Your pending vehicle emissions test can wait.
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation announced Friday that Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s Executive Order No. 19 suspended requirements for vehicle emissions testing in the state from March 12 to May 18, according to a TDEC press release.
“Suspending requirements for vehicle emissions testing in counties that conduct testing is necessary,” TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said in the press release.
“Tennessee families are responding to many restrictions designed to curb the spread of COVID-19, and this action helps alleviate some of the difficulty Tennesseans are facing at this time.”
Vehicle emissions testing in Tennessee currently applies in the following counties:
• Davidson County
• Hamilton County
• Rutherford County
• Sumner County
• Williamson County
• Wilson County
Davidson County operates its own vehicle emissions testing program and has determined, in response to Executive Order No. 19, that vehicle testing centers are no longer essential activities under Nashville Democratic Mayor John Cooper’s Safer at Home Order (No. 3) that went into effect March 23. Vehicle testing centers in Davidson, Hamilton, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson Counties are now closed, the TDEC press release said.
“Executive Order No. 19 amended Executive Order No. 15, which was issued on March 19. In that Order, Gov. Lee extended the expiration date on motor vehicle registrations that expire from March 12 through May 18. The expiration date was extended until June 15,” according to the TDEC press release.
“TDEC’s Division of Air Pollution Control will update Tennesseans as to when vehicle emissions testing in the state will resume. The Division will work to ensure that testing services are available in enough time for vehicles to be tested prior to June 15.”
Tennesseans may call 866-329-9632 for further information and can visit https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/apc-air-pollution-control-home/apc/vehicle-inspection-program1.html. Please note that the call volume is higher than normal. A caller should leave a message, and someone will return his or her call.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Car Emission Tests” by Tim Evanson. CC BY-SA 2.0.
When is the requirement of emissions testing going to end completely?