| Emission Test |
Requirement
Where and How much
Inspection and Test
Fair and Fails
Transfer
Requirement
Passing an emission test every two years is a requirement for the renewal of vehicle licence plates, depending on where the vehicle is registered and its age. If your vehicle is registered within the Drive Clean program area and your vehicle is more than three model years old, but less than 20, you have to pass the emission test. If your vehicle is an odd numbered model year (i.e.1995) a test is required in 2000, 2002, etc. If your vehicle is an even numbered model year (i.e., 1996), a test is required in 2001, 2003, etc.
Your vehicle licence plates will be up for renewal within three months. Without this emissions test, you won't get a validation sticker to put on your licence plate.
I do proper maintenance on my vehicle. Why don't you go after the real "smokers" on the road?
There's an excellent chance your vehicle will pass the Drive Clean test. But an average of 20% of vehicles will fail. Since there's no practical way of knowing which vehicles meet the emission standards, the fair thing is to make the test mandatory. Also, the Ministry of the Environment has implemented on-road enforcement of grossly polluting cars and trucks through Ontario's Smog Patrol program.
Where and How much
Where do I go for a Drive Clean test?
Take your vehicle to an accredited Drive Clean facility. To find a facility, look for service centres that display the Drive Clean sign, call 1-888-758-2999 toll-free or visit Drive Clean.
How much will the test cost me?
A Drive Clean test will cost no more than $30 plus GST. Some Drive Clean facilities may charge even less. If your vehicle fails its initial test and needs repairs, the cost for re-testing at the same facility will be no more than $15 plus GST.
Inspection and Test
Does my vehicle need an inspection before its test?
Drive Clean facilities must conduct a pre-test check before testing a vehicle. There is no charge for this check which determines if the vehicle is in good working order to be safely and successfully tested on a dynamometer. It is not a mechanical safety check. The Drive Clean facility may recommend repairs before the vehicle is tested and may refuse to conduct a test unless the repairs are made. If you disagree with the pre-test check results, you have the right to take your vehicle to another facility.
How is the Drive Clean test done?
A certified test inspector accelerates your vehicle to 40 km/hr on a treadmill-like machine called a dynamometer. A probe, placed in the tailpipe, sends readings on the pollutants in the exhaust to a computer.
The tramper-proof computer averages the readings and compares them to the emission standards for the vehicle and its year (e.g. an '86 model car will be tested against'86 emission standards), with an allowance for wear and tear.
Fair and Fails
How will I know if the test results and repairs are fair?
All Drive Clean facilities are audited by an independent quality assurance/quality control organization. If you disagree with the test results or the repairs at a Drive Clean facility, call the Drive Clean customer service centre to resolve any concerns. You and the other party may be referred to an independent dispute resolution process.
What if my vehicle "fails"?
You will receive a report describing some of the possible causes of failure. You will need to make the necessary emission-related repairs, then return to the Drive Clean test facility for a re-test.
You can fix the car at your local garage, an accredited Drive Clean repair facility or do the repairs yourself, as long as you pass the re-test. If your vehicle fails the re-test, you may qualify for one-time only conditional pass if you deal with accredited Drive Clean facilities for repairs of repair estimates. A conditional pass will allow you to renew your registration, but it cannot be used to transfer the ownership of a vehicle. For further information on the repair cost limit and conditional pass, call 1-888-758-2999.
Transfer
What happens if I transfer the ownership of my vehicle to someone else?
Before the vehicle can be licensed for the road under new ownership, it must pass a Drive Clean emissions test. This applies to all cars and light duty trucks, 0 to 19 years old in the Drive Clean program area.
A pass certificate from a Drive Clean test is valid for up to six months. So if you decide to sell your vehicle after its licence plate renewal, but before the six months are up, the pass certificate can be used for an ownership transfer.
The information above is only for reference.
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