Emissions Waiver

Fee Increase

WETHERSFIELD — The Department of Motor Vehicles has raised the minimum expense required for obtaining an emissions test waiver.

Vehicles previously were required to have $250 in qualifying repairs to be eligible for a waiver, but that cost jumped to $450 on January 3 as a result of a federal Environmental Protection Agency mandate.

Vehicles affected by this change are those from the 1991 model year and newer.

“We have delayed implementing this federal mandate since 1995,” Commissioner Jose O. Salinas said. “It has been our goal to keep this and other spending requirements for our customers as low as possible, but we will need to comply with the EPA mandate.”

Emissions waivers are available for vehicles that have met minimum repair requirements at a DMV certified emissions repair facility, but still fail a test.

The test fee for a two-year sticker remains $20 for vehicles with a model year 1981 or newer and $10 for a one-year sticker for vehicles with a model year 1980 and older. In addition, the current testing standards also will not change.