DENVER — Photos show a full parking lot at the Arvada Vehicle Emissions Testing Station —and a line of cars waiting — on the first day testing resumed at 10 Air Care Colorado (ACC) emissions inspection stations following the statewide stay-at-home order.
Testing volume is expected to be extremely heavy in the first few weeks.
To help reduce wait times, ACC is urging motorists with registration renewals that are due in May to not get an emissions inspection now, but to wait until June.
May registrations will not be late as there is a 30-day grace period following the last day of each renewal month.
ACC also urges motorists who applied for and received Registration Extension letters from the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicle to wait to get their inspections until June. Those motorists will have until June 26 to register their vehicles.
March and April renewals should get their inspections as soon as possible.
“While we are expecting an unprecedented number of vehicles, ACC is committed to getting all motorists through the testing process as safely and quickly as possible,” said Air Care Colorado Program Manager Chuck Purnell. "If necessary, this could include extending or changing testing hours — our priority is protecting Coloradans and their health and well-being."
Emissions inspectors will wear masks and gloves at all times, practice social distancing as much as possible and periodically clean and disinfect surfaces, said ACC. Motorists will also be required to wear masks, practice social distancing and be limited to only one person per vehicle.
Customers with vehicles from model year 2000 and newer or model year 1981 and older will pay from their vehicles.
Customers getting emissions tests for vehicles between model years 1982 and 1999 will wait in a booth while their vehicles are tested.
No more than three customers will be allowed in a booth at one time, and they will maintain six feet of distance at all times.
Air Care Colorado emissions inspections locations open May 15:
- Arvada
5185 Marshall St., Arvada, CO, 80002 - Boulder
5655 Airport Blvd., Boulder, CO, 80301 - Broomfield
11609 Teller St., Broomfield, CO, 80020 - County Line
8494 S. Colorado Blvd., Littleton, CO, 80126 - Denver Southeast
10190 E. Warren Ave., Denver, CO, 80231 - Ft. Collins
835 SE Frontage Rd., Ft. Collins, CO, 80524 - Greeley
2844 W. 30th St., Greeley, CO, 80631 - Northglenn
1950 E. 112th Ave., Northglenn, CO, 80233 - Sheridan
2802 W. Mansfield Ave., Sheridan, CO, 80110 - Stapleton
12042 E. 30th Ave., Aurora, CO, 80010
Colorado motorists can find new testing procedures, safety information and suggested times for testing at AirCareColorado.com or by calling the Air Care Colorado hotline at 303-456-7090.
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