WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – The NC Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality is accepting public comments on potential changes to vehicle emissions inspection rules through Sept. 4.

The changes, if approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, would remove the requirement for vehicle emissions inspections from all participating counties except Mecklenburg County, and that county would have limited vehicles subject to the rules. The General Assembly authorized the removal of 18 counties, including New Hanover County, back in 2023.

Safety inspections will continue to be required in all 100 counties; this would only affect emissions inspections.

“Before these changes to the emissions program can be implemented in North Carolina, DAQ must modify its Inspection & Maintenance State Implementation Plan and demonstrate that the state can still meet federal air quality standards with these changes. The legislature required DAQ to complete and submit the revised Plan to EPA by October 3, 2024. EPA would then need to approve the revised Plan prior to the revisions taking effect,” a DEQ announcement states.

Since the program’s start in 1982, the DAQ says that fuels have become cleaner and that modern vehicles emit much less polution.

You can find the full documents and drafts online and send comments to daq.publiccomments@deq.nc.gov (with “Remove 19 Counties from IM Program” in the subject line), leave a voicemail by calling 919-707-8429, or mailing or faxing comments to:

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