Which PA counties require emissions testing?

Check your registration county

PennDOT's emissions program groups the 25 counties into four regions. The county on your registration matters; a nearby shop's county does not determine your vehicle's requirement. The test method varies by region and vehicle.

• Philadelphia region — Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia.
• Pittsburgh region — Allegheny, Beaver, Washington, Westmoreland.
• South Central region — Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Northampton, York.
• Northern region — Blair, Cambria, Centre, Erie, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer.

If your county is not listed

The other 42 counties do not have the separate annual emissions inspection program. PennDOT says most passenger cars and light trucks in those counties still receive a visual anti-tampering check during the safety inspection. You still need to arrange the safety inspection that applies to your vehicle.

County alone does not tell the whole story

PennDOT's regulations generally cover gasoline-powered vehicles from model year 1975 onward with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000 pounds or less, registered in a testing county. The regulations also include exemptions, including the current model year and qualifying low-mileage vehicles. The exact test and exemption depend on your vehicle. If you are unsure, give the shop your model year, fuel type, and registration county, or call PennDOT's Emissions Customer Hotline at 1-800-265-0921.

Book the right station

A station that performs safety inspections may not perform emissions tests. Search by city or ZIP, filter for emissions, and call to confirm that the shop can test your vehicle. Ask whether it can complete safety and emissions in one visit and what the combined charge will be.