You've been approved - now what? You are not yet approved for a repair.
Clean Air Auto Repair (CAAR) – Repair Process for Approved Applicants
If your application is approved, you will receive a confirmation email notifying you of your vehicle eligibility. This email will include instructions on how to schedule an appointment with an approved CAAR repair facility for evaluation and potential repairs.
Step 1: Vehicle Evaluation
Schedule an Appointment with one of the approved CAAR repair shops listed in your approval email. Be sure to let them know that you have been approved by the Regional Air Quality Council for a evaluation for your vehicle emission issues.
The repair shop will:
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Evaluate your vehicle and complete an inspection report to verify the vehicle is in operable condition (i.e., no visible smoke, engine is not burning oil, or does not have substantial mechanical issues). Please note, if your vehicle is in poor condition and needs substantial repairs to remain operational, your vehicle will not be approved for the program.
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Diagnose cause of emissions failure
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Recommend eligible repairs
Step 2: Estimate & Approval
The repair shop will:
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Prepare a written estimate
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Submit the estimate directly to the CAAR team at caar@raqc.org
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Repair costs are capped at $5,000 per vehicle. If repairs exceed $5,000, you will be notified and can decide whether or not you want to move forward to pay for those additional repairs
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Any maintenance repairs that are not causing the emissions failure, you will be responsible for
The CAAR team will review the estimate and notify the shop whether the repairs are approved or denied.
Step 3: Complete Repairs
If repairs are approved:
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The repair shop will complete the authorized emission-related repairs
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Repairs should only proceed after approval has been issued
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Vehicle owners are responsible for any repairs not approved or repairs that exceed $5,000
Step 4: Post-Repair Testing
The repair shop will take the repaired vehicle to an Emissions Technical Center or Air Care Colorado station to verify that the vehicle will pass an emissions test. Time required to take the vehicle to a testing facility may be billed to CAAR.