If you move to a new county and find out that you need an emissions test for your car before you can get new license plates for it, you may wonder what this is all about. There are a lot of states and counties that have this requirement, and there are several things you should know if you have never had to do this before:

What Is an Emissions Test?

An emissions test is a test on your vehicle that checks the types and amounts of emissions coming from your car's exhaust system. The purpose is to make sure that your car is not emitting too many toxins into the air. All cars let off pollutants, but states are trying to control this level to save the environment. To get this test completed, you can go to any place that offers emissions testing. They will test your car and give you a certificate or letter that states it was tested and that it passed.

What Happens If You Fail?

If you get the test completed and find out that it failed, it means that your car is emitting too many toxins into the air. If this happens, you will not be able to renew your license plates until you make the necessary repairs and get the car retested.

There are numerous things that can cause a car to fail an emissions test, and one of the common ones involves faulty fuel injections. A faulty fuel injection prevents a car from mixing enough fresh air in with the exhaust, and this would definitely cause your car to fail the test. There are a number of other things that can also cause problems with passing an emissions test.

How Often Will You Need to Do This?

If your county and state require emissions testing, you will probably need to have this test completed every year just before you renew your license plates. You will have to show proof that you had it done and that you passed the test in order to renew your plates.

Many states offer the tests for very low prices, but you may have to go to a certain shop in our area to get this deal. You can ask your local DMV where you should go to have your car tested if you are not sure.

Emissions tests are important for many reasons. If you need to have one done on your car, contact a local shop in your area to find out when you can get this done.