Northern Virginia and most Maryland counties, excepting a few rural ones like St. Mary’s County, require regular vehicle emissions testing. If the vehicle can’t pass it can’t be on the road, and with those a check engine light is an automatic fail. There’s a grace period and some leeway as far as possible waivers but an engine light can definitely lead to suspension of the registration. Virginia also does annual safety inspections. The light isn’t an automatic fail for those but if it somehow relate to safety it’s a fail.
Don’t you only register it when its new?
In my state vehicles need to be re-registered every two years.
Northern Virginia and most Maryland counties, excepting a few rural ones like St. Mary’s County, require regular vehicle emissions testing. If the vehicle can’t pass it can’t be on the road, and with those a check engine light is an automatic fail. There’s a grace period and some leeway as far as possible waivers but an engine light can definitely lead to suspension of the registration. Virginia also does annual safety inspections. The light isn’t an automatic fail for those but if it somehow relate to safety it’s a fail.