Skip the emissions station: On-road vehicle tests now underway

New technology allows Northern Virginia residents the option to skip the vehicle emissions station. But drivers will still pay the same to have their vehicle emissions tested. 

Here’s more in a press release from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality: 

On-road vehicle emissions inspection sites are being deployed in five cities and five counties in the Northern Virginia area as part of Air Check Virginia – the emissions testing program authorized by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

The program, called RAPIDPASS Virginia, allows owners of vehicles subject to Air Check Virginia to quickly and easily meet their emissions inspection requirement during daily driving routines.

Motorists simply drive through conveniently located on-road testing equipment positioned throughout Northern Virginia to have their vehicle emissions measured. Owners of well-maintained, clean-running vehicles will receive notification of a passing emissions inspection via mail, or motorists can go online to rapidpass.org and enter their license plate number to check if their vehicle has been processed as clean.

For vehicles identified as clean, owners can conveniently pay their inspection fee on-line or through the mail and proceed with their vehicle registration renewal. Taking advantage of RAPIDPASS allows a motorist to skip the trip to a traditional testing station for the biennial emissions test.

Fifteen RAPIDPASS on-road emissions testing systems are being conveniently distributed across more than 150 roadside mobile inspection locations in the Northern Virginia inspection area counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Stafford, and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park.

The locations are positioned on frequently used thoroughfares and will be rotated throughout the month. Weekly site locations are posted at rapidpass.org/locations.

“RAPIDPASS is all about giving Virginians a choice that offers convenience and saves time and ultimately maintains the Commonwealth’s commitment to a healthier Virginia,” said ETEST CEO, Lothar Geilen. “RAPIDPASSinspections can be completed in less than a second during daily driving routines. This is a great example of how technology can help improve quality of life in the Commonwealth.”

Participation in the RAPIDPASS program is voluntary; if a motorist passes RAPIDPASS but chooses to test his or her vehicle at an emissions facility, they can simply pay the emissions fee at the station at that time. RAPIDPASS costs the same as a standard emissions test at an emissions testing facility – $28.00. Inspection fee transactions and registration renewals can easily be processed online at no additional cost.