North Carolina established emissions inspections to test vehicles to determine whether their pollution controls are working properly. Using on-board diagnostics systems installed on new cars and trucks since 1996, technicians can check to see how vehicle equipment controls nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, the main cause of ozone, acid rain and haze in North Carolina.

The 2002 legislation which established emissions inspections in North Carolina was the Clean Smokestacks Act, which requires coal-burning power plants to reduce emissions of harmful air pollutants over ten years. The same legislation also requires a reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions, found in vehicles without properly working emissions controls.

Starting in July 2002, the state initiated on-board diagnostic (OBD) emissions inspections in nine counties. By 2006, another 39 counties were added to bring 48 counties under emissions requirements established to keep the state’s air quality in compliance with guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Effective November 1, 2008, North Carolina’s vehicle safety and emissions inspections will go electronic. This means that windshield inspection stickers will no longer be issued at your next inspection on or after November 1. The vehicle’s safety and emissions inspection will become due the same month as the vehicle’s registration renewal.