New regulations on applying automobile emission standards

Accordingly, the roadmap for applying emission standards for cars participating in traffic is as follows:

Cars with spark ignition engines and cars with compression ignition engines participating in traffic manufactured before 1999 will continue to apply Level 1.

Cars with spark ignition engines and cars with compression ignition engines participating in traffic manufactured from 1999 to the end of 2008 will apply Level 2 from January 1, 2021.

Cars with spark ignition engines and cars with compression ignition engines participating in traffic manufactured after 2008 will apply Level 2 from January 1, 2020.

For imported used cars, the Prime Minister stipulates that imported used cars with spark ignition engines and compression ignition engines will apply Level 4 from May 15, 2019.

In case of imported used cars that have opened import goods declarations according to the Customs Law or have arrived at Vietnamese ports or border gates before May 15, 2019, the provisions of Decision No. 249/2005/QD-TTg dated October 10, 2005 of the Prime Minister stipulating the roadmap for applying emission standards to road motor vehicles will continue to be applied.

Previously, on October 10, 2005, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 249/2005/QD-TTg stipulating the roadmap for applying emission standards to road motor vehicles. Since the first years of implementing Decision No. 249/2005/QD-TTg, the control of emission quality of newly manufactured, assembled and imported automobiles has brought about remarkable results.

However, as of May 2018, the number of cars participating in traffic has increased 3.22 times compared to 2008 (3,050,794 cars compared to 946,601 cars) and continues to increase the rate of air pollution, especially urban air pollution has increased significantly.

On September 1, 2011, the Prime Minister also issued Decision No. 49/2011/QD-TTg stipulating the roadmap for applying emission standards to newly manufactured, assembled and imported automobiles and two-wheeled motorbikes. Accordingly, newly manufactured, assembled and imported automobiles will apply Euro 4 emission standards from January 1, 2017 and Euro 5 from January 1, 2022.

However, cars in traffic and imported used cars still apply old emission standards set more than 10 years ago, which are now outdated.

Therefore, the Prime Minister has issued a new roadmap for applying emission standards to vehicles in traffic and imported used cars.

*Emission standards (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4) are the maximum allowable limits of pollutants and smoke in vehicle exhaust gas as prescribed in TCVN 6438:2018 "Road vehicles - Maximum allowable limits of emissions".