18 AAC 52.020. Certificate of inspection requirements

(a) A certificate of inspection required under this chapter may be issued only by the implementing agency, its designee, its referee facility, or a station certified under 18 AAC 52.415.

(b) A motorist described in 18 AAC 52.005(b) (1) or (b)(2) shall obtain and renew a certificate of inspection as required by 18 AAC 52.005(c) (2). A motorist described in 18 AAC 52.005(b) (3) shall obtain and renew a certificate as required by 18 AAC 52.005(c) (3). A motorist described in 18 AAC 52.005(b) (4) shall obtain and renew a certificate as required by 18 AAC 52.005(c) (4).

(c) A person, including a person in military service, who temporarily resides in this state for more than 30 days and who owns or leases a vehicle that is principally located or operated in an I/M area shall obtain a certificate of inspection for that vehicle, even if the vehicle is not required to be registered in this state under AS 28.10.011 . A temporary resident shall obtain the certificate of inspection within 30 days after the vehicle enters this state and is principally located or operated in an I/M area.

(d) A motorist described in 18 AAC 52.005(b) shall keep affixed to the inside lower left corner of the front windshield or display in a certificate holder readily visible through the front windshield

(1) a certificate of inspection windshield sticker for the specific vehicle that has passed an I/M test; the sticker must be affixed by the certified mechanic who inspected the vehicle; the certified mechanic may not place a windshield sticker in a certificate holder; or

(2) a waiver, new vehicle, or exemption windshield sticker for a vehicle for which the implementing agency requires a sticker to be displayed under 18 AAC 52.025(c) ; the sticker must be affixed by the implementing agency or the designee of the implementing agency.

(e) The implementing agency shall sell the certificate of inspection to a certified station in lots of 25. Each sticker must contain a unique serial number, and the implementing agency shall record the serial numbers of each sticker sold to a station. The sticker must comply with the requirements of 18 AAC 52.025, be approved by the department, and be pre-printed using materials, color, and patterns that minimize the risk of forgery. The design of the sticker and any change to the design must be approved by the department. If the design or color of a certificate of inspection is changed, the implementing agency shall permit a certified station to exchange any unused certificates for new certificates at no charge, or the implementing agency shall refund to the certified station the fee paid for returned obsolete certificates.

(f) If the department administers an I/M program under 18 AAC 52.030, it will charge a $20 fee for a certificate of inspection. If a department-administered I/M program, such as a program described in 18 AAC 52.005(h) , is associated with an I/M program administered by an implementing agency, the department will charge the same fee as that charged by the implementing agency if that fee is lower than the fee set in this subsection. Nothing in this subsection prohibits an implementing agency other than the department from imposing a fee higher or lower than $20.

(g) If a certificate of inspection or other required windshield sticker that has been issued is lost, destroyed, or mutilated, a replacement certificate may be issued to the motorist if the original issued certificate or other required windshield sticker can be accounted for to the satisfaction of the implementing agency. The replacement certificate must be traceable to the original certificate or other windshield sticker issued.

(h) If, after obtaining a replacement certificate of inspection under (g) of this section, the motorist finds the lost original certificate of inspection, that motorist shall return the original to the implementing agency.

(i) For a department-administered I/M program under 18 AAC 52.030, the department will charge a $20 fee for a replacement certificate.

(j) If registration of a vehicle is refused under AS 28.10.041 because the certificate of inspection for the vehicle is inadequate because of an act or omission of a certified mechanic or station, the station shall retest the vehicle at no charge and issue another certificate if the vehicle passes the I/M test. If registration of a vehicle is refused because the certificate is inadequate because of an act or omission of the motorist, the motorist shall obtain another certificate and pay the appropriate fee. If a second certificate is issued under this subsection, the station shall collect the original parts of the certificate, and shall invalidate the certificate or otherwise account for the original certificate to the satisfaction of the implementing agency. The station shall note the reason for replacement of the certificate, and return each part of the certificate, including the windshield sticker, to the implementing agency for a refund of the cost of the certificate.

(k) A motor vehicle dealer may use a certificate of inspection that was issued within the previous 12 months to register a used motor vehicle under AS 28.10.011 if the

(1) dealer registers the vehicle in the purchaser's name; and

(2) certificate was issued while the vehicle was held in the dealer's inventory for sale.

( l ) If a certificate of inspection was used under (k) of this section to register a used vehicle, that certificate may not be used again to register the vehicle or to renew the vehicle registration.

(m) A certificate of inspection is an "emissions inspection and maintenance certificate" or an "emissions inspection certificate" for the purposes of the transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle under AS 28.10.271 (d).

History: Eff. 2/1/94, Register 129; am 6/24/94, Register 130; am 1/1/97, Register 140; am 1/1/98, Register 144; am 1/1/2000, Register 152; am 3/27/2002, Register 161; am 2/18/2006, Register 177

Authority: AS 44.46.025

AS 46.03.020

AS 46.14.030

AS 46.14.510

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