Almost every Alexandria, VA vehicle must go through auto emissions testing. They must have a PASS rating before the registration can be processed by a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office. The requirement for a vehicle is based on its age, weight, and type of fuel consumed.
Gasoline-powered – Passenger and property carrying vehicles with a model year less than 25 years old of January 1st of the current year must be inspected. A 1994 Honda for example is only 24 years from January 1st, 2018. The same vehicle, must also have a manufacturer’s designated gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less to need testing.
Diesel-powered – Passenger and property carrying vehicles with a model year of 1997 or newer must be inspected. A 1999 Chevrolet meets the requirement. The same vehicle must also have a manufacturer’s designated gross vehicle weight of 8,500 pounds or less to need testing.
If vehicles in either category are either too old, or are too heavy, they are given a WAIVER. These Alexandria, VA vehicles, usually commercial vehicles, can be processed through the DMV with no auto emissions testing.
Vehicles that receive a PASS from one of our Wiygul Automotive Clinics meet state requirements for two years before needing a new inspection. Any vehicle belonging to a resident in the independent city of Alexandria that meets these requirements must be inspected. Wiygul technicians perform emissions testing on all major automotive brands every day our four VA clinics are open, on a first-come first-serve basis. The wait time is usually shorter in the middle two weeks of each month, so we encourage residents to bring in their vehicle then.
So what does happen in auto emissions testing? For each Alexandria, VA vehicle, the goal is to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide and other emissions that affect the air quality for all residents in Virginia. Standards were determined and implemented by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the DMV. That means your initial test might happen as you perform your routine commute.
The DEQ, with a local company, has set up remote sensing stations. As you drive through one, your vehicle is identified and the emissions are measured. The result is a ‘clean screen’, ‘gross polluter’ or somewhere between the two. If you rate as a ‘clean screen’, you may receive a waiver in the mail for your next inspection if it is due soon.
Any other rating gets you a notice in the mail for inspection. A thorough Wiygul mechanical inspection examines the entire emissions system and can bring it in line with the State requirements. If you have received a notice in the mail, or are simply due for your next emissions test, contact Wiygul Automotive at 866-702-8050 for the location of the Clinic nearest you.
