Georgia, like many other states, is concerned about the amount of air pollution caused by the state's drivers. The GA Clean Air Force requires emission testing and a smog check for some types of vehicles as a condition of registration.

Emissions Testing Requirements

Emissions testing and a smog check may be required for vehicle registration if you live in one of the following counties:

• Cherokee
• Clayton
• Cobb
• Coweta
• DeKalb
• Douglas
• Fayette
• Forsyth
• Fulton
• Gwinnett
• Henry
• Paulding
• Rockdale

Smog and emissions checks are required for gasoline-powered cars or light duty trucks with an 8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight rating or less. Vehicles that are 25 years or older are exempt from emissions checks, however. In addition, the three most recent model years are exempt from emissions testing each year.

Vehicles are required to be tested and registered within 30 days of purchase. If you move into one of the 13 testing counties from another county in which testing is not required, you won't need to get a test until your car registration is up for renewal.

Getting a Vehicle Inspection

The GA Clean Air Force recommends planning to have your vehicle tested four to six weeks before your registration expires. If you do not pass the emissions inspection on your first try, this should allow plenty of time for the necessary repairs before you must register car. You are allowed one free retest within a 30-day period, so this will also allow you to complete a second inspection free of charge before your tags expire. The fee for an emissions inspection varies, but is typically between $10 and $25.

There are inspection stations located throughout Georgia, including stations that will test all vehicles and those which will only test vehicles from the 1996 model year and newer. Visit the Clean Air Force Web site or call (800) 449-2471 for help locating an inspection station. Do not contact the Department of Revenue (DOR) office, as they do not conduct the inspections.

You do not have to have your vehicle inspected in the county in which it is registered; you may visit whatever location is most convenient for you. In order to avoid long waits, it is recommended that you visit during the middle of the week if possible. Mondays and the first or last days of the month tend to be the busiest times for inspections.