Ohio Emissions Testing
If you live in a county that requires it and your vehicle was built within the last 25 years, you will probably be subject to Ohio emissions testing.
Written by Andrew Biro
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
If you live in a county that requires it and owns a vehicle manufactured within the last 25 years, chances are you will be subject to
Ohio
emissions testing. In this case, you'll need to schedule a smog check every two years—but it's worth checking to see if you're exempt.Though it isn’t required by federal law, many states (Ohio included) subject at least a portion of their population to regular emissions testing in an effort to cut down on pollution and improve air quality. Passing emissions testing is an important part of being a responsible car owner and is required for renewing your registration when it expires.
But if this is your first time dealing with emissions testing, don’t worry—licensed
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and broker Jerry
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Ohio emissions testing regulations
Not every state requires vehicles to undergo and pass regular emissions testing, but Ohio does, especially in its most populated areas. As you can probably guess, this is largely done to combat air pollution and reduce the number of harmful emissions in densely populated urban centers.
Which counties in Ohio require emissions testing?
That said, Ohio does not require every single county to enforce emissions testing—in fact, there are only seven counties that require vehicles registered within their borders to pass regular smog checks, including:
- Summit County
- Portage County
- Lorain County
- Lake County
- Cuyahoga County
- Medina County
- Geauga County
If you live in any of the counties listed above, you will need to schedule and pass routine emissions testing once every two years—unless you’re exempt, that is.
Which cars need emissions testing in Ohio?
In accordance with regulations set by the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), any vehicle which falls into one of the categories listed below—and is registered in one of the aforementioned counties—is subject to bi-annual emissions testing:
- Motor vehicles manufactured within the last 25 years
- Gasoline vehicles weighing less than 10,000 lbs
- Diesel vehicles weighing less than 10,000 lbs
- Flex-fuel and hybrid vehicles
If your vehicle was built in an odd-numbered model year, it must undergo emissions testing in an odd-numbered calendar year. If your vehicle was built in an even-numbered model year, it must pass emissions testing in an even-numbered calendar year.
MORE:
Ohio car insurance laws
Exemptions from Ohio emissions testing
There are, however, ways of avoiding Ohio emissions testing altogether—in fact, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers three distinct types of exemption: temporary exemptions, permanent exemptions, and exemptions for permanently out-of-state vehicles.
Vehicle owners may apply for a temporary exemption if they fall into one of the following categories:
- Are the spouse of a recently deceased vehicle owner
- Are active military personnel stationed out of state
- Are an Ohio resident attending an out-of-state school in an area that does not require emissions testing
You may apply for a permanent exemption if your vehicle falls into any of the categories listed below:
- Electric vehicles (must pass visual inspection)
- Alternative fuel vehicles that use natural gas, propane, alcohol, or butane (must pass visual inspection)
- Non-commercial vehicles weighing more than 10,000 lbs (must pass visual inspection)
- Vehicles older than 25 model years
- Motorhomes and recreational vehicles (RVs)
- Vehicles with collector or historical registrations
- Vehicles with parade and exhibition registrations
- Commercial vehicles weighing more than 10,000 lbs
- Motorcycles
If your vehicle is registered in a county that requires emissions testing, but the vehicle will be permanently located out of state—in an area that does not require smog checks—you may apply for a permanent out-of-state exemption.
In order to apply, you must submit an
Ohio E-check Exemption/Extension Application
and a copy of your Ohio registration or vehicle title to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.MORE: How to pass emissions testing
How does emissions testing work in Ohio?
- Schedule an inspection. Once you’ve located a verified testing center, schedule an inspection for a date prior to your vehicle registration’s expiration date.
- Bring your vehicle in for testing. Drive to your testing location on the date of your smog check appointment and follow any instructions you are given.
- Pay the testing center’s fee. In all likelihood, you won’t actually need to pay a fee, as Ohio residents each receive three free tests a year—but if you fail your initial smog check and two retests, you’ll have to pay an $18 fee for the third retest.
Types of emissions tests
Generally speaking, Ohio emissions tests fall into one of two categories: tailpipe or OBD-II.
Tailpipe emissions tests are those which use a tailpipe probe to measure the gasses produced by your vehicle’s engine and exhaust system.
OBD-II tests, on the other hand, are a little more involved and require that a technician scan your vehicle’s onboard diagnostics system (also known as your engine control module) for emissions-related error codes.
What happens if you fail emissions testing in Ohio?
If you do not pass your initial emissions test, the test personnel will provide details regarding the cause of failure and you will need to have any emissions-related repairs dealt with. Ohio does not have an EPA- or DMV-managed emissions-repair program, so you can have the problem fixed at the auto repair shop of your choosing.
Once the issues have been addressed, you will need to take your vehicle in for a retest. If it passes, congratulations—but if it doesn’t, you may be eligible to apply for a
waiver
or extension.Each Ohio resident may receive three free emissions tests per year—but if you end up requiring a fourth due to repeat retesting, you’ll have to pay the $18 fee.
How to save on car insurance in Ohio
As you wait for your vehicle to pass emissions testing, why not take some time to compare car insurance policies with
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Do I need an emissions test every year in Ohio?
No—regardless of the type of vehicle you drive, you will never need to schedule emissions testing every year in Ohio. You will, however, need to schedule emissions testing every other year if you live in a county that requires it and drives either a gasoline or diesel vehicle weighing less than 10,000 lbs, a hybrid or flex-fuel vehicle or a vehicle manufactured within the last 25 years.
How do I avoid emissions testing in Ohio?
The only way to legally avoid emissions testing in Ohio is to qualify and apply for either a temporary, permanent, or permanent out-of-state exemption.
Temporary exemptions depend on vehicle ownership, while permanent exemptions depend on vehicle type. If your vehicle is registered in a county that requires emissions testing, you may be eligible for a permanent out-of-state exemption.
If your vehicle does not meet the requirements for exemption, you shouldn’t try to avoid emissions testing—it helps keep the air we breathe cleaner and is a prerequisite for renewing your registration.
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