---
title: O.C.G.A. § 40-8-181. Visible emissions from vehicles on public roadways prohibited; exceptions.
collection: code
id: 40-8-181
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 40-8-181 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-8-181
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-8-181.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-8-181/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t40-ch6-16-(v29)-2018-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=97c394d6_0#page=536
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.
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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: MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC / EQUIPMENT AND INSPECTION OF MOTOR VEHICLES / CONTROL OF VEHICLE EMISSIONS / VISIBLE EMISSIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 40-8-181. Visible emissions from vehicles on public roadways prohibited; exceptions.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate on a public roadway of this state a diesel powered vehicle which discharges into the atmosphere visible emissions resulting in a decrease of light transmission beyond 30 percent, whether emitted from the crankcase, the exhaust system, or from any part of the power system; provided, however, that the light obscuring limitations prescribed in this subsection may be exceeded during periods of acceleration and deceleration not to exceed ten continuous seconds or 1,000 feet.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate on a public roadway of this state a gasoline powered vehicle which discharges into the atmosphere visible emissions resulting in a decrease of light transmission, whether emitted from the crankcase, the exhaust system, or from any part of the power system; provided, however, that the light obscuring limitation prescribed in this subsection may be exceeded for periods not to exceed ten continuous seconds or 1,000 feet.

(c) Subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section shall not apply to the normal discharge of condensed water vapor.

## History

Ga. L. 1971, p. 186, § 2.