What you need to know
Vehicle inspection reportYour Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR)
was provided with this brochure.
Be sure to show it to your repair
technician because it contains
specific information that will help
the technician repair your vehicle.

What if my vehicle doesn’t
pass the re-test?
°° If your vehicle does not passa re-test or otherwise comply
with program requirements
within 60 days of its initialinspection, the Registry ofMotor Vehicles may suspend
your registration.
°° If a Registered Emissions
Repair Technician repaired
your vehicle, it may be eligible
for a one-year emissions
waiver.
°° If your vehicle has a major
malfunction (e.g., you need torebuild the transmission orengine), and you received an
estimate for the repairs neededfrom a Registered Emissions
Repair Technician, you may
qualify for a one-year repair
extension.

Know your rights
You have the right to complain if
you disagree with your vehicle’s
test results. For more informationon the complaint process, call
1-844-358-0135 or visit
www.mass.gov/vehiclecheck.

To help you prepare fora re-test:°° Massachusetts Vehicle CheckCustomer Service is open
Monday through Saturday
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., withextended hours until 8 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday. Call
1-844-358-0135.
°° Use the Vehicle Check website
to find a Registered Emissions
Repair Facility near you:www.mass.gov/vehiclecheck.

My Vehicle Failed
its Inspection
What Do I Do Now?

CLEANERAIR

Why should I use a
Registered Emissions
Repair Facility?
Registered Emissions Repair
Technicians are the only ones
who can provide the necessary
documents, should you need toapply for an emissions waiver orextension. They are certified by theNational Institute for Automotive
Service Excellence and havecompleted specialized courses inemissions repairs.

Find out moreYour VIR contains a list of nearby
repair shops. To find out more
about a repair shop’s re-test successrate or to locate a Registered
Emissions Repair Facility nearyou, call Massachusetts Vehicle
Check Customer Service or visit thewebsite.

SAFERROADS¬¬

1

Follow these steps toprepare for a re-test

Repair safety defects immediately°° Repair safety defects right away to avoid traffic citations
and insurance surcharges.
°° If, after your vehicle’s initial inspection, you receive areferral to a Motorist Assistance Center (MAC), consult
experts there before having your vehicle repaired.
°° Until your vehicle is re-inspected, keep your repair receipts
in your vehicle as proof that you are in compliance with thelaw. This is especially important for safety defects because
you are required to have them repaired immediately. It’s
also good practice to keep emissions-related repair receipts
in case your vehicle does not pass its re-test and you need
to apply for a waiver or extension.

What does my inspection sticker mean?
Black “R” = Your vehicle failed its
emissions test.
Red “R” = Your vehicle failed its
safety inspection or both its safety
inspection and emissions test.
Black “Number” = Your vehicle
passed the safety inspectionand emissions test!

Thank you for keeping our roads safe and our air clean[If you return your vehicle to the same inspection
station by the date printed on the Vehicle
Inspection Report (VIR), the re-test is free.

23Repair emissions defects
within 60 days°° If your vehicle fails due to an emissions problem, you needto get it fixed and re-tested within 60 days of the initialinspection. Since these defects can negatively affect yourvehicle’s gas mileage and our air quality, it’s better to haveyour vehicle repaired as soon as possible, preferably by aRegistered Emissions Repair Technician. They are the only
ones who can help qualify you and your vehicle for anemissions waiver or extension.
°° Make sure your vehicle is ready for its re-test. After certainemissions repairs are completed, vehicles need to be
driven under specific highway and city conditions to gettheir internal computers ready. Please ask your Registered
Emissions Repair Technician or the vehicle’s dealer for
more information.

Pass the re-test°° Your vehicle must pass a re-test within 60 days of its initialinspection. If, within those 60 days, you return your vehicle
to the same location where your vehicle’s initial inspection
was performed, the re-test is free.
°° If your vehicle failed its emissions test and safety
inspection, it will be re-checked for both at the same time.
°° If your vehicle is repaired by a Registered Emissions Repair
Technician and fails its re-test, it may qualify for a oneyear emissions waiver. If your vehicle requires a major
repair, such as a transmission or engine overhaul, you may
qualify for a non-renewable one-year economic hardshipextension. Obtaining either a waiver or an extension willmeet program requirements, but must be completed within
60 days of your initial inspection.

www.mass.gov/vehiclecheck