Report a smoky vehicle

If you see a vehicle emitting smoke for more than 10 seconds, you can make a report online to the NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

To help you fill in the online form, you may need the following:

• vehicle registration number
• state of registration
• vehicle type
• vehicle make, model and colour (optional)
• date and time of observation
• suburb and street
• vehicle smoke colour.

The following should be noted when filling in EPA's online form:

• You need to provide your contact details when making a report. The EPA doesn’t accept anonymous reports. Your personal details are protected and won’t be passed on to the owner of the vehicle.
• You should make your report within 14 days of the observation.
• You must observe the vehicle emitting smoke for more than 10 seconds continuously to make a report.
• The colour of the smoke helps to indicate what's wrong with the vehicle emitting the smoke.
• During cold weather, condensation can be mistaken for white smoke. Don’t report a vehicle if you think the visible emission could be due to condensation.
• You can use the Report to EPA mobile app to report smoky vehicles, litter from vehicles and noisy exhaust.
• The NSW EPA can act on reports for vehicles registered in NSW, ACT, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. If you want to make a report about a vehicle registered in the Northern Territory, Tasmania or Western Australia, you’ll need to contact the state or territory EPA.
• The owner of a smoky vehicle may not be aware that their vehicle is emitting excessive smoke, or that there may be a problem with it. After a report is made, the EPA will check the vehicle registration matches the vehicle description and then send an advisory letter to the owner.