Heavy Duty Vehicles FAQ

Top Questions for Heavy Duty Vehicles

• How will I know that the vehicle needs a Drive Clean test?
• How often are heavy-duty vehicles required to go for emissions testing and what vehicles must be tested?
• How can a heavy-duty diesel vehicle qualify for bi-annual testing?
• How much will the test cost?
• What happens after the vehicle passes the Drive Clean test?
• What happens if the vehicle ‘fails’ the emissions test?
• How do I know that the tests are accurate?
• Is there a limit on what I must spend on repairs?
• What can I do if I see a smoking vehicle on the road?

How will I know that the vehicle needs a Drive Clean test?

The Ministry of Transportation will send you a vehicle licence renewal application about three months before your vehicle’s registration expiry date that contains printed information on Drive Clean requirements. Vehicles that require tests are marked with an asterisk (*) on the registration form.

How often are heavy-duty vehicles required to go for emissions testing and what vehicles must be tested?

Heavy-duty vehicles are required to go for emissions testing every year to renew the registration if they are five years of age or older, based on their model year.

Your heavy-duty diesel vehicle may qualify for an incentive to skip a year of emissions testing if it meets certain emissions standards. Please see the next question for details.

As a consumer-protection measure, used vehicles must pass the emissions test to transfer ownership if the model year is older than the current calendar year. This requirement helps to ensure that consumers do not unwittingly purchase a used vehicle with emissions problems.

How can a heavy-duty diesel vehicle qualify for bi-annual testing?

A heavy-duty diesel vehicle may qualify to skip a year of emissions testing if it had an opacity result of 20 per cent or less in the most recent Drive Clean test. Even model year vehicles may qualify to skip a test for renewal in even calendar years and odd model year vehicles may qualify to skip a test for renewal in odd calendar years. That Drive Clean pass must be issued within 24 months before the permit expires or, if the application for renewal is made after the expiry of the permit, within 24 months before the application for renewal.

How much will the test cost?

Fees for tests and retests for heavy-duty vehicles are set by the individual facility at market rates. All applicable taxes are extra.

What happens after the vehicle passes the Drive Clean test?

You will be given a Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR) with “pass” clearly printed on it. You can then renew or transfer ownership of the vehicle registration at a licence issuing office or any Ontario self-service kiosk. Please retain the pass certificate with the vehicle’s maintenance information as a record of it having passed the emissions test.

What happens if the vehicle fails the emissions test?

The inspector will give you an emissions inspection report that shows why your vehicle failed. Your vehicle must be repaired and retested to receive a pass report. You may have repair work performed wherever you choose – or even do it yourself – however, all tests and retests, must be performed at an accredited Drive Clean test facility or by an accredited Drive Clean mobile test facility.

How do I know that the tests are accurate?

There are four measures in place to ensure Drive Clean tests are fair:

1. To be accredited, Drive Clean facilities have computerized, tamper-proof equipment approved for the Drive Clean program. The equipment is regularly calibrated to ensure its accuracy.
2. All inspectors performing the tests are certified for emissions testing and are monitored continuously for expected pass/fail rate and irregularities.
3. Your vehicle test results are compared with emissions standards set for all vehicles of the same particular year and model. All results are recorded in a central database, to facilitate monitoring and auditing of test results.
4. We regularly audit all facilities to ensure they follow proper testing procedures.

 

Is there a limit on what I must spend on repairs?

There is no limit on repair costs for heavy-duty vehicles. In order to renew your registration or transfer ownership, your vehicle’s emissions system must be fully repaired until it passes the test.