Military: I/M Questions and Answers - Welcome to Alaska!

If you are based on one of the military bases in Anchorage or Fairbanks, chances are your vehicle will need an emissions inspection. Exceptions are: Diesels; vehicles 1967 and older in the Anchorage area; vehicles 1974 and older in the Fairbanks area. If the vehicle is model year 2004 or newer, the vehicle's first inspection is due when the current calendar year equals the vehicle model year plus 4 years (i.e.: model year 2004 vehicles will require an I/M in 2008, when the vehicle's registration is due). Also exempt are snowmachines (snow mobiles), 4-wheelers (all terrain vehicles), and vehicles weighing over 12,000 lbs. unladen weight.

Below are commonly asked questions.

We're military, living on post / base. Our second car will never leave the post / base, does it need an I/M?

Yes, it does need an I/M. Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base are located within the Fairbanks North Star Borough, and Fort Richardson and Elmendorf Air Force Base are located within the Municipality of Anchorage, both I/M areas in Alaska. All vehicles principally located or operated within an I/M area need an I/M inspection as required by regulations.

I'm military and I'd like to keep my vehicle registration in the state where I previously was stationed. How do I do that?

Military members may keep their vehicle registration in the state where they were previously stationed; however, an emission test is still required for those vehicles located or operated within the Fairbanks North Star Borough or the Municipality of Anchorage. A vehicle registered in another state must obtain an I/M certificate within 30 days after you begin to reside in an I/M area. The I/M mechanic will install a Certificate of Inspection sticker on the windshield which is visible proof of compliance with the I/M program. (Non-military civilians must register their vehicles with the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within 30 days.)

How is the I/M program enforced?

Since January 2000, vehicles which pass the I/M test receive a sticker on the windshield which serves as visual proof that the vehicle emission test is current. Law enforcement officers, when they stop a vehicle, may issue a citation for lack of an I/M certificate. The Department of Environmental Conservation investigates and enforces state air quality regulations. The penalty for failure to comply with state air quality regulations may lead to a $10,000 fine and one year in jail.

Please contact the following DEC employees if you have further questions regarding the vehicle emission program:
Ft. Wainwright, Eielson AFB - Joan Hardesty @ 907-451-2167 (email Joan)
Ft. Richardson, Elmendorf AFB - Jill Bjorholm @ 907-269-7694 (email Jill)