LTVs not older than 3 years exempted from emission testing: EPA

LAHORE: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday announced that all cars and light transport vehicles (LTVs), not older than three years, are now exempt from the emission testing requirement as they do not significantly contribute to ambient air pollution.

According to an order issued by EPA Director General Dr Imran Hamid Sheikh, EPA Punjab, vide Order No 240/PA/DG/EPA/2025 dated 16.04.2025, issued directives under Section 6(1)(t) of the Punjab Environmental Protection Act, 1997, for the testing of vehicular emissions from cars and LTVs to ensure conformity with the Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS).

The order further stated that data collected and analyzed over the past month by EPA Punjab indicates that newly manufactured vehicles - particularly those not older than three years from their year of manufacture (i.e., 2022) - have consistently demonstrated compliance with prescribed emission standards during the initial years of operation, provided they are properly maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

“It has further been observed that such vehicles, due to their recent manufacture and the incorporation of advanced emission control technologies, do not significantly contribute to ambient air pollution. Their immediate inclusion in routine emission testing may not yield proportionate environmental benefits, while potentially overstretching enforcement capacity and placing an undue regulatory burden on the owners of already compliant vehicles,” added the DG.

The DG, in view of the aforementioned findings, amended his earlier order to declare that all cars and LTVs not older than three years from their year of manufacture (i.e., 2022) are hereby exempted from the emission testing requirement. This order shall come into force with immediate effect, the DG concluded.

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