---
title: O.C.G.A. § 12-9-51. Emission inspection required for motor vehicle registration; operation without registration; improper reuse.
collection: code
id: 12-9-51
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 12-9-51 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-9-51
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-9-51.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-9-51/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t12-(v10)-2021-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=67595359_0#page=1103
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-9.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-9-50.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES / PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION / MOTOR VEHICLE EMISSION INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
---

# O.C.G.A. § 12-9-51. Emission inspection required for motor vehicle registration; operation without registration; improper reuse.

(a) Beginning July 1, 1992, it shall be unlawful for any county to and no county shall register any responsible motor vehicle subject to any requirement under Code Section 12-9-45 pursuant to or subject to the requirements of Chapter 2 of Title 40 without proof of a valid certificate of emission inspection issued pursuant to Code Section 12-9-48 indicating that such responsible motor vehicle satisfied all applicable requirements of Code Section 12-9-45 and Code Section 12-9-48. In applying for a motor vehicle registration for a responsible motor vehicle subject to any requirement under Code Section 12-9-45, the application shall be accompanied by proof of the issuance of a certificate of emission inspection issued pursuant to Code Section 12-9-48. Any county which registers any responsible motor vehicle without proof of a certificate of emission inspection shall be in violation of this article.

(b) It shall be unlawful to and no person shall operate a responsible motor vehicle subject to any requirement under Code Section 12-9-45 on the roadways of this state without a valid registration issued in compliance with this article. Any person who operates a responsible motor vehicle subject to any requirement under Code Section 12-9-45 on the roadways of this state without a valid registration issued in compliance with this article shall be considered to be operating an unregistered motor vehicle.

(c) The board may provide for a procedure to be implemented by each county to ensure that certificates of emission inspection are not improperly reused.

## History

Code 1981, § 12-9-51, enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 918, § 2; Ga. L. 1996, p. 336, § 10.