Davidson Co. Emission Testing Station

No one likes getting their emissions tested, but I’ve never had an unreasonably long wait here. They always do a good job.

I had a great first-​time experience doing my emission test here. I told the man doing my test that I had never done one before and that he’d have to guide me through it. He was friendly and polite and even filled me in on the process as he ran the tests. I waited in line for about 30 minutes, but he ran the tests within 10. It was a much better experience than I had been expecting.

Okay, my personal experience here was HORRIBLE.
I know it was the first of the month. I know that there are more people in Davidson Co than myself… but come on…2 hrs and OMG… I lost my entire lunchtime waiting to get my car tested… it passed thank god!!!
But that was ridiculous!
There was three lines open and the two end aisles had two workers each but my lane the middle lane… NOT !!! and you can’t tell when you are in back and turn that corner which lane you should choose!!! And apparently I chose the one where the guy didn’t care how long it took him… he dilly dallied… talked to people took a few breaks… and had to pull his pants up about a million times…
A belt would have fixed that problem!!!
Anyway, its done until next year!!!

This was my first time going to an emission testing station, but I was so impressed that I decided to write a review. I’ll keep this simple for you. Went in on a Thursday at 8:30AM, pulled my car into the station (there was no line), a friendly service worker had me hand over my title/​registration, I then was in a waiting area for about 3 minutes, and the test was complete. It was also $ 9 dollars for the test and either credit card or cash is accepted.
The whole process took not even 10 minutes for me. Hopefully other testing stations are this good in the Nashville area!

I had a recent visit for emissions testing, and I was impressed at the efficient and pleasant service. All three lanes had short lines, despite being the end of the month! Employees were helping customers complete the process with expediency. This was especially appreciated on a cold afternoon. I was relieved that the waiting room was heated.
Credit cards are accepted here, so no need to scrounge for quarters between car seats or hit up the ATM beforehand.
Note: If you’re running late, make sure you’re on the right side of the tracks! Don’t let that cargo slow you down.

OK. Set aside your annoyance with emissions when looking at my 5 star review because no one wants to do it and curses to TN for requiring it!
BUT. This was seriously my shortest wait EVER… and while I have to give myself credit for most of it (waiting until the week before the end of the month AND getting there at 11:15) I still gotta give the staff at this locations some mad props because they were fast, efficient, and I like that this location is removed from highly retailed areas, I believe allowing for faster service and less wait time.
PLUS if you go to
you can check out the current wait time with video. So as soon as I saw the wait time was 3 minutes around 10:45, I hopped in my car and INCLUDING travel time I was gone for 30 minutes, I was at the emissions location for under 15 minutes. Seriously. Crazy.
Most efficient station I’ve visited!

You know, not the funnest thing ever, I’ll give you that. But I took Kermit to his test circa 8 on a Thursday morning and there was (nearly) no line! I was behind one other car, but was immediately helped by the testing attendant. I think it’s a little strange that the driver only goes to the waiting room (which, for a mandatory waiting room leaves a bit to be desired. It’s TINY and there is only one chair), while passenger stay in the car. Maybe it’s because the waiting room is so small and they’ve had trouble with driver’s messing with them during the test? I don’t know. In any case, expedient and friendly service, and the test was only $ 9! Not too shabby.

This afternoon, I learned something by accident. After meeting a friend for lunch in Berry Hill, I realized that I had been driving around with an unopened envelope from the car registration department for about 3 weeks. As I am the queen of procrastination, I always seem to wait until the day before something is due to get started on about anything (unless it involves planning for a party or a vacation!). Because of this, I am one of the MANY who wait in long lines at the emissionon testing station the last day of the month, our cars and trucks sitting there for what seems like hours, spitting more emissions into the air than I can imagine, while we curse the the department of clean air and blue skies or whatever it is called.
Today, I was about to take Woodmont toward home, or better yet, the mall, when I decided to mix it up and get my car tested early, early for me that is, on the 20^th. I arrived around 2 pm and was in the line for less than 10 minutes before they requested my paperwork and $ 9. From there, it was only another minute until I was sitting in the chair in their sad little waiting room (they could use a decorator!). While they hooked up the test thingy, I really believe that my heartrate increased a bit. Oh, the anticipation, my car taking it’s annual pass /​fail exam. Would she get a smiley face, or would I soon be Unilocaling about our friendly neighborhood auto repair business? YES, a smiley face it was! The young testing guys were efficient enough and all is well until this time next year, when we get to do it all over again. What I learned today is if you don’t wait until late afternoon on the last day of the month, you can free up a bit of time for more enjoyable pursuits and at the same time, help keep our air a little cleaner.

«This is so stupid. This test is to stop s**t cars from blowing out s**t emissions, yet there are 30 cars all standing in line IDLE with their engines turned on and polluting. Turn off your freaking engines people. This system completely defeats the purpose, I wonder how much exhaust cars are putting out here in line on a daily basis and if it’s more than cars that don’t pass the test and have been driving around.»
That was my text to someone when I was waiting in line at the testing center. Now I’m glad they do it, I really I am. I just feel like it should be different some how. I came at 9:00 on a Thursday, in the last week of the month and the line was quite long. Some poor guys car ran out of gas at the front of the line and held everyone up. My Daewoo had to be switched from one computer to the next because no one drives Daewoos and the techs had no idea how to hook it up to the test machine — true story. Everyone was very nice and working really hard. I passed, yay, the end. I do like that you can get your stickers on the spot!

Come midday to avoid lengthy lines…
I have to admit that I am a bit surprised that I’m giving the Emission Testing Station a 4 star review too but I wouldn’t feel right hatin’ on them just because it’s a pain in the arse to have to get this test done. The staff was efficient, professional, and helpful when I brought my car in. I only had to wait around 15 minutes and the $ 9 is a minimal fee.

I have lived in Florida my entire life, so I had no idea what an emissions test was until my Tennessee renewal came in the mail.
I looked up a few of the emission testing places in town, and this one seemed to be best, according to fellow Unilocalers.
I was in and out in less then 20 minutes. If you go to the locations website, they have a live camera showing how busy they are. I would highly suggest checking this place out if you are in need of an emissions test.

Nice staff, I’ve failed twice since they opened, once for a busted gas cap and once for a computer that wanted to go psycho, both times they were nice about it and told me a good time to come back when I could just breeze by on a recheck.
Lines, I have determined, cannot be guessed at which of the 3 is fastest. If there’s a short line, chances are the reason it’s short is there’s only one person operating it and it will be the slowest.
The cost here is $ 9, after that you can go elsewhere and pay another $ 78 to get some stickers, and then ~33 cents of every gallon you purchase will also go to the state’s coffers that don’t seem to be directly related to vehicles /​alternative transportation /​etc.
Back when they used to be Marta, I had the privilege of being behind someone who failed who then pulled out another bill and miraculously passed. That was a long time ago.
They claim emissions testing removes 4 tons of blech from the air a day, I wonder if they factor in the 1 million or so people having to drive to an emissions testing station and then wait.
Good station though

This is one of the more efficient testing stations in the Nashville area, but unfortunately its not open on the weekends. They now take Credit Cards so no need to stop for Cash beforehand.

If you relocate to Tennessee and own a car, be warned that the Tennessee vehicle titling process is pretty involved. Before going to the county clerk to get your car retitled, you have to have an emission test done. Make sure you bring your current vehicle registration when you go, along with $ 10 cash.
The Emission Center has a website where you can watch a webcam of the line at the testing center and see the estimated wait time, but since I went at 7 am that wasn’t an issue. The mechanic didn’t have much interest in pleasantries, asking me the mileage and year of my car before telling me to step into a little cubicle while he did the test. I waited about 5 minutes for my turn, and the test itself only took about 5 more minutes, so I was out of there in about ten minutes.