Emissions test before vehicle registration and title? (Fairfax: lease, insurance)

[Kaillus]

I have been going over the info to get my car taken care of.

from what I have seen from Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

I need to in the following order:

1. get VA auto insurance (done)
2. get my drivers license
3. get the emission's test
4. get a vehicle safety inspection sticker
5. register,title the vehicle, and get plates
6. obtain a local sticker or decal from my locality

So, is this right? Do i have to do steps 3 and 4 before I can register the vehicle?

This whole thing is really confusing.

[slduvall]

You can register the vehicle and get your license on the same day, get the emissons and inspection first and then go the DMV. Complete all your paperwork online or at least print it out prior. I would advise not getting the inspection at a station near the DMV, those tend to be more crowded.

Take a copy of your lease and/or a utility bill, not a cell phone bill, for proof of residence. Also I would take a passport for proof of Citizen ship.

Be prepared to retitle your vehicle in VA, if you have the title not a problem if there is a lien, you need proof of that and well as documentation of the state it is currently registered in. Also write down the mileage before you go inside.

[5stones]

If you don't have a passport your social securtiy card will suffice and your out of state DL.
VA unlike other states will not simply take your privious state DL as proof of your idenity. A pain but it's nice to see they are strict in who gets a license.

[car54]

Originally Posted by 5stones

If you don't have a passport your social securtiy card will suffice and your out of state DL.
VA unlike other states will not simply take your privious state DL as proof of your idenity. A pain but it's nice to see they are strict in who gets a license.

Virginia came by it's "strictness" the hard way.

During the '90s, a DMV Commissioner who believed in the basic "goodness" of people allowed applicants with NO identification to execute an "affidavit of identity" and get it notarized. And voila, they were issued a driver license or photo ID with no supporting documents.

Unfortunately (and predictably), the identity affidavits were abused. Most embarrassingly, all but a few of the the 9-11 hijackers boarded their planes that fateful day using phony Va IDs.

Hence, today's overkill at the DMV.


To the OP: You should get both inspections first and take the emissions receipt to DMV when you register your vehicle. They will register without the emissions, but only for one month. DMV will not ask for the safety inspection because it is a sticker on the windshield that the police look out for.

Also, some localities (like Fairfax Co) no longer require decals or stickers.

PS: I don't think they take a SS card as proof of legal presence, as someone said...I'd dig out the ole birth certificate if you don't have a passport.

[Mizsyx]

Can you get the emissions and safety testing done in another state prior to coming to NOVA, or must it be by VA guidelines?

[bin22]

It needs to be done at a Virginia station. FYI the cost is $28 for emissions and $16 for safety; this is state mandated.

According to their website, you also need proof of social security (this confused me) so you might want to bring the SS card just in case!

[5stones]

oh and forgot, the "nice" thing about VA is that you can pay for a registration for 2 years.
That way you don't have the hassel of Registering every year.

[Mizsyx]

Thanks for the valuable information!!!!!!

[z28lt1]

I think you do not need to do steps 3 and 4 before you register the vehivle. I believe they will give you a 30 day registration, and when you get the emissions done (within those 30 days), you will get the 1 or 2 year registration. I'm actually not sure if you can even get emissions done on a car not registered in VA - as the emissions station transmits the data to the DMV - but perhaps you can.

[slduvall]

You can get the emissions done prior to registration. It is based on the vin #, not the license #. If you don't get it in advance, you can do the 30 day registration, get the emissions, wait a little bit, (the emissions info is transferred to the DMV) go online and then register. To get the most out of your money, register near the end of the 30 day period. I thought they would start it at the end of the 30 days, but they didn't so I paid double for the last two weeks of the 30 day temp. Not sure if that is a glitch or not. You can also look up personalized plates that way, test them to see if they are available, if you interested in that. Beats standing in line asking for a whole bunch only to be told they are taken, the clerks don't seem to like that too much. I overheard one lady getting pretty hostile. Some places might even require you to do it online.

And the 2 year registration...GREAT! And you can do it online, get the inspection and just go online! Of course they still take your money