Nashville ditches vehicle emissions test, streamlining car tag renewal process for drivers

Nashville drivers will not need an emissions test to renew their vehicle tags starting Feb. 4.

For those renewing before then, city officials expect the requirement shouldn’t be enforced. The Metro Council made the decision during Tuesday night’s council meeting.

Back in 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency gave the green light to Tennessee’s idea to ditch the inspections requirement. Beginning Jan. 14, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson counties also won’t require the emissions test.

Councilmember Tonya Hancock supports the legislation with caution. She says the EPA lowered its standards so the city shouldn’t be too eager about the change.

“I just want to point out that everyone in Nashville can’t afford these brand-new cars that are doing a lot better with their emissions standards,” she says.

Nashville’s recent move will eliminate contracts with private companies that have operated the program.

During the meeting, councilmembers joked about what cars they drove 40 years ago when the test was implemented.

“Since we were talking about cars, I thought I’d just say I was driving ‘a diamond in the back sunroof top,'” Councilmember Sharon Hurt sung under her breath.

Then, Councilmember Zach Young jumped in.

“Forty years ago, I wasn’t here,” Young started to say before Vice Mayor Jim Shulman cut the mic.