What does the test cost?
The emissions test fee is $20, payable to the test center. All test centers accept cash as a form of payment; some may accept checks or credit cards but are not required do so. Please call the test center to confirm. Test Centers that accept cash only must display a 'Cash Only' sign in an appropriate location visible to you.
If you fail to have your vehicle tested as required or get it tested after your due date, DMV will assess a $20 late fee and your registration renewal will be denied. Test Centers DO NOT collect late fees.
Can I be charged a late fee?
Yes, a $20 late fee is charged if you are more than 30 consecutive calendar days late for your vehicle's scheduled test date or more than 60 calendar days late for its free retest date. [Connecticut General Statutes, Title 14 Sec. 14-164c(k)(1)].
You will be sent a separate notice from the DMV concerning payment of the late fee. This late fee is not paid at the test center but will be billed to you by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
What happens if my vehicle is tested late or is not tested at all?
DMV's policy, in accordance with Connecticut Law (C.G.S. 14-164c), is to assign emissions-eligible vehicles a biennial recurring due date. When a vehicle passes its required biennial inspection, providing it was tested by its scheduled due date, its next scheduled emissions due date will be two years from its previous due date.
Unfortunately, a number of vehicles are late for their scheduled emissions inspection dates. Vehicles that are tested more than 30 days past their initial due date, or more than 60 days past their retest due date, will be assigned a future test date which reflects either the balance of every two year test cycle or a minimum of one year, whichever is greater.
If you fail to have your vehicle tested as required, your registration renewal will be denied, and you will incur a $20 late fee. You could also face law enforcement action, such as an infraction.
