Colorado Emissions Testing Laws
Is your car subject to Colorado emissions testing requirements? It’s time to find out (and save the planet).
Written by R.E. Fulton
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
Colorado emissions testing is required for vehicles in the Automobile Inspection and Readjustment (AIR) program region, which includes much of the
Denver
area. If your car is at least seven model years old, you’ll likely need an annual or biannual emissions inspection.Picture it: a silent night on the Front Range. You lean back by your campfire under the Rocky Mountain night sky, Coors in hand. A thought pierces the mellow calm: “Does my car need emissions testing?”
If you’ve been here, don’t worry:
Jerry’s
got your back. As a super app created to save drivers money on car insurance
, we’re staying up to date on everything Colorado drivers need to know, including emissions testing regulations and procedures. Keep reading to find out whether your car needs emissions testing in Colorado—and how to save money on Colorado car insurance costs
. Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs
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Colorado emissions testing regulations
Not every state requires vehicles to get emissions inspections, but Colorful Colorado’s one of them. For 25 years, the Automobile Inspection and Readjustment program has worked to reduce emissions and improve air quality in the densely populated northeast portion of the state.
But not every car in Colorado needs emissions testing. To find out if you’re exempt, let’s run through the regulations below.
Which counties in Colorado require emissions testing?
To start off, let’s look at location.
Colorado’s emissions inspection program
is regional—which means that, depending on where you live and drive, you may not need an emissions test at all. If your car is registered in one of the following counties, you’re inside the Automobile Inspection and Readjustment region and subject to emissions testing:
- Boulder
- Broomfield
- Denver
- Douglas
- Jefferson
A few other counties are partial participants, meaning that you’ll have to call the county directly to find out whether your address is included in the AIR region. To call your local DMV for more information, use the numbers below:
- Adams County: (720) 523-6010
- Arapahoe County: (303) 795-4500
- Larimer County: (970) 498-7878
- Weld County: (970) 353-3840
If your car isn’t registered in the above locations, but you travel to them regularly for work or school, your vehicle is subject to the same rules as those of residents.
Which cars need emissions testing in Colorado?
If you do live in an area that’s subject to emissions testing, your vehicle is the next factor that determines whether you need an inspection. All vehicles from model year 1982 and newer that are more than seven years old must get an emissions test every two years.
Let’s break it down further:
- If your car is newer than seven model years, it is exempt from emissions testing
- If your car is exactly seven model years old, it needs to be tested only on transfer of ownership
- If your car is older than seven model years but newer than 1990, it needs a test every two years
Your car’s registration renewal card should state your vehicle’s testing requirements clearly. The testing fee for eligible vehicles is $25, and you can pay at the
testing location
using cash, credit or debit cards, or check. Prior to 1990, things get a little more complicated—that’s because cars of that age are eligible for collector plates. The table below shows the testing requirements for cars from 1990 or earlier based on their plates.
Model years | Plates | Requirement | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
1976 to 1990 | Collector plates | Every five years | $15 pre-1982, $25 1982-1990 |
1982 to 1990 | Standard plates | Every two years | $25 |
1976 to 1981 | Standard plates | Annually | $15 |
1975 and older | Collector plates | Exempt | N/A |
1975 and older | Standard plates | Annually | $15 |
In addition to the above requirements, an emissions test is required to transfer ownership of any vehicle more than seven model years old. The responsibility for obtaining and paying for the test falls on the seller.
Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
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* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Exemptions from Colorado emissions testing
A few types of vehicles are exempt from Colorado’s emissions testing requirements. If you own one of the following, you can breathe easy knowing that your ride is exempt from Colorado emissions testing:
- Any car less than seven model years old
- Any registered collector vehicle from 1975 or earlier
- Any all-electric vehicle
- Farm vehicles
- Street rods
- Kit cars
- Horseless carriages
- Motorcycles
How does Colorado emissions testing work?
If your vehicle’s subject to testing based on the requirements listed above, here’s what you’ll need to do to get it tested.
- Locate a testing center. Thisunofficial mapshared by the DMV is a great resource, and you can also check wait times on theAirCare Colorado website.
- Bring your car in for an inspection. Depending on your car’s age, powertrain, and fuel type, you might qualify for different types of tests (more on that below).
- Pay the fee at the testing center. Fees are listed above, but you can expect to pay either $15 or $25 depending on the age of your vehicle.
Types of emissions tests
A standard emissions test will involve a basic check to ensure that your vehicle is safe to inspect, along with a visual check of dashboard lights and your car’s gas cap. But the rest of the inspection depends on what kind of car you drive.
Vehicles 8 to 11 model years old, including hybrid vehicles, must get an on-board diagnostics (OBD) inspection. The technician will use an OBD-II scanner to check for any trouble codes associated with emissions problems.
Gasoline vehicles 12 model years old built before 1982 need what’s called an I/M 240 dynamometer inspection. You might also hear it called a “treadmill test,” since it involves putting the car on what’s essentially a massive treadmill for about four minutes to simulate how it operates on the road.
Gas vehicles older than 1982, as well as heavy-duty trucks from 1992 or earlier, must get a two-speed idle test. In this test, technicians put a probe into the exhaust pipe and use a tachometer to measure the engine’s speed. Then, as the name suggests, they’ll let the engine idle twice, revving it in between to 2500 RPM.
Exceptionally clean vehicles can qualify for RapidScreen Roadside testing, which allows you to skip the testing center and simply drive past a sensor on the road. To see if you qualify, check out the
requirements
on the AirCare website. What happens if you fail emissions testing in Colorado?
If your vehicle fails an emissions inspection, the procedure is pretty simple: the inspection personnel will explain why your car failed and identify certain repairs you need in order to pass another inspection.
If you’re getting an inspection to renew your vehicle’s registration, don’t worry! Colorado provides a 30-day grace period for repairs and reinspection. If you happen to miss that deadline, you’ll be charged $25/month up to a total of $100.
What if you can’t afford the repairs you’d need to pass? Good news: you may be able to get a waiver to cover the costs. For gas-powered vehicles, repair waivers are available if:
- Your car is from 1968 or newer and the total estimated cost of repairs is over$715
- Your car is from 1967 or older and the total estimated cost of repairs is over $75
For diesel vehicles, the repair waiver is available for light-duty vehicles requiring $750 in emissions repairs or heavy-duty vehicles requiring $1,500 in emissions repairs. You can also get a one-time economic hardship waiver under
certain circumstances
, but you’ll need to prove that the car is your only means of transportation. You can apply for waivers at
the online CO DMV portal
. However, keep in mind that the waiver request will be denied if the technician notices any visible smoke, missing or tampered equipment, or a failing gas cap. How to save on car insurance in Colorado
One great feature of the AirCare Colorado website? Real-time estimates for wait times at emissions testing stations. That can help you avoid wasting time in a long line of frustrated drivers—but if you do end up with a wait, don’t worry! You can make good use of that time to download
Jerry
, the trustworthy insurance comparison app
, and check for more affordable car insurance
rates. You see, every driver’s just one person. Unless you’re seriously obsessed with car insurance, you probably don’t have the time or energy to check constantly for savings—and that’s how you miss out on the best coverage at the best price. But Jerry is different. As a licensed insurance broker and the first car insurance shopping super app, Jerry can check rates from over 55 top insurers in just 45 seconds.
By the time your car hits the front of the line and passes its emissions testing, you could be ready to roll away with a new low rate on insurance!
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Do you need an emissions test every year in Colorado?
Not necessarily. Only cars from model year 1981 or earlier without collector plates need annual inspections. Newer vehicles only need bi-annual inspections, and cars newer than seven model years are exempt altogether.
How do I avoid emissions testing in Colorado?
If you drive a car that’s exempt from inspections, such as an all-electric vehicle or a collector vehicle from 1975 or earlier, you can avoid emissions testing. But if your car’s subject to the legal requirements, it’s best not to try to cut corners—your registration renewal could be denied.
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