Author: Emissions

Exemptions in Indiana

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

In Indiana, residents are required to have their vehicles pass an emissions test before they can register their vehicle. There are a few exemptions to the rule for certain vehicles. We are going to tell you which vehicles are exempt from testing:

  • Its only four years old or newer, according to the manufacturer date
  • The vehicle was made in 1975 or older
  • Its powered by diesel or electricity
  • It’s considered to be a show car and meets the standards for a Show Car Redemption
  • It’s considered a specialty or kit car and meets standards for Specialty Exemption
  • Its heavier than 9,000 Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
  • It’s a ceremonial vehicle
  • It’s a recreational vehicle
  • It’s a motorcycle
  • Its registered as an antique vehicle or is of highway construction equipment standards
  • The engine displacement is less than 200 cube centimeters
  • Its registered for farm use only, and this is including tractors

If your vehicle meets any of these criteria, your vehicle is considered to be exempt from emissions testing and laws. Always check with your state for more information.

Filed under: Indiana, Articles, State Emissions Testing

Kentucky Car Insurance

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

In Kentucky, car insurance is regulated by a series of state laws designed to financially and physically protect motorists. Kentucky is one of many states that require residents to maintain a certain amount of liability coverage on their vehicle though unlike most other states Kentucky also allows residents to choose which policy limits they want to meet. Kentucky offers residents two different options to meet state car insurance requirements, they can either purchase a split limit liability policy with at least $25,000 in single person bodily injury coverage, $50,000 in per accident bodily injury coverage and $10,000 in property damage coverage or residents can opt to purchase a single limit liability policy with a minimum of $60,000 in coverage per accident. In addition to the liability insurance policy they select Kentucky drivers are also required by state law to purchase a no fault personal injury protection policy with a minimum coverage amount of $10,000. The personal injury protection policy will help pay for any injuries to the policy holder or passengers in the policy holder’s vehicle. Because this policy is a non-fault form of coverage it can be used in any accident no matter if the policy holder is at fault or not.

While the state of Kentucky requires only liability and personal injury protection insurance there are other types of coverage that are optional for vehicle owners. One such type of coverage is basic reparation benefits, which is a type of coverage that provides financial benefits to the policy holder for losses caused by injury while operating the insured motor vehicle. The maximum amount of basic reparation benefits coverage that can be purchased is $10,000, which is also the maximum amount that the insurance company will pay, regardless of the number of people involved in an accident. If a Kentucky resident purchases basic reparations benefits as a part of their car insurance policy they will be legally unable to sue a negligent driver that caused an accident unless medical expenses exceed $1,000 or the accident results in a permanent injury, disfigurement or death. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is optional in Kentucky as well though if a policy holder decides to add uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to their insurance policy they must at least purchase the coverage in amounts that match the amount of liability coverage purchased. Although most types of coverage other than liability coverage is optional for Kentucky motorists the rules are a bit different when they are applied to motorcycles. Insurance companies are required to offer basic reparations benefits to motorcycle owners but at the same time they are not required by law to offer them uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. In fact, in Kentucky car insurance companies are legally allowed to exclude motorcycle owners from this type of coverage if they wish.

In order to ensure that residents meet the state’s car insurance requirements every time a vehicle is registered in Kentucky, or the registration is renewed, the owner must provide the DMV with proof of insurance. If the registration of a vehicle is up for renewal but the owner cannot provide proof of insurance the vehicle will be allowed to lapse and the process must be restarted, resulting in increased fees and perhaps even higher insurance premiums. Kentucky also monitors the car insurance status of its residents by requiring car insurance companies to submit their active insurance policies every month to a county clerk so that the list of actively insured residents in a country may be double checked against the list of registered vehicles in the county.  In addition to requiring proof of insurance at the time of vehicle registration and renewal Kentucky law also ensures that state residents meet mandatory car insurance requirements by penalizing drivers that are caught driving without insurance. If a driver is pulled over and cannot provide proof of insurance to the officer upon request they risk being penalized for driving without insurance even if they actually have an active insurance policy that meets state requirements. Motorist that are found to be driving without insurance will typically be fined no less than $500 and no more than $1,000 for a first offence. First offenders can also be sentenced to up to 90 days in jail if they are unable to pay the fine. Other penalties for driving without auto insurance in the state of Kentucky include the suspension of the driver’s license and vehicle registration. Although this suspension can last as long as a year in most cases it is lifted when the offending driver can provide proof of insurance and pays any reinstatement fees required by the county. In most cases, a driver that is caught driving a vehicle in the state of Kentucky without the necessary insurance coverage will be required to pay more in fines and fees than they would have paid for a car insurance policy.

Filed under: Kentucky, Articles, Car Insurance

Louisiana – General Emissions Information

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

The state of Louisiana requires that vehicles which are registered in the state to complete a motor vehicle inspection. This is enforced by the Louisiana State Police and you must have an inspection every other year.

There are many reasons that your vehicle will need to have an inspection and if you fall into the following categories, you should see what you need to do about obtaining an inspection going vehicle:

  • if you are new to the state and are looking to register your vehicle with the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles
  • If your current break tag or emission sticker is near expiration. These inspections are required to be completed no later than one calendar month following the expiration date of your sticker If you do not have a valid inspection sticker you could be cited for a secondary offense
  • if you have purchased a used vehicle and are looking to register it with the Office of Motor Vehicles
  • If you have been ordered by a law enforcement officer to have your vehicle submitted for inspection. In this case, you must complete the inspection within five days after being ordered to by the officer.

There are two parts of the motor vehicle inspection:

  • a safety inspection is required for all vehicles
  • emissions inspections are required in certain areas

Vehicles are required to have a safety inspection at least every other year, but no more than twice a year. The sticker that you receive will have an expiration date that shows when the next inspection will be required.

LA Vehicle Safety Inspection

The reason a safety inspection is required in the state of Louisiana is to make sure that your vehicle is not a safety hazard either for yourself or for other drivers who are on the road with you. Below are some of the common areas that are inspected during these inspections:

  • Brakes and Brake Lights
  • Wheels and Tires
  • Windshields and Windows
  • Seatbelts
  • Horn
  • Headlights and Turn Signals
  • Exhaust System
  • Steering Mechanisms

Technicians will inspect a number of other items as well and you should take a look at the inspection checklist before you arrive for your inspection. The cost of an inspection in the state of Louisiana is $10.

Smog and Emissions Testing in Louisiana

Some residents are required to have a smog emissions test along with their safety inspection. Depending on the location where you live, your vehicle may require an emissions inspection or an enhanced inspection if the vehicle is gas powered, weighs less than 10,000 pounds, and is registered in one of the following areas:

  • Ascension
  • East Baton Rouge
  • Iberville
  • Livingston
  • West Baton Rouge

During this test, your vehicle will be tested for a number of items, such as gas cap pressure, onboard computer system check, and a visual inspection of items, like the catalytic converter and air injection system.

There is a fee of $18 in relation to the safety and emissions test, which is valid for one year. You may also be able to learn more about the emission test when you are reviewing your inspection checklist before you have your inspection completed.

In Louisiana, most vehicles are required to pass emissions testing before they can register their vehicle. Let’s take a look at which vehicles require emissions testing.

A car, truck, or motorhome is required to go through emissions testing when the following criteria are met:

  • It runs on gasoline
  • It’s a 1996 model year or newer
  • It has a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less

If Louisiana residents are out of the state, they can apply for an extension if they are currently in school, the military, for a job, or any other reason as long as it’s valid. You can send a written request for an extension by email with the following:

  • Reason for your extension
  • Details of the vehicle’s registration
  • Vehicle Identification Number
  • Inspection certificate number
  • Return address of the petitioner

Some vehicles are exempt from emissions testing, here are the current vehicles that don’t require testing:

  • Farm tractors and associated equipment
  • Vehicles which are 40 years old or older like exhibition/parade vehicles not used for transportation on a daily basis
  • Vehicles which regularly carry more than 15 passengers and therefore need a commercial MVI sticker
  • Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 20,000 pounds or more which need a commercial MVI sticker
Filed under: Louisiana, Articles, State Emissions Testing

Emissions Testing in New Hampshire

Last updated on April 25th, 2018

In New Hampshire, a vehicle emissions OBD test is required for many original registrations, as well as for annual registration renewals. Inspection stickers indicate by what date an emissions test must be completed.

VEHICLES THAT REQUIRE AN EMISSIONS TEST

A car, truck, motor home or RV (recreational vehicle) requires an OBD emissions test when:

It is a 1996 model or newer.

It runs on gasoline.

It is a 1997 model or newer, runs on diesel fuel, and has a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of up to 8500 lbs.

Emission tests are valid for12 months. A valid test is required to complete an original vehicle registration or registration renewal. Used car dealers are required to issue a valid emissions test for any vehicle they sell. Getting an emissions test is the buyer’s responsibility when the vehicle is purchased from a private owner.

EXEMPTIONS

A vehicle is exempt from emissions testing when it is a 1995 model or older.

Source: http://www.dmv.com/nh/new-hampshire/emissions-testing

Filed under: New Hampshire, Articles

Georgia Car Insurance

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

In order to drive legally residents of the state of Georgia must meet a host of state requirements concerning car insurance. Every vehicle registered in the state of Georgia is required by state law to maintain $25,000 in individual bodily injury coverage, $50,000 in per accident bodily injury coverage and $25,000 in property damage coverage. The state also requires vehicles with an active loan to carry more than the state minimum though the exact levels can be set by the lender. These types of insurance, known as liability insurance, will help pay for any damage or injuries sustained by other drivers in an accident that is cause by the policy holder. Liability coverage does not cover the policy holder or the vehicle in an at-fault accident and as such if a driver chooses to carry only the state required amount of insurance coverage they will be responsible for their own injuries and for the damage to their vehicle should they cause an accident. Before an automobile can be registered, or the registration of a vehicle renewed, with the Georgia DMV it must first meet state minimum insurance requirements. As a tort state Georgia does not require its residents to purchase uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance nor does it require them to purchase personal injury protection though many residents choose to add these types of coverage to their policy anyway so that the financial burden of an accident will be minimal.

Although these requirements generally apply to all vehicle owners in Georgia there are a few exceptions where the owner of a vehicle may be exempt from adhering to state insurance laws. A vehicle registered in Georgia will be exempt for example

-if the owner has moved out of state

-if the vehicle was repossessed or stolen

-if the vehicle is inoperable

-if the vehicle was wrecked or junked

-if the vehicle was sold

-if the owner has been deployed over seas

 

In most cases the Georgia DMV will not be aware of a vehicle’s change in status so if a vehicle owner wants to avoid the state’s mandatory insurance requirement they will have to notify the DMV of the new status on their own.

 

Georgia, like most other states, has a few different penalties in place to dissuade residents from attempting to drive without car insurance. The maximum penalty a resident can receive for failing to maintain required levels of minimum coverage is a $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail though this point is reached in only a small minority of cases. Since driving without insurance in Georgia is a misdemeanor the driver could even have their car impounded if they are pulled over and found to be driving without insurance. Most Georgia residents that are penalized because of the car insurance are done so because they have allowed their insurance to lapse. The state of Georgia strictly defines a lapse as a period of 10 or more days without continuous coverage on a vehicle. This means that if a driver cancels a policy or fails to make a payment they typically have up to 10 days to bring their coverage back into good standing with state law. If a driver allows their insurance to lapse they will be fined a lapse fee of $25 and will be required to pay a reinstatement fee in order to have the registration unsuspended. These fees will continue to increase with each subsequent offense and can ultimately result in a 6 month suspension of the vehicles registration. In most states a driver can also be penalized for failing to carry proof of insurance with them while driving but in Georgia carrying proof of insurance is not a legal requirement though it is still recommended. When a Georgia resident is pulled over by a law enforcement officer the officer can immediately access the driver’s insurance information through the DMV database and will immediately know if they have active insurance on the vehicle that they are driving.

In many ways Georgia is one of the most progressive states when it comes to sharing information between the DMV, the insurance companies and the millions of Georgia residents that drive a vehicle. In some states it can be hard for a driver to be proactive about updating their insurance information but in Georgia residents can access the state insurance database and make sure that all of their information on file is currently correct. The state uses this database to monitor insurance coverage and since it requires auto insurance companies to provide the policy information of Georgia drivers the database is always up to date. When a vehicle owner allows the insurance on their vehicle to lapse the insurance company will report the change in situation to the state and unless the driver provides new proof of insurance within the required ten days they run the risk of being penalized for having a lapse in insurance coverage.

Filed under: Georgia, Articles, Car Insurance

Rhode Island Car Insurance

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

In order to register a vehicle with the DMV in the state of Rhode Island the vehicle owner must ensure that the vehicle is covered with minimum levels of liability insurance as required by the state. These minimum levels currently sit at $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury coverage as well as $25,000 in property damage coverage. Liability coverage essentially functions to financially protect other drivers from the policy holder while also protecting the policy holder from the legal and financial implications of an accident that they caused. Bodily injury liability coverage will pay for the injuries suffered by any secondary parties at the hands of a policy holder; basically meaning that it will pay for the injuries of all drivers involved in the accident except those of the policy holder. Property damage liability coverage works in much the same way, except instead of financially reimbursing other drivers for their injuries it serves to financially reimburse other drivers for any property damage suffered at the hands of the policy holder. Because liability car insurance depends so much on the safety and driving ability of the policy holder before a Rhode Island car insurance company writes a policy they will typically use the customer’s driving history to help calculate their premiums. Drivers with a history of auto accidents, especially ones that were their fault, will usually be charged much higher premiums than a driver with a clean driving history. When registering a vehicle in Rhode Island the vehicle owner must also sign a statement agreeing to maintain continuous coverage on their vehicle while it is actively registered with the DMV. If at any time while the vehicle is actively registered the vehicle owner allows insurance on the vehicle to lapse or cancels the policy altogether they will be subject to penalties from the DMV for failure to maintain insurance.

As in most states, Rhode Island allows for the purchase of other types of auto insurance coverage not required by the state as well as the purchase of liability coverage in excess of the amounts mandated by the state. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, while not an official requirement in Rhode Island, is recommended by the state for most drivers. Uninsured and underinsured motorist serves to protect the policy holder if they are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver or a driver that does not have enough coverage to cover the entire costs of the accident. Since Rhode Island uses a fault based system which places the financial responsibility for the accident on the driver found to be at fault, if a driver is involved in an accident and the at-fault driver either has no coverage or not enough coverage they would be in a position where they would have to pay for the costs of an accident even though they were not at fault. This type of coverage is also meant to help limit law suits over car accidents by reducing the need of a driver to take an at-fault driver to court in order to recoup any money they had to pay out of pocket for injuries resulting from an accident. Rhode Island residents also have the option of purchasing comprehensive and collision coverage which will pay for any physical damage to the insured vehicle regardless of who is at fault or how the damage is caused to the vehicle.

In the state of Rhode Island it is a requirement that all drivers carry proof of insurance on them at all times while operating a vehicle. If a Rhode Island resident is pulled over or involved in a traffic accident and is not able to provide proof of insurance to the law enforcement officer on the scene they will receive a citation which will require them to provide proof of insurance to the court within 15 days. If the driver cannot provide proof of insurance for the time noted on the citation the driver’s license will be suspended and their vehicle registration will be revoked. The reinstatement of a suspended license and registration will require the motorist to provide proof of insurance to the DMV. Additionally, there are a handful of fees and fines that must be satisfied before a driver can have their driving privileges reinstated by the DMV. In most instances, the fines and fees resulting from a driver being caught without car insurance in Rhode Island can reach $500 or more. Drivers that are caught driving without car insurance in Rhode Island will also be required by the DMV to file an SR-22 with the state. The SR-22 serves as a sort of guarantee that car insurance will be maintained on a vehicle because the insurance company will notify the state at any time if the insurance policy is cancelled or not renewed.

Filed under: Rhode Island, Articles, Car Insurance

California – Emissions Failure and Retests

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

In the event that your vehicle fails the California emissions smog inspection test there are a few options you have.  You can bring your vehicle to a repair shop with the print out you received from your California emissions smog check that will tell the service shop what repairs are needed on the car.

If you are suffering from financial hardship you may qualify for the Consumer Assistance Program (CAP).  CAP is a program that provides up to $500 in financial assistance to qualified individual for their emissions related vehicle repairs.  To qualify for the CAP program you must meet income eligibility requirements.

Once your vehicle has received the proper repair to fix the item(s) that failed the emissions testing inspection you can bring your vehicle back to an emissions testing inspection center to have your vehicle retested.  If you have an issue that you would like to report concerning either the emissions testing you received or the vehicle repairs you received related to your emissions testing you can call the Department of Consumer Affairs at 1-916-952-5210 to receive a form to file your official complaint.

 

Filed under: California, Articles, California Emissions Testing, State Emissions Testing

Indiana – Emissions Failures and Retests

In the event that your vehicle has failed the Indiana emissions test inspection there are certain steps you will need to follow in order to get your vehicle compliant with emissions law.  If your vehicle was manufactured in 1996 or later these are the follow steps you should follow if your vehicle failed the Indiana emissions test.

Take a look at the warranty of your vehicle to see if any of the repairs that are required are covered under the warranty.  For vehicles that fail the test you should receive a paper that covers why your vehicle failed the emissions inspection.

Get the repairs made that are needed.  The service station who made the repairs on your vehicle must sign the back of your Vehicle Inspection Report.  You will need to bring this signed report back to the emissions testing station when you go to get a retest.  If you do not have this form properly signed with you when you go for a retest you may not be allowed to have the retest performed on your vehicle.

If you fail four emissions inspection tests your vehicle must be checked out by a diagnostic tech of the Clean Air Car Check program.  If you need this to be done you can make an appointment by calling 888-240-1684 and select option four.  If you make an appointment you should bring your vehicle, the vehicle inspection report, and all paperwork on the repairs you had done.

 

If your vehicle was manufactured in 1995 or prior there are a few reasons why it may have failed the emissions inspection.   There is an emissions failure, a tampering failure, and a gas cap failure.  An emissions failure means that your vehicle is exceeding the allowed levels of emissions.  A tampering failure means that your vehicle originally had a catalytic converter which is currently either damaged, missing, or disconnected.  A gas cap failure means that your gas cap is not properly sealed and it is allowing fuel vapors to escape.

You should now follow the steps mentioned above to get your car repaired and retested.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Colorado – Emissions Failures and Retests

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

In the event that your vehicle has failed the Colorado emissions inspection test you will need to get your vehicle repaired and retested.  After your vehicle fails you will receive the inspection report.  This report will list the items that did not pass the inspection and need to be fixed.

If you have spent a total of $715 or more on repairs and your vehicle is still not passing the emissions inspection test you may be able to get a waiver.  You will need to speak with the Colorado DMV emissions office at 33-205-5603 to receive information on how you can apply to receive a waiver.

If your vehicle failed the emissions test and you get repairs made and go to get your vehicles retested within ten calendar days after your initial test, the retest will be done for free.  If it takes you longer to than ten calendar days to get the retest done then you will need to pay for the retest.

Filed under: Colorado, Articles, State Emissions Testing