SHOCKING: Arizona Doesn’t Require THIS For Your Car??

On the first day of 2025, my car, Luna, sadly went gentle into that good night. After years of commutes, night drives, and road trips, I had to say goodbye.

I found myself a new car, and when I went to get it registered, I noticed that the DMV didn't ask me to perform an emissions check, something pretty standard for that step in getting a new car. So why didn't they perform a check?

What Do Emissions Tests Do?

If you've ever been to Los Angeles, you won't need to ask this question. Automobiles emit a certain amount of air pollution due to their burning of gas, and sometimes the amount being expelled from your exhaust pipe isn't up to current environmental standards.

These tests ensure that your car meets the current national standards so you're not singlehandedly bringing the air quality of your city down.

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Does Arizona Require Emissions Checks?

Now, back to my original question. I was so confused as to why ADOT didn't perform a test, so I did some research. There are 21 states that do not require emissions tests, but Arizona is not one of them.

We do, however, have a weird set of rules that determine where exactly you'll need a test. There are only two cities in Arizona that require emissions checks for their drivers, and they're the two biggest. If you live or work in either Phoenix or Tucson, you'll need to get a test done, but outside of that, you're good. Arizona's air quality in more rural areas is much better than major cities, which is why more isolated towns don't require this.

[ADOT][myazcar.com][Kelley Blue Book]