Section 20-183.2 - Description of vehicles subject to safety or emissions inspection; definitions(a) Safety. - A motor vehicle is subject to a safety inspection in accordance with this Part if it meets all of the following requirements: (1) It is subject to registration with the Division under Article 3 of this Chapter.(2) It is not subject to inspection under 49 C.F.R. Part 396 , the federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.(3) It is not a trailer whose gross weight is less than 4,000 pounds or a house trailer. (a1) Safety Inspection Exceptions. - The following vehicles shall not be subject to a safety inspection pursuant to this Article:(1) Historic vehicles, as described in G.S. 20-79.4(b)(90).(2) Buses titled to a local board of education and subject to the school bus inspection requirements specified by the State Board of Education and G.S. 115C-248.(b) Emissions. - A motor vehicle is subject to an emissions inspection in accordance with this Part if it meets all of the following requirements: (1) It is subject to registration with the Division under Article 3 of this Chapter, except for motor vehicles operated on a federal installation as provided in sub-subdivision e. of subdivision (5) of this subsection.(2) It is not a trailer whose gross weight is less than 4,000 pounds, a house trailer, or a motorcycle.(3a) It is a vehicle with a model year within 20 years of the current year and earlier than the 2017 model year. (4) Repealed by Session Laws 1999-328, s. 3.11, effective July 21, 1999.(5) It meets any of the following descriptions:a. It is required to be registered in an emissions county.b. It is part of a fleet that is operated primarily in an emissions county.c. It is offered for rent in an emissions county.d. It is a used vehicle offered for sale by a dealer in an emissions county.e. It is operated on a federal installation located in an emissions county and it is not a tactical military vehicle. Vehicles operated on a federal installation include those that are owned or leased by employees of the installation and are used to commute to the installation and those owned or operated by the federal agency that conducts business at the installation.f. It is otherwise required by 40 C.F.R. Part 51 to be subject to an emissions inspection.(6) It is not licensed at the farmer rate under G.S. 20-88(b).(7) It is not a new motor vehicle, as defined in G.S. 20-286(10)a. and has been a used motor vehicle, as defined in G.S. 20-286(10)b., for 12 months or more. However, a motor vehicle that has been leased or rented, or offered for lease or rent, is subject to an emissions inspection when it either: a. Has been leased or rented, or offered for lease or rent, for 12 months or more.b. Is sold to a consumer-purchaser.(8) It is not a privately owned, nonfleet motor home or house car, as defined in G.S. 20-4.01(27)k., that is built on a single chassis, has a gross vehicle weight of more than 10,000 pounds, and is designed primarily for recreational use.(9) It is not a plug-in electric vehicle as defined in G.S. 20-4.01(28b).(10) It is not a fuel cell electric vehicle as defined in G.S. 20-4.01(12a).(c) Definitions. - The following definitions apply in this Part: (1) Electronic inspection authorization. - An inspection authorization that is generated electronically through the electronic accounting system that creates a unique nonduplicating authorization number assigned to the vehicle's inspection receipt upon successful passage of an inspection. The term "electronic inspection authorization" shall include the term "inspection sticker" during the transition period to use of electronic inspection authorizations.(2) Emissions county. - A county listed in G.S. 143-215.107A(c) and certified to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles as a county in which the implementation of a motor vehicle emissions inspection program will improve ambient air quality.(3) Federal installation. - An installation that is owned by, leased to, or otherwise regularly used as the place of business of a federal agency.N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-183.2
Amended by 2023 N.C. Sess. Laws 134,s. 12.7-a, eff. 9/22/2023, which provides: Subsections (a) and (b) of this section become effective on the first day of a month that is 60 days after the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality certifies to the Revisor of Statutes that the United States Environmental Protection Agency has approved an amendment to the North Carolina State Implementation Plan submitted as required by subsection (c) of this section and applies to motor vehicles inspected, or due to be inspected, on or after that date. The Secretary shall provide this notice of approval along with the effective date of this section on its website and by written or electronic notice to emissions inspection mechanic license holders, emissions inspection station licensees, and self-inspector licensees in the county where motor vehicle emissions inspection requirements are removed by this section..Amended by 2020 N.C. Sess. Laws 73, s. 5, eff. 12/1/2020.Amended by 2017 N.C. Sess. Laws 10, s. 3.5-b, eff. 10/1/2017, or the first day of a month that is 60 days after the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality certifies to the Revisor of Statutes that the United States Environmental Protection Agency has approved an amendment to the North Carolina State Implementation Plan submitted as required by subsection 3.5.(c) of 2017-10, whichever is later.Amended by 2015 N.C. Sess. Laws 264, s. 9, eff. 10/1/2015.Amended by 2013 N.C. Sess. Laws 410, s. 5, eff. 8/23/2013.Amended by 2012 N.C. Sess. Laws 200, s. 12-b, eff. 8/1/2012.Subsection (b)(3) amended by 2012 N.C. Sess. Laws 199, s. 1, eff. on the later of the following dates and applicable to motor vehicles inspected, or due to be inspected, on or after that date: (1) January 1, 2014. (2) The first day of a month that is 30 days after both of the following have occurred: a. The Department of Environmental Quality certifies to the Revisor of Statutes that the United States Environmental Protection Agency has approved the amendment to the North Carolina State Implementation Plan based on the change to the emissions inspection program provided in Section 1 of this act. b. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles certifies to the Revisor of Statutes that the Motor Vehicle Inspection and Law Enforcement System (MILES) has been replaced.Amended by 2011 N.C. Sess. Laws 206, s. 3, eff. 6/23/2011.Amended by 2011 N.C. Sess. Laws 95, s. 3, eff. 5/26/2011.Amended by 2009 N.C. Sess. Laws 570, s. 33, eff. 8/28/2009.Amended by 2008 N.C. Sess. Laws 172, s. 1, eff. 8/4/2008.Amended by 2007 N.C. Sess. Laws 503, s. 2, eff. 10/1/2008.Amended by 2006 N.C. Sess. Laws 255, s. 1, eff. 8/23/2006.Amended by 2004 N.C. Sess. Laws 0199, s. 59, eff. 8/17/2004.Amended by 2004 N.C. Sess. Laws 0167, s. 10, eff. 10/1/2004.Amended by 2001 - 504, s. 10, eff. 1/1/2002.Amended by 2001 - 504, s. 4, eff. 1/1/2002.Amended by 2001 - 504, s. 5, eff. 7/1/2003. 1965 , c. 734, s. 1; 1967 , c. 692, s. 1; 1969 , c. 179, s. 2; cc. 219, 386; 1973 , c. 679, s. 2; 1975 , c. 683; c. 716, s. 5; 1979 , c. 77; 1989 , c. 467; 1991 , c. 394, s. 1; c. 761, s. 7; 1993 Reg. Sess., 1994 , c. 754, s. 1; 1995 , c. 163, s. 10; 1997-29, s. 12; 1999-328, s. 3.11; 2000-134, ss. 7, 7.1, 9.Subsection (b)(3) and (b)(3a) amended by 2023 N.C. Sess. Laws 134,s. 12.7-aeff. on the first day of a month that is 60 days after the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality certifies to the Revisor of Statutes that the United States Environmental Protection Agency has approved an amendment to the North Carolina State Implementation Plan submitted as required by subsection (c) of this section and applies to motor vehicles inspected, or due to be inspected, on or after that date. The Secretary shall provide this notice of approval along with the effective date of this section on its website and by written or electronic notice to emissions inspection mechanic license holders, emissions inspection station licensees, and self-inspector licensees in the county where motor vehicle emissions inspection requirements are removed by this section.