How to Determine a Vehicle's National Emission Standard?
2 Answers
Methods to check a vehicle's national emission standard: 1. Look at the vehicle's environmental protection label, which has clear markings on the back; 2. Visit the website of the Motor Vehicle Exhaust Pollution Supervision and Management Center to inquire; 3. Take the vehicle registration certificate to the vehicle management office for inquiry; 4. For new vehicles, you can check the vehicle's factory certificate and look for the information inside; 5. Make a rough distinction based on the year the vehicle was registered. Vehicle emission standards refer to regulations on the content of harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, particulates, and soot emitted from vehicle exhaust. China's national emission standards differ from European standards. The national standards are based on China's specific conditions, while European standards are common among European Community member countries, with European standards being slightly higher than China's national standards.
When I bought my car, I was particularly concerned about this. The most straightforward method is to check the vehicle registration certificate—the green or blue booklet—which clearly states the emission standard, such as China V or China VI. My first car turned out to be China VI compliant according to the registration certificate, which saved me a lot of hassle. Alternatively, you can look up the vehicle's VIN (that string of numbers in the corner of the windshield) on the official website of the environmental protection department for quick results. Why does this matter? Many cities now enforce traffic restrictions based on emission standards, barring China III or below from entering downtown areas. My neighbor once got fined for this, so now he meticulously checks the environmental report during annual inspections. During routine maintenance, don’t just focus on fuel efficiency—ask the 4S shop technician to confirm the emission standard occasionally to avoid depreciation during resale. Cars with low emission standards can be troublesome to transfer. In short, taking a few minutes to verify these details can prevent a lot of headaches later.
