Maryland emissions test — who tests, what it costs now, and what happens if you skip it.
If your car is registered in central Maryland, the MVA will mail you a VEIP test date every two years. The Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program covers 13 counties and Baltimore City, and for most cars it's a quick On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) plug-in test. Two things changed in 2025: the fee went from $14 to $30 on July 1, 2025, and the late fee rose to $30 for each month you're overdue. A new car's first test is at least 72 months after its model year. Bills to repeal the program were heard in 2026 and went no further. Here is who tests, who's exempt, how waivers work, and what happens if you ignore the notice.
Buying a Used Car in Maryland?
A transfer of ownership sets a new VEIP date. Before that, enter the VIN for a free preview of the title brands, salvage records and odometer readings on file.
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Quick Answer
- Who needs a Maryland emissions test?
- Vehicles registered in the emissions inspection area: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's, Queen Anne's and Washington counties, and Baltimore City. Government vehicles operated there more than 60 days a year test too. Most gasoline cars and light trucks of model year 1996 and newer get an OBD test every two years; diesels have a separate program.
- How much is the Maryland emissions test?
- $30 every other year, under COMAR 11.11.05.06. The Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2025 raised the cap from $14 to $30 from July 1, 2025, and from July 1, 2026 the law ties it to inflation; no adjusted figure had been published when we checked. The late fee is $30 per month or part of a month, up from $15.
- Is Maryland getting rid of emissions testing?
- Not as of 22 October 2026. The 2026 bills to repeal VEIP (HB 183 and SB 106) got committee hearings and went no further. The legislature's analysts estimated repeal would cut Transportation Trust Fund revenue by about $46.5 million in fiscal 2027, and because VEIP is part of Maryland's air-quality plan, it would likely bring federal penalties.
Four steps to a Maryland emissions test
The MVA mails a notice with your test date. Test after it arrives and no later than the date.
- 1Watch for the noticeThe MVA assigns a test date each cycle and mails it before the date.
- 2Fix open recalls firstA car with an unrepaired emissions-related recall is rejected from testing.
- 3Take the testOBD for most cars. Pay by cash, check or an MVA-approved card.
- 4Pass, or use the retestRepair and retest before the due date. The first reinspection is free.
How VEIP Works
COMAR 11.14.08 sets the scope: "The Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program requires all subject vehicles to be inspected biennially as scheduled by the Administration." The statute behind it, Transportation Article § 23-202, provides for a biennial test "for all vehicles of the 1977 model year and each model year thereafter," and the program only lasts as long as federal law requires it. In fiscal 2025 it ran 1,269,420 initial tests.
The schedule is the MVA's, not yours. It "shall assign each vehicle required to be inspected a date of scheduled inspection for each inspection cycle, and shall send a notice to the vehicle owner before the assigned date," and the owner must present the car "after receipt of notification, but not later than the date of scheduled inspection." A transfer of ownership inside the area, or a move into it, sets a new date.
Which Test Your Vehicle Gets
From COMAR 11.14.08's test applicability table, read on 22 October 2026.
| Vehicle (GVWR) | Model year | Test |
|---|---|---|
| 8,500 lb and under | 1996 and newer | On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) |
| 8,501 to 14,000 lb | 1977 to 2007 | Idle test, catalytic converter check and gas cap test |
| 8,501 to 14,000 lb | 2008 and newer | OBD |
| 14,001 to 26,000 lb | 1977 and newer | Idle test |
| 8,500 lb and under | Older than 1996 | Exempt |
| Any vehicle older than model year 1977 | No test may be required |
Before testing, a vehicle is rejected for overheating, coolant, oil or fuel leaks, visible tailpipe smoke other than steam, or a missing, damaged or leaking exhaust.
Maryland Emissions Rules at a Glance
The area, the fee, the late fee and the first test for a new car, on one card.
From COMAR 11.14.08 and 11.11.05.06 and the Transportation Article, read on the date shown.
VEIP Fees
From the official COMAR 11.11.05.06 and Transportation Article § 23-205, read on 22 October 2026. The Cornell LII copy of the fee rule still shows the old amounts.
| Fee | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Emissions inspection | $30 | Every other year |
| Reinspection | $30 | After the first reinspection, which is free |
| Late fee | $30 | Per month or part of a month; was $15 |
| Fleet test | $30 | Per vehicle passed |
| Statutory cap | $14 through June 30, 2025 | $30 from July 1, 2025, then indexed to inflation |
The MVA also runs 24/7 self-service kiosks. Its own pages, which would confirm the current kiosk price, couldn't be reached from here.
Who's Exempt
From COMAR 11.14.08 and Transportation Article §§ 23-202 and 23-206.2.
Zero-emission and diesel-only
Zero-emission vehicles and vehicles powered solely by electricity or diesel. Diesels have a separate program.
Motorcycles and street rods
Class D motorcycles and Class N street rods, plus Class E trucks over 26,000 lb.
Historic vehicles
Class L historic vehicles. Since July 1, 2025, historic means model year 1999 or earlier.
New cars and hybrids
A new car's first test is at least 72 months after its model year; a qualified hybrid's, 3 years after first registration.
Owners 70 and older
When every owner is 70+ and the car is driven 5,000 miles a year or less. Disability plates qualify on the same mileage.
Deployed military
An owner on active duty with orders outside the US, or to a duty station where there's no emissions program.
Buying a Car in the VEIP Area?
Ownership changes set a new test date. Before you buy, enter the VIN for a free preview of the title brands and junk and salvage records on file.
Failing, Waivers and Extensions
After a fail, get the repairs done and retest on or before the due date, with documentation of what was repaired, by whom, and anything recommended but not done. A rejection doesn't move the due date. If the car still fails, the statute provides a waiver once you've "actually incurred an expenditure of $450 towards emissions related repairs to the vehicle within 120 days after the exhaust emissions test," with the work done by a certified technician at a certified facility. There's no waiver for tampered or removed factory equipment or misfueling, warranty coverage has to be used first, and a waiver lasts until the next scheduled inspection.
The MVA can also grant an extension when the owner has tried to comply and circumstances are beyond their control, for a car that's outside the area (test on return), and for economic hardship, up to the length of an inspection cycle, when all titled owners meet the federal poverty guidelines.
Relief, in short
- Waiver: $450 of repairs within 120 days, still failing.
- Not for: tampering or misfueling.
- Extensions: out of area, or beyond your control.
- Hardship: up to one inspection cycle.
What Happens If You Skip It
From COMAR 11.14.08 and the fee rule.
A $30 late fee, monthly
Charged per month, or part of a month, that the test is overdue.
A suspension notice
With no pass, waiver or extension by the due date, the MVA mails a notice with a suspension date at least 15 days later.
Registration suspended
If it's still unresolved, the registration is suspended and the plates go back to the MVA.
No renewal
Renewal is denied until the vehicle complies.
Recalls block the test
A car that hasn't had an emissions-related recall repaired is rejected from inspection.
Former historic cars
About 53,402 model year 2000–2005 cars that lost historic status in 2025 became subject to testing.
VEIP Before and After 2025
What the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2025 changed, and what the 2026 session left alone.
Before July 1, 2025
- $14 test fee cap.
- $15 late fee.
- Historic status open to model year 2000 and later cars.
- No inflation indexing.
Now
- $30 test fee.
- $30 late fee per month.
- Historic means model year 1999 or earlier.
- The fee follows inflation from July 1, 2026.
Bills in 2026 to repeal VEIP, allow private test facilities, exempt former historic cars or limit failure grounds all failed to pass.
Related Checks and Guides
Maryland's safety inspection, other state emissions guides, and the checks worth running before you buy.
Where These Facts Come From
From the official COMAR site, the Maryland General Assembly's statutes, bill pages and Department of Legislative Services fiscal notes, read on 22 October 2026. The MVA and Maryland Department of the Environment pages couldn't be reached from here; check your MVA notice for your own date.
CarCheckerVIN is not affiliated with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, the Department of the Environment or the State of Maryland, and does not perform emissions tests. This page is general information; your MVA notice is the authority on your vehicle's date.
Maryland Emissions Test — Frequently Asked Questions
What Maryland drivers ask most.
How often is the Maryland emissions test?+
Every two years, on a date the MVA assigns for each inspection cycle and mails to you before it's due.
When does a new car need its first Maryland emissions test?+
For a vehicle never titled anywhere before and sold on a manufacturer's certificate of origin, the MVA assigns a first test date at least 72 months after the model year.
What is the late fee for a Maryland emissions test?+
$30 per month or part of a month, under the current COMAR fee rule. It was $15 before the 2025 change.
I'm moving to Maryland. When do I test?+
If your vehicle was titled or registered out of state, the MVA assigns a test date when you register in the emissions area. You can also test before titling and registering, without a notice, and that date becomes your scheduled date.
Can seniors skip the Maryland emissions test?+
If every owner is 70 or older at the scheduled inspection and the car is driven 5,000 miles a year or less, it qualifies. A 2025 bill to raise that limit to 10,000 miles did not pass.
Does the Maryland emissions test check for recalls?+
Yes, in one way: a vehicle found not to have had repairs performed as required by an emissions-related recall notice is rejected from inspection.
Check the VIN Before You Buy in Maryland
Enter any 17-character VIN for a free preview. The full report lists title brands, NMVTIS junk and salvage records, insurance total-loss records, odometer readings, and auction records with the damage the auction recorded and its photos.
CarCheckerVIN is an independent vehicle-history service and is not affiliated with the Maryland MVA or the State of Maryland. This guide summarizes COMAR, the Transportation Article and the General Assembly's published bill records and is not legal advice. Records in our reports reflect what was reported to our data providers. Our reports do not include police or repair-shop accident entries.
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