Utah requires emissions testing for vehicles registered in Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, Weber, and Cache counties. Fees will vary across different counties.

Written by Thidas Senanayaka

Reviewed by Bellina Gaskey

Updated on Jan 29, 2024

Table of Contents

Is a smog check required in Utah?
What is a Utah vehicle emissions test?
What do I need for a smog check in Utah?
How much is a smog check in Utah?
How to save on Utah car insurance costs

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You’ll need to get a smog check, also called an emission inspection, on some vehicles if you want to renew your registration in Utah. You’ll need to obtain an emissions inspection if you’re registered in one of five Utah counties.

A smog check, or emissions testing, is an important part of the registration and renewal process for vehicles in many states—especially if you purchased a used car that has been around for some time. In Utah, it’s an important requirement for registering or renewing the title on your vehicle, though this varies based on the model year you own.

If you’re looking for more information about smog checks in Utah, you’ve come to the right place.

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Is a smog check required in Utah?

If your vehicle is registered in Salt Lake County, Davis County, Utah County, Weber County, or Cache County, you will need to get a smog check every time you renew your vehicle registration.

Cache County is a little different. Any registered vehicles with model years less than six years old do not need emissions tests. Any vehicles that are older than that will need a smog check every two years. So, if you have a car manufactured between 2017 and 2022, you don’t need to worry about smog checks in Cache County. Vehicles manufactured before 1968 do not need smog checks, either.

If you need a smog check, you can get one done starting two months before the date of your registration renewal.

MORE: Title transfer in Utah

Emissions testing requirements and exemptions

Not all vehicles need smog checks—as we’ve already seen, newer vehicles and really old ones are exempt from the emissions testing requirements. There are other exceptions as well.

This is a general list of vehicles exempt from emissions testing, though the specifics may change

based on the county

your car is registered in:

New vehicles with a Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO)

Any vehicle model year 1967 & older

Any diesel vehicle model year 1997 & older and with a GVWR less than 14,000 lbs.

All implements of husbandry vehicles

Off-highway vehicles

Electric vehicles

Motorcycles or motor-driven cycles

Farm vehicles

Vintage or custom vehicles

Maintenance or construction vehicles not designed or licensed to operate on a highway

If your vehicle isn’t any of these, you will need a smog check. As a recap, if you register in Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, or Weber counties, you will need a smog check every year for vehicles from model years 1968 to 2016.

Vehicles from model years 2017 to 2022 need smog checks only every two years, so if you own a 2018 or 2020 model.

Cache County is the exception to the rule. Vehicles manufactured from 1969 to 2016 need an emissions inspection every two years. If you own a vehicle with a model year 2017 or newer, you don’t need any smog checks done on it as of 2022.

A smog check is needed every time a title is transferred as well if the previous owner doesn’t have a current smog check certificate. This is the responsibility of the new owner and they must get it within 10 days of the title transfer. If a vehicle is being bought from a dealer, the dealer must be the one to present a valid smog check to the buyer at the time of sale (unless it's a new vehicle with an MSO).

How to get out of your Utah smog check: emissions waivers

Strictly speaking, you can’t exactly get out of your smog check—you will need to do an emissions test for renewals or title transfers. Some counties in Utah, however, do have certain waivers that can allow you to register your vehicle even if you fail the test. Though there are some strict conditions and this is a very rare option, that's usually a last resort.

For instance, in

Salt Lake County

, if you fail your emissions test and make repairs to fix the cause that still failed to fix the emissions problems, the county may issue a repair waiver. Your car may qualify if it has failed at least two emissions inspections, received emissions-related repairs from a recognized repair facility, and other waiver requirements.

MORE: How to pass emissions testing

What is a Utah vehicle emissions test?

The most conventional type of smog check is called the OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) emissions test. In 1990, the Federal Clean Air Act was passed, requiring the standardization of the OBD computer systems of every vehicle by creating a new standard: OBD II or On-Board Diagnostics, Second Generation.

The OBD tests use a 16-pin connector port to monitor your car’s emission control system in real time so that if an issue occurs, the technician conducting the test can know. The OBDII computer’s connector is used to plug in an emission analyzer scan tool that communicates with the vehicle. The computer then relays to the analyzer if it has discovered any errors in the system, and the analyzer determines whether the vehicle is compliant.

For older model years, the technician might conduct a two-speed idle test or TSI test. This basically tracks emissions when the engine is idling at high and low speeds. An exhaust sample probe is inserted into the tailpipe to get samples of tailpipe hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide.

Other tests include Visual Tamper Inspections, Visible Emissions Inspections, Fuel Cap Inspections, and Diesel Dynamometer Opacity tests.

What do I need for a smog check in Utah?

In Utah, once you find a station to do the smog check, make sure you prepare your vehicle registration document and driver’s license. Your vehicle’s odometer needs to be working properly, and the gas cap needs to be present and fastened securely.

How much is a smog check in Utah?

The counties in Utah are self-regulating, so your fee will differ depending on where you live. In Davis, Salt, and Utah counties, the price is market-driven but usually averages around $25. In Cache county, you can expect to pay $20. Weber County is the most expensive, with a $30 fee.

You’ll have to pay an additional $3 in Cache, Davis, and Salt Lake counties, $2 in Utah County, and $1 in Weber County for the emissions program.

How to save on Utah car insurance costs

Smog checks are fairly cheap—which is a good thing since they’re essentially required if you own a car in many states. But the bad news is that car ownership as a whole is expensive.

This is where

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