DAVIS COUNTY—For drivers who want to skip the lines to get an emissions test on their vehicle, the Davis County Health Department has a pilot program for mobile emission tests. With the same concept as windshield replacement, an approved company would come to wherever the vehicle is and do an emissions test that meets the health department requirements.

Emission testing is through the health department but the county commission oversees it through ordinance, said Davis County Health Department Director Brian Hatch. “That ordinance puts the program into effect and basically makes it law.” 

The commission approved the ordinance at a recent meeting. 

The current emissions ordinance only allows cars to be taken to a physical facility, Hatch said. “A station that is licensed. So a couple of years ago we had a company come in and say ‘we would like to do mobile emission testing’ meaning that you could give them a phone call and they’ll bring the test equipment to your house, etc.”

Hatch said they had to get a variance at that point in time because the ordinance only allows for a physical location. “The reason for that is they have to have cameras. We have to be able to see the test being run. You’ve got to have the internet and all these other things. The company said they could do it mobile. So we got a variance approved as a pilot project to test it out.”

The health department has been monitoring it for the last couple of years, he said. “Today (March 24 commission meeting) was another company that would like to do the same. The first one has been successful and they’ve shown that they can meet it (requirements).”

So this was a variance granted by the commission to allow this other company to do it, said Hatch. “You know we have our Jiffy Lubes, and every gas station and automotive place, they can be an emissions test center. This is just another one in the mobile category that needed a variance.”

Hatch said they are currently in the process of rewriting the ordinance because it has been successful. “We want to make it so it’s not a variance every time. So we don’t hold up a company while they’re waiting until the new ordinances are written, we applied for another variance.”

They hope to have the new ordinances in place by the end of the year, he said. “We are waiting for the state legislature to make a few changes.”

The commission also passed resolution #2026-304, “Written Motion Requesting the Davis County Legislative Body to Authorize the Health Department to Approve Exceptions to the Emissions Inspection Requirement for Motor Vehicles that Meet the Criteria in UCA 41-6a-1642(15).”

In the state law it allows for exemptions of certain vehicles, said Hatch. “In this case that exemption was for a vehicle that is a vintage vehicle, basically it drives on the road less than 1,500 miles a year. It doesn’t require emissions.”

It’s basically a car that goes to car shows and things like that, he said. “It’s not used for everyday transportation, but it’s a vintage vehicle. But exemptions can only be given by the commission. So instead of us coming back to the commission every time, that’s what the resolution was to allow us the authority to follow statewide exempted vehicles and give them that certificate to get registered with the state.”

The mobile service uses the same equipment as any service station there’s a test center, said Hatch. “We can do our job to oversee it and then make sure that it’s being done properly.”

Technology has changed, he said. “You had to actually have this great big device. We were doing tail pipes and now it’s all onboard diagnostic computer systems. It needs internet access so now we have all of that.”

They’re filling a niche, Hatch said. “Will people do it? I don’t know. It’s just as easy for me to run in and get my oil changed and do the whole thing. But there is a place for it. You don’t have to take off work, they can come to your parking lot, wherever.”

The price is similar to other service providers, he said. “It’s market value so they’ll change whatever the market will bear. So it’s competitive out there. We don’t settle the cost anymore.”

There are two fees on the emissions program, said Hatch. “There’s a fee that comes to the county that’s collected on every vehicle that’s tested. That runs the program and there’s a state fee that’s collected that comes back to the county.”

The rest is up to them (service company), he said. “They could set the price at $100 or $25. It depends on what they need to cover their costs.”

The county gets the same no matter what, said Hatch. “That’s a state statute.”

They’re filling a niche, he said. “Will people do it? I don’t know. It’s just as easy for me to run in and get my oil changed and do the whole thing. But there is a place for it. You don’t have to take off work, they can come to your parking lot, wherever.”

For more information go to the Davis County Health Department website at DCHD