Crackdown on illegal inspection stickers

The Louisiana State Police, in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, are cracking down on the use of altered and counterfeit inspection stickers on vehicles.

In the last 10 weeks, more than 200 fraudulent stickers have been located and confiscated. Investigations have shown that these inspection stickers have been issued to drivers who lack the proper paperwork or whose vehicles would not pass inspection.

DEQ maintains and administers the Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance program in the five-parish nonattainment area of East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Iberville, Ascension and Livingston parishes.

The program was instituted in 2000 in response to statutory requirements of the federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. 

It is a low enhanced Inspection and Maintenance program for the control and abatement of motor vehicle emissions. The program is performed as a part of annual safety inspections on vehicles that are gasoline-fueled and have a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less.

Currently, the annual safety and emissions inspection consists of inspecting the vehicle’s safety equipment, onboard diagnostic testing, a visual anti-tampering check of the emissions system and a gas cap integrity test.

The program is effective for getting vehicles with safety or emissions problems off the road, while also targeting people who are driving illegally. 

Of the more than 200 altered stickers recovered so far, 34 percent were found to be issued to those driving with a suspended license. In addition, 26 percent were held by people driving without insurance and 12 percent were held by drivers with arrest warrants.

Law enforcement officers have also recovered a stolen vehicle and narcotics through the program. The program also helps to identify inspection facilities who are fraudulently issuing inspection stickers.

Civil action may be taken against violators by suspending or revoking the license of the station and/or inspector. In some cases, station owners or inspectors can be arrested.

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