owner does not have to be present to get the exemption, but proof of the owner's age and their signature must be on all the documents.

Your vehicle must be more than 10 years old, and you will need to renew your exemption each year.

You must provide:

• Proof of age, with a driver's license, birth certificate, or passport.

• The vehicle's mileage. You must drive less than 5,000 miles in a year's time. An odometer reading is required at the time you apply for the exemption.

• A completed Senior Exemption Form.

• A copy of your current Georgia vehicle registration or renewal notice.

After presenting all of the documentation, you will be given an exemption certificate to present to your local tag office when you renew your tags.

More Exemptions and Extensions

You may also qualify for an extension for emissions testing if you are a member of the military, are a student, or have business obligations, and either your vehicle is out of the emissions testing area with you, or you are deployed or attend school out of the area and your vehicle is not currently being driven.

You will need to provide proof that you are at least a two-hour drive from the emissions testing area or that the car is not being driven. To do this, present parking or repair receipts, student transcripts, military orders, or an affidavit from the military police stating that your car is with you at your current location. Also provide a copy of your military or student ID.

Along with the appropriate documentation, you will need to complete an Out-of-Area Extension form and supply your current vehicle registration papers or renewal notice.

You must mail your application and supporting documents, including a self-addressed, stamped envelope, to:

• GCAF Waiver Center

• Franklin Square Office Park

• 2141 Kingston Court, Suite 106

• Marietta, GA 30067

Tag offices cannot issue out-of-area extensions.

Repair Waivers

If your vehicle fails an inspection and you spend $738 or more on repairs but the vehicle fails again, you might be eligible for a repair waiver that exempts the vehicle from having to pass the emissions test.

Alternative-Fuel Vehicles

If your vehicle operates on only natural gas, propane, battery electricity, or hydrogen, it does not require an emissions test.

If your vehicle is one of the following hybrid vehicles and you live in one of the emissions-testing counties, you WILL need to pass the emissions test:

• Toyota Prius

• Honda Insight

• Honda Civic

• Ford Escape

As a general rule, if your vehicle uses gasoline in any form of operation, you will need to pass an emissions test in those counties that check emissions.

Vehicles 25 years or older are exempt from testing.

Reporting Gross Polluters

We all need to do our share to protect the environment. If you see a vehicle heavily polluting the air, you can take action. The Georgia Clean Air Force recommends that you contact local law enforcement to make a report. If you can, get the license plate number of the offending car; if you can't, then provide a detailed description of the car. Just remember, not all counties in the state are required to pass emissions testing.