PA Inspection & Emissions

What the inspection covers

Pennsylvania requires most registered vehicles to pass a safety inspection every year. A certified inspector checks the parts that keep you and other drivers safe, including:

• Brakes, tires and wheels
• Steering and suspension
• Lights, horn, wipers and mirrors
• Glass, body and the exhaust system

Cars registered in Dauphin County also need a yearly emissions test. Depending on the vehicle, we test with the OBD method, where we connect to your car’s computer, or with a visual check.

Signs it’s time

• The month on your inspection sticker is coming up or has passed
• You just bought a used car or moved to Pennsylvania
• Your check-engine light is on. It can cause an emissions failure, so have it checked first.

Common reasons cars fail

• Tires worn below 2/32 of an inch of tread, or damaged sidewalls
• Worn brake pads or brake problems found on the road test
• Burned-out headlights, brake lights or turn signals
• Cracked or damaged windshield glass in the driver’s view, or worn wiper blades
• Exhaust leaks or a missing part of the exhaust system
• A check-engine light that’s on, which affects the emissions test

Most of these are quick to check at home. Walk around the car with the lights on and look at the tires before you come in.

How long it takes

Plan on about an hour. Call ahead and we’ll tell you how busy the shop is. If something fails, we explain what failed and why, and give you a quote to fix it. You decide what we do.

What to bring

Bring your current registration card and proof of insurance.

Our station inspects passenger cars. We don’t inspect motorcycles, trailers or heavy trucks.