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BMV 20 Day Suspension Notice

Please read below for details

If you received a 20 Day suspension letter:

Take the vehicle to an automobile emission testing station and obtain a passing emission test before the deadline. A passing test will automatically send a certificate number to the BMV and you will be compliant.  You will not need to visit a BMV license agency to show your E-Check certificate. If you receive another letter from BMV, please contact Ohio BMV at the telephone number on the letter.  Be prepared to provide BMV your E-Check certificate number, located on the passing certificate.

If you are out of the testing area, in the military or cannot obtain a passing test due to another issue, you may be eligible for a one-time 6-month extension.

To request an extension for a vehicle that failed an e-check test, you can bring the letter and the failed certificate or an aborted notice to any full-service test stations. These stations can be located using this link:  ohioecheck.info/locations

For vehicles that cannot pass the test due to needed repairs, vehicles out of the testing area, military, or other requests, you can mail the extension application, copy of suspension letter and the other documentation requested in the application to either of the addresses below. The extension application can be found here:
https://epa.ohio.gov/static/Portals/27/echeck/docs/Extension_Exemption10-12.pdf

Ohio EPA E-Check                                  Ohio EPA E-Check
2190 Pinnacle Pkwy.                               50 West Town St. Suite 700
Twinsburg, OH 44087                             Columbus, OH 43215

If you no longer own the vehicle and wish to stop receiving notifications from BMV, you will need complete the BMV 4311 form https://www.bmv.ohio.gov/doc-forms.aspx to cancel your vehicle registration. Please follow the instructions found on the form.

For Motorists

Ohio BMV sends out the 20 Day Suspension Notice for multi-year registration vehicles who have not received an emissions test during the vehicle's test cycle. If vehicles are not ready for testing due to recent repairs or the vehicle is out of state or in storage, motorists can receive a one-time BMV extension to prevent the suspension and allows the vehicle 6 months to bring the vehicle into compliance with the emissions testing requirements.

For Motorists Visiting the Test Station

All Ohio E-Check Full Service stations are open Monday - Friday from 8 am - 6 pm and on Saturday from 8 am - 1 pm. You do not need an appointment just arrive at the station with the vehicle and pull around to the entrance of the station lanes. You can  have a relative, or friend, to bring your vehicle in to have it tested, the owner does not need to be present.

IMPORTANT! IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO TEST YOUR VEHICLE IN THE SAME COUNTY THAT IT IS REGISTERED.

How Do Self-Service Kiosks Work?

Get an E-Check at your convenience with one of our 21 self-service kiosks. These easy-to-use kiosks walk you through the simple step-by-step process of testing your own vehicle. Once testing is complete, the kiosk will print a vehicle inspection report that can be used for vehicle registration or plate transfer. Learn more and to see a list of kiosk locations that are open. 

Watch a video on how to use the kiosk

How Does RapidScreen Work?

The new RapidScreen vans travel throughout Northeast Ohio and can scan your car as you drive by to diagnose your exhaust system. If your vehicle is really clean and has passed RapidScreen’s emissions qualifications, you’ll receive a notification in the mail. This is available for about 5% of vehicles that are really clean. For the few vehicles that pass this, they will not be required to go to an emissions testing facility.

Did you know that you can get your vehicle tested up to 365 days prior to the registration renewal date? Vehicles that should test well ahead of their registration expiration date are:

  • Those who winter outside of Ohio. Test before leaving for the winter season.
  • College students attending a school in Ohio that is not located in a testing county.
  • Vehicles that may need repairs or have a Service Engine Soon light on. Test early to allow plenty of time for repairs before your registration is due.
 

Find a Vehicle’s Emissions Testing History

Motorists can now check a vehicle’s history of all E-Check tests for which there is electronic data available. To retrieve your vehicle’s history, you will need your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) located on your registration or title.

This feature will allow you to check a vehicle’s test history. If you are thinking of purchasing a vehicle, this can be valuable information.

In the case of failed tests, you may see the diagnostic trouble codes for which it failed. Do not call Ohio EPA or Ohio E-Check and ask for an explanation of the codes because we do not have the staff and are not trained to provide that information. You can go to a mechanic and/or try these links:

OBD Frequently Asked Questions 

OBD DTC Reference List for Emission Repairs  

 

My Vehicle History

View Vehicle Test History  

You must have the VIN to access this data.

For further information contact 1-800-CAR-TEST.

E-Check at a Glance

E-Check is a vital part of Ohio’s comprehensive air quality plan to reduce motor vehicle pollutants and enrich the quality of life for the region’s residents.

Why E-Check Works:

Motor vehicles are the single greatest source of smog-causing pollution in Northeast Ohio—greater than all of Ohio’s steel mills, chemical and power plants combined.
E-Check removes more than 74 tons of harmful vehicle emissions from the region’s air every single day—helping improve air quality, protect public health, safeguard the environment and support economic growth.
Air pollutants from motor vehicles are linked to serious health problems including asthma, cancer and heart and lung disease. Children, seniors and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable.
Changing the current E-Check system to dilute or eliminate its effectiveness would jeopardize the health of our environment, citizens and economy. Without the air quality benefits of E-Check, the harm to our air would be the equivalent of adding 400,000 cars to our roadways, or 15 new factories.
If Ohio does not comply with increasingly demanding federal Clean Air Act mandates, we risk severe penalties including limits on construction grants, industrial expansion, job growth and the elimination of millions in federal highway funds.