The Ministry of Transport recently issued Circular 47/2024, outlining the procedures for emissions testing of motorcycles and scooters.

Although the circular takes effect on January 1, 2025, the Vietnam Register clarified that this date does not mark the beginning of emissions testing at inspection centers.

The timeline for implementation will follow the Environmental Protection Law, with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment currently collaborating with the Ministry of Transport to draft a roadmap for government approval. As of now, this decision has yet to be issued.

Emissions testing requirements

Under Circular 47/2024, motorcycles and scooters manufactured within the past 5 years are exempt from emissions testing. Vehicle owners will not need to submit documents or bring their vehicles to inspection centers.

For these newer vehicles, emissions certifications will be issued electronically by the Vietnam Register through a software management system. This system integrates safety and environmental compliance data collected during production, assembly, or import with the vehicle registration and management database maintained by the Ministry of Public Security.

Vehicles over 5 years old, however, must be brought to inspection centers for emissions testing. Vehicle owners must present one of the following documents to complete the process: The original vehicle registration certificate; A certified copy or an authenticated electronic version of the vehicle registration certificate; The original receipt for vehicle registration processing.

Inspection centers will verify the vehicle's details in the emissions management software and cross-check this information against the vehicle's physical registration. Discrepancies will result in a testing rejection. If no issues are found, the center will issue an inspection report and proceed with emissions testing.

Vehicles that pass emissions testing will receive an electronic emissions certification, integrated with the vehicle owner's digital identity account.

For motorcycles and scooters manufactured within the last 5 years, emissions testing is valid for 60 months, starting from the vehicle’s production date. If the exact production date is unavailable, December 31 of the manufacturing year will be used as the reference point.

For vehicles between 5 and 12 years old, the testing interval is reduced to 24 months. For vehicles older than 12 years, testing must be conducted annually.

Current context and challenges

According to the Vietnam Institute for Transportation Strategy and Development, motorcycle registrations in Vietnam grew at an average annual rate of 9.1% between 2005 and 2022. The country now has nearly 70 million registered motorcycles.

In major cities like Hanoi, motorcycles remain the primary mode of transportation. As of August 2024, Hanoi had over 8 million registered vehicles, including nearly 1.13 million cars and over 6.9 million motorcycles.

Le Thanh Nam, Director of Hanoi’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, noted that 72.58% of motorcycles in Hanoi have been in use for over 10 years, significantly contributing to harmful emissions.

The Institute for Transportation Strategy and Development also projects that motorcycles will continue to dominate as the preferred mode of individual transportation between 2025 and 2030. However, they remain the largest source of emissions in urban areas.

Data from emissions testing programs conducted in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang reveal that motorcycles older than 5 years often exceed current emissions standards. Those over 10 years old show particularly high levels of emissions. More than 50% of motorcycles in these cities are over a decade old: 72.58% in Hanoi, 68% in Ho Chi Minh City, and over 59% in Da Nang.

A transportation expert voiced support for motorcycle emissions testing, describing it as a necessary step given the reliance on motorcycles as the primary means of transportation in Vietnam. While acknowledging the logistical challenges of testing nearly 70 million motorcycles, he emphasized the urgency of implementation.

"The longer we delay, the harder it will become to manage, as the number of motorcycles over 5 years old continues to rise," the expert warned.

N. Huyen