OBD readiness rules for emissions inspections, by state
In states that test cars by plugging into the OBD2 port, a car can fail (or be sent away) with no warning light on, just because some of its readiness monitors haven't finished. How many may still be "not ready" depends on the state and the car's model year.
The rules in short
- The federal rule (EPA), which most states follow: up to 2 monitors not ready on 1996 to 2000 cars, up to 1 on 2001 and newer.
- Only the monitors that run now and then count (catalyst, oxygen sensors, evaporative system and the like). Misfire, fuel system and components run all the time and don't, except in New Jersey.
- A check-engine light that's on fails everywhere.
- Some states are stricter: California lets only the evaporative system be not ready on 2000 and newer cars; in Maryland the one not ready may only be the catalyst or the evaporative system.
- Over the limit is a "reject" in some states (Illinois, Pennsylvania, Virginia: come back once the monitors are ready) and a fail in others (Texas).
- Most states test only some counties, and leave out the newest cars, very old ones, or both.
AutoLingo for BMW checks your car against your state's rule: pick your state in the app's Settings, under "State for emissions testing", and the Overview tells you whether the car would pass. How to read the monitors, and BMW's drive cycle to get them ready: check if your BMW is ready for an emissions inspection.
States that test by OBD
Model years as tested in 2026. Each state's page links to its official rules; states change them, so check there before you go.
| State | Monitors allowed not ready | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 to 2021: 1 not ready
|
Phoenix and Tucson areas; 1996 to 2021 |
| California |
1996 to 1999: 1 not ready
2000 to 2018: 1 not ready, and only the evaporative system
|
statewide; 1996 to 2018 |
| Colorado |
2015 to 2019: 1 not ready
|
Denver metro and North Front Range; 2015 to 2019 |
| Connecticut |
2002 to 2022: 1 not ready
|
statewide; 2002 to 2022 |
| Delaware |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 to 2019: 1 not ready
|
statewide; 1996 to 2019 |
| District of Columbia not confirmed |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 to 2022: 1 not ready
|
District-wide; 1996 to 2022 |
| Georgia not confirmed |
2002 to 2023: 1 not ready
|
13 Atlanta-area counties; 2002 to 2023 |
| Illinois |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 to 2022: 1 not ready
|
Chicago area and Metro-East; 1996 to 2022 |
| Indiana |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 to 2022: 1 not ready
|
Lake and Porter counties; 1996 to 2022 |
| Louisiana not confirmed |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 to 2024: 1 not ready
|
Baton Rouge area; 1996 to 2024 |
| Maine |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 and newer: 1 not ready
|
Cumberland County; 1996 and newer |
| Maryland |
1996 to 2000: 1 not ready, and only the catalyst or the evaporative system
2001 to 2020: 1 not ready, and only the catalyst or the evaporative system
|
Baltimore and 13 counties; 1996 to 2020 |
| Massachusetts |
2012 to 2025: 1 not ready
|
statewide; 2012 to 2025 |
| Missouri |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 to 2022: 1 not ready
|
St. Louis area; 1996 to 2022 |
| Nevada |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 to 2023: 1 not ready
|
Las Vegas and Reno areas; 1996 to 2023 |
| New Jersey |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 to 2021: 1 not ready
plus misfire, fuel system and components ready
|
statewide; 1996 to 2021 |
| New Mexico not confirmed |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 to 2022: 1 not ready
|
Bernalillo County; 1996 to 2022 |
| New York |
2002 to 2024: 1 not ready
|
statewide; 2002 to 2024 |
| North Carolina |
2007 to 2023: 1 not ready
|
19 counties; 2007 to 2023 |
| Ohio not confirmed |
2001 to 2022: 1 not ready
|
Cleveland and Akron area (7 counties); 2001 to 2022 |
| Oregon |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 to 2021: 1 not ready
|
Portland and Medford-Ashland areas; 1996 to 2021 |
| Pennsylvania |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 to 2025: 1 not ready
|
17 counties; 1996 to 2025 |
| Rhode Island |
2002 to 2024: 1 not ready
|
statewide; 2002 to 2024 |
| Texas |
2002 to 2024: 1 not ready
|
17 counties (Bexar from Nov 2026); 2002 to 2024 |
| Utah not confirmed |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 and newer: 1 not ready
|
Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, Weber and Cache counties; 1996 and newer |
| Vermont |
2010 and newer: 2 not ready
|
statewide; 2010 and newer |
| Virginia |
2002 to 2022: 1 not ready
|
Northern Virginia; 2002 to 2022 |
| Wisconsin |
1996 to 2000: 2 not ready
2001 to 2022: 1 not ready
|
Milwaukee area (7 counties); 1996 to 2022 |
No OBD emissions inspection
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming.
Checked October 6, 2026 against each state's own published rules, for gasoline cars. "Not confirmed": the state doesn't publish the numbers, so the federal rule is shown.
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