Identify and Transcribe Vehicle Emission Information Label Fields

How to read a VECI label

A VECI label (vehicle emission control information label) is the manufacturer's sticker, normally under the hood, that identifies how that vehicle was grouped for US emissions certification. To read it, find each printed field name and copy the value beside it exactly as printed. For 2001-and-later light-duty cars and trucks, the main identifier is the test group number. For earlier light-duty vehicles, it is the engine family number. Many labels also show an evaporative family, engine displacement, an OBD II statement, catalyst information and tune-up information.

The label describes the configuration the manufacturer certified. It is not an emissions test result, and it does not show that the vehicle complies today or qualifies for an inspection, registration or sale.

What the main fields mean

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) groups vehicles and engines with similar emissions-related designs into families for certification. A family identifier is a code shared by many vehicles. It is not unique to your car. The field names below appear on EPA's sample label or in its guidance. The exact wording and layout on a real label vary by manufacturer and model year.

• Test group: the certification grouping EPA uses for model-year 2001 and later light-duty cars and trucks.
• Engine family: the certification grouping used for earlier light-duty vehicles and in other engine sectors.
• Evaporative family: a separate grouping for the system that controls fuel vapor escaping from the fuel system. Record it on its own line, never merged with the engine family or test group.
• Displacement: engine size, usually shown in liters.
• OBD II: on-board diagnostics, second generation, the vehicle's self-monitoring system. The label may state OBD II certification.
• Catalyst: information about the catalytic converter, the exhaust component that chemically reduces pollutants.
• Tune-up: the manufacturer's printed service settings or notes for that engine configuration.

Where to find the label and how to recognize it

EPA places the test group and engine family numbers on an under-hood Vehicle Emission Information label. Start with the underside of the hood and the panel across the front of the engine bay. On some vehicles, check the surfaces near the engine itself. Placement varies by manufacturer and model, so the owner's manual or the manufacturer's service information is the authority for a specific vehicle.

The correct label usually has a printed title referring to vehicle emission control or emission information. It also has a manufacturer name and labeled fields such as test group or engine family and evaporative family. Several other stickers are easy to mistake for it.

• Vacuum hose routing diagram: often under the hood near the emissions label. It shows a drawing of hose connections rather than certification identifiers.
• Air conditioning label: lists refrigerant type and charge amount, not emissions families.
• Fan, battery or belt warning stickers: safety warnings with no identifiers.
• Vehicle identification number (VIN): a 17-character number unique to one vehicle, found on the dashboard and door jamb. The test group or engine family is shared across many vehicles.
• Tire and loading placard and the manufacturer's certification label: usually on the driver's door jamb, covering tire pressures, weights and build date.

If you are unsure whether a sticker is the emissions label, photograph it and give the photo, together with the VIN, to a dealer or the manufacturer to confirm. Do the same if the label is missing or unreadable, and ask what certification information they can provide for that VIN and whether a replacement label is available.

Why character count is not a reliable check

EPA's general family naming guidance describes a 12-character naming convention that varies by sector. Its separate guidance on light-duty test group and engine family numbers describes them as 11 characters. Conventions differ by vehicle sector and model year, so never add, drop or change a character to reach an expected length. Copy what is printed and resolve doubts with the applicable sector-specific naming instructions or the manufacturer.

How to photograph and transcribe the label

You will need a phone camera, a flashlight, the vehicle's VIN (from the door jamb or registration), a soft dry cloth and a worksheet or notebook.

• 1. Park on level ground, set the parking brake, switch the engine off and let the engine bay cool. Exhaust parts stay hot after shutdown. On some vehicles the electric cooling fan can start with the engine off, so keep hands clear of it. Before reaching under the hood, make sure the prop rod or hood struts are holding it securely. Stop if the hood will not stay up.
• 2. Find the label and confirm from its printed title and fields that it is the emissions label, not one of the look-alikes above.
• 3. Photograph the whole label in place so its location is visible. Then take straight-on close-ups of each field. Angle the light to cut glare rather than flattening or peeling the label.
• 4. If dust hides the print, wipe lightly with the dry cloth. Do not use solvents or scrape. Stop wiping if the print smears or an edge starts to lift. Leave the label attached to the vehicle.
• 5. Write down the label's printed title and the manufacturer name exactly as shown.
• 6. For each field, record the field name as printed and the value literally, including spaces, hyphens and periods. Keep the test group or engine family and the evaporative family as separate entries. If a model year or regulatory statement is printed, copy it verbatim, because it determines which naming convention applies.
• 7. Where a character is unclear, note its position and which close-up photo shows it. Do not substitute a best guess.
• 8. Compare your transcription with the photos character by character. A second person reading it back helps.
• 9. Send any flagged positions to the manufacturer for confirmation.

The transcription is complete when every field has its printed name, a literal value and a photo reference, every uncertain character is flagged, and nothing has been added or removed. Store the original unedited photos with the transcription and note the date they were taken. Keep any emissions inspection reports in a separate record so the label details are never read as a test outcome.

Transcription worksheet

Entry	What to record
Full label photo	File name showing the whole label in its location
Vehicle reference	VIN and the vehicle's model year
Label location	For example, underside of hood or front panel of engine bay
Printed label title	Exact wording
Manufacturer	As printed on the label
Test group or engine family	Field name as printed and literal value
Evaporative family	Field name as printed and literal value, kept separate
Other fields	Displacement, OBD II, catalyst, tune-up and any statements, verbatim
Uncertain characters	Field, character position and possible readings
Detail photo	File name of the close-up showing each uncertain character
Confirmation	Who confirmed the uncertain characters and when

Example: a character that could be zero or the letter O

This hypothetical example shows how to handle an ambiguous character. Suppose the fifth character of a test group value could be a zero or a capital O. Record the value with that position marked as uncertain, list both possible readings, and link the close-up photo. Do not choose one, and do not adjust the length to fit an assumed format. Then ask the manufacturer to confirm the identifier for that VIN, or check the EPA naming instructions for that vehicle sector and model year. Update the record only after you have that confirmation, and note who gave it.