Service

Virginia Emissions Inspection in Arlington

Arlington sits in the Northern Virginia emissions region, so most vehicles need an emissions test to renew registration. TAB Motors handles it quickly and honestly on Old Dominion Dr.

Call about inspection availability Get directions

(703) 243-3080 · Mon–Fri 7–6 · Sat 7–3. Call to confirm an inspector is available before travelling.

Plan your inspection visit

Test fee: Virginia caps the Northern Virginia emissions test fee at $30. Call to confirm the shop’s test fee and availability. Any repair is a separate job, quoted for your approval before work starts.
Walk-ins and waiting: Walk-ins are welcome. Call to check the queue and inspector availability. Shop hours are Mon–Fri 7–6 and Sat 7–3; these are not a guarantee that an inspector is available at every moment.
Bring with you: The vehicle, driven long enough to be warmed up
Your registration
A note of any recent battery disconnect or repair, which can reset the readiness monitors

A request is not a confirmed appointment. Any repairs are separate and need your approval.

Official Virginia inspection fee information

About this inspection

If you live in Arlington, Fairfax, Alexandria or most of Northern Virginia, your vehicle is part of the Commonwealth's emissions inspection program and needs to pass an emissions test every two years to renew its registration. TAB Motors | Exxon is set up to run that test right here on Old Dominion Dr and get you back on the road fast.

How the Virginia emissions test works

Most vehicles from 1996 and newer get an OBD (on-board diagnostics) emissions check, we plug into your car's computer and confirm the emissions systems are working and that there are no active fault codes. Older or specialty vehicles may get a tailpipe-style test instead. Either way, the goal is the same: making sure your car isn't polluting more than it should.

Why cars fail emissions, and how we fix it

The most common reason a car fails is a check engine light or a "not ready" monitor status. That's rarely a mystery to us, our technicians run full engine diagnostics, find the real cause (a bad oxygen sensor, a loose gas cap, a failing catalytic converter, a misfire), and repair it. Because we're a complete repair shop, we can fix the failure and re-test without sending you across town.

Check engine light on or recent battery disconnect ("not ready")
Failing oxygen (O2) sensor or air-fuel ratio sensor
Catalytic converter efficiency below threshold
Evaporative (EVAP) leaks, often just the gas cap
Engine misfire from worn spark plugs or coils

Emissions + safety inspection together

Virginia requires both a safety inspection and, in our region, an emissions test. Doing them together at TAB Motors saves you a second trip. Come in, get both handled, and if anything needs attention we'll give you an upfront price before touching a thing.

Not sure what your vehicle needs? Try our free Virginia inspection and emissions checker.

Requirements, checks and retesting

What the inspection costs

Virginia caps the Northern Virginia emissions test fee at $30. Call to confirm the shop’s test fee and availability. Any repair is a separate job, quoted for your approval before work starts.

The test fee is capped at $30 by Virginia law. Call to confirm the shop’s fee.
Any repair is a separate job, quoted separately, and only after you approve it.
Optional work we notice while the car is here is exactly that. We will mention it and leave it to you.
The reinspection or retest has its own rules, set out below.

Who needs this

Arlington sits inside the Northern Virginia emissions program, along with Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Stafford counties and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park. Most gasoline vehicles registered here need an emissions test every two years to renew registration. Vehicles from the current model year and the three model years before it are exempt, and so are gasoline vehicles at 25 model years old, which in 2026 means model year 2001 and older. Diesels and some other categories have their own rules. If you are not sure which applies to you, call with your year and model and we will check.

What gets checked

An OBD scan of the emissions systems on most 1996-and-newer vehicles
Whether the readiness monitors have completed, or read not ready
Whether the check engine light is commanded on
A tailpipe-style test instead, on older or specialty vehicles that need one
The gas cap and evaporative system where applicable

What to bring

The vehicle, driven long enough to be warmed up
Your registration
A note of any recent battery disconnect or repair, which can reset the readiness monitors

Walk in or book ahead

Walk-ins are welcome and the test itself is quick. Calling (703) 243-3080 ahead is worth it if you want your safety inspection done in the same visit, which we can do.

If your vehicle fails

A check engine light commanded on can cause an emissions failure. Monitors that are not ready can mean the vehicle is rejected from testing rather than failed. We can explain the result, diagnose an underlying fault if needed, and quote any repair. Common causes are an oxygen sensor, a catalytic converter below efficiency, an evaporative leak (often just the gas cap) or a misfire from worn plugs or coils. You are never obliged to have the repair done here.

Reinspection and retest

Under the program rules, a vehicle that fails is eligible for one free retest at the station that performed the original test, within 14 calendar days of that test. That is a state program rule rather than a TAB Motors offer, and it is a good reason to have the repair and the retest done in the same place. Ask us and we will confirm the date your free retest window closes.

Talk to the shop

Call (703) 243-3080 or come by 4035 Old Dominion Dr, Arlington, VA 22207. You can also send us the details online and we will get back to you.

Frequently asked questions

Does my car need a Virginia emissions test?: Most gasoline vehicles registered in Arlington and the Northern Virginia region need an emissions test every two years. Vehicles from the current model year and the three model years before it are exempt, and so are gasoline vehicles at 25 model years old, which in 2026 means model year 2001 and older. Diesels and some other categories have their own rules. Call (703) 243-3080 if you're unsure.
My check engine light is on, will I fail emissions?: Almost certainly, yes. An illuminated check engine light is an automatic emissions failure. Bring it in and we'll diagnose the cause and fix it so you can pass.
How long does the emissions test take?: The test itself is quick. If your car passes, you're in and out. If it fails, we'll walk you through the repair options right away.
Can you fix my car if it fails and then re-test it?: Yes, that's the advantage of testing at a full-service shop. We diagnose, repair, and re-run the test without sending you elsewhere.
Do I need emissions AND a safety inspection?: In Arlington, yes. We can do both in the same visit to save you time.

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Ready for your inspection?

Call before you travel to check inspector availability and the current queue. Walk-ins are welcome; the phone call does not reserve a place.

Call (703) 243-3080