State is Virginia. Once a year you are required to have your motor vehicles inspected at a cost of $16 if you intend to operate it on public roadways. A pass sticker is displayed on your windshield showing when it is due for it's next inspection.
Or if it fails; the mechanic can either fix the issue(s) and then issue a pass sticker; or place a rejection sticker on the windshield that allows you 15 days to get the issue fixed where you can still drive it.
I have a 1969 Ford Galaxie. The inspection has to be done by September 30th.
When having unrelated work done by a mechanic I trust; I was told that while all the mechanical and safety issues are ship shape about my car; that it will NOT pass the "smog test" in September. The emissions test refers to how much smoke is coming from the tail pipe and is the only non-safety issue that is on the list for inspection in Virginia. The estimated cost from my regular mechanic? $1'384.86.
Well since it is not anything that is going to cause my vehicle to break down; what if I just bribed a mechanic to pass it? I know my regular mechanic wouldn't take a bribe; but I bet I could fine some young kid in his early 20s; who is just out of his trade school; at some low paying chain mechanic such as Pep Boys to falsely check the emissions test as "pass" and put the pass sticker on my car. In exchange for a $100 bill slipped into his shirt pocket of course.
Added (1). It would be one thing to take a bribe to pass a car with a mechanical issue; such as brakes.
But as far as the emissions test; would that be illegal? Could we be arrested?