In line with the provisions of Decree No. 196/2025 (see our prior article), the Secretariat of Tourism, Environment and Sports has issued Resolution No. 546/2025, which updates the regulatory framework governing vehicle emissions control in Argentina, as well as the process for obtaining the Environmental Configuration License.
Resolution No. 546/2025, published in the Official Gazette on October 2, 2025, establishes new procedures for obtaining the Environmental Configuration License (“ECL”), incorporating acceptance of international certificates and tests for processing gaseous, acoustic, electromagnetic emissions and energy efficiency certifications, while amending, for this purpose, Resolution No. 1270/02 of the former Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Nation.
Among other relevant matters, the new regulations provide as follows:
- For the purpose of granting approval certificates for acoustic and gaseous emissions, and for extensions to variants or versions of already certified models, acceptance is granted of: (i) Test Protocols issued by laboratories or certification entities of tests that are detailed in the current review or listing of document Trans/WP.29/343, issued by the United Nations (UN), at the time of the test; (ii) Test certificates issued by ISO/IEC 17025‑accredited laboratories and/or EN 45:001‑89.
- For granting approval certificates of gaseous pollutant emissions and for extensions to variants or versions of already certified models, acceptance is given to tests conducted in official government laboratories, and/or internal laboratories under the above established conditions, and/or under the supervision of: (i) The Vehicular Gaseous Emissions Control Laboratory (LCEGV) of the Argentine Republic; (ii) The Companhia de Tecnologia de Saneamento Ambiental of the State of São Paulo (CETESB), Federative Republic of Brazil; and for laboratories recognized by CETESB, certificates under ISO 17020 supervision; (iii) Japan Vehicle Inspection Association (JVIA), Tokyo, Japan; (iv) Vehicular Control and Certification Center (3CV) of the Maipú Commune, Santiago, Chile, Republic of Chile; (v) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
- For granting approval certificates of acoustic emissions and for extensions to variants or versions of already certified models, acceptance is given to tests conducted in internal laboratories or under supervision by: (i) Center for Research and Development in Physics (CEFIS), of the National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI); (ii) Center for Research and Transfer Encáustica (CINTRA), of the National Technological University (UTN), Province of Córdoba, Argentina; (iii) Japan Vehicle Inspection Association (JVIA), Tokyo, Japan; (iv) National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (INMETRO), São Paulo, Brazil; (v) Association of Automotive Engineers and Technicians (pursuant to Resolution SAYDS No. 1076/09), Argentine Republic; (vi) General Directorate of Advisory and Technological Services (DAT), Ministry of Production of the Province of Santa Fe (pursuant to Resolution SAYDS No. 830/13).
- For the purpose of granting certification of gaseous pollutant emissions for a vehicle model type or engine‑type configuration, the following shall be utilized: (i) For characterization within a vehicle type, variant or version and considered family, the concepts mentioned in European Directive 70/156/EEC and successors, 70/220/EEC or successors, ECE Regulation 83‑02 or successors, as well as the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 40 Parts 86, 1065 or 1066 and successors, in accordance with NBR‑PROCONVE L7 standards of Brazil’s National Environmental Council (CONAMA) of the Ministry of the Environment; and (ii) For characterization of an engine configuration, the concepts developed in Annexes I and II of Directive 88/77/EEC or subsequent updates, or UNECE Regulation No. 49.
- For certification of acoustic pollutant emissions of a vehicle, to characterize the vehicle within a model type, variant or version, the following concepts shall be used: European Directive 70/157/EEC or successors (Annex I to Directive 92/97/EEC), ECE Regulation 51‑03 or successors (“Modification and extension of type approval”) and IRAM CETIA Standards 9C and 9C1.
- For certification of acoustic emissions in new vehicle models in categories M1 and N1, measurements shall be required by means of dynamic sound level tests conducted in accordance with IRAM AITA 9C‑1 / 9C‑4 standards (or successors), and the limits established in ANNEX IV (IF‑2025‑80707677‑APN‑DNEYCA#JGM), Table 1 (“Noise Emission Limits for Motor Vehicles”) which is part of Resolution 546/2025. If certification is carried out under European Directives or United Nations Regulations, the dynamic noise emission limits detailed in European Directive 96/20/EC or Regulation EU 540/2014, and in UN Regulation R51/03 ECE Phase 1 or successors, will be required. As of January 1, 2024 for all M1 and N1 vehicle models, and as of January 1, 2025 for all models in other categories, the limits established in ECE Regulation R51/03 Phase 1 (or successors) or EU Regulation 540/2014 (or successors) shall apply. The Under‑Secretariat of Environment (or its future successor) may grant exceptions to the foregoing in cases deemed essential, in respect of limited‑series vehicles, unforeseen circumstances, or vehicles whose design renders applicability unfeasible. Furthermore, for imported units in any vehicle category originating from countries where federal acoustic emissions certification is not required, the following procedures shall be accepted to determine maximum noise emission pressure levels: SAE J2805 (November 2015), SAE J1470 (June 1998), SAE J986 (August 1994), ISO 362‑1:2015, UN Regulation R51/03 ECE Phase 1, or EU Regulation 540/2014 (or successors), in accordance with the deadlines and conditions specified above, and also the measurement conditions stipulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Title 40, Part 205.54 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
- For certification of gaseous pollutant emissions limits, evaporative emissions (Type IV, where applicable), and On‑Board Diagnostic (OBD) systems, and for durability of light and heavy vehicles powered by liquid and/or gaseous fuels, compliance shall be with European Regulations 715/2007 and 692/2008 (for light vehicles Stage A / EURO 5a) or UN Regulation R83/06 (or successors). For heavy vehicles, compliance with European Directive 2005/55/EC (for heavy‑duty engines Stages B2 and C / EURO V) or UN Regulation R49/05 ECE (or successors) is required. These reference emission standards (EURO 5a for light vehicles and EURO V for heavy vehicles) are established in SAyDS Resolution No. 1464 (December 29, 2014) and detailed in ANNEX VI (IF‑2025‑105263090‑APN‑DNEYCA#JGM), which forms part of Resolution 546/2025. An exception is made for light vehicles with respect to the Type VI (low‑temperature emissions) test and in‑service conformity test. This requirement will extend to any heavy vehicle or engine manufactured or imported for sale in the Argentine internal market, as well as to any light vehicle or engine for the same purpose.
- For any heavy vehicle or engine manufactured or imported for the Argentine internal market, and any light vehicle or engine likewise, originating in countries where the following regulations apply, it is permissible to certify under equivalent technological emission standards as detailed in ANNEX VI (IF‑2025‑105263090‑APN‑DNEYCA#JGM) of Resolution 546/2025, in accordance with the regulations stipulated by: (i) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) under CFR Title 40 Parts 86, 1065 and 1066 (“Control of air pollution from new vehicle engines”), using the FTP‑75 method, complying with limits described in Tier 2 Bin 5 as detailed in ANNEX VI (IF‑2025‑105263090‑APN‑DNEYCA#JGM) and its amendments, for categories LDV, LDT, MDPV; (ii) Brazil’s National Environmental Council (CONAMA) via Resolução No. 492 of 20 December 2018, for PROCONVE L7 phase vehicles, as detailed in ANNEX VI, setting maximum pollutant emission limits for passenger and commercial light vehicles using gasoline, ethanol or flex (configurations flexibly adapted to ethanol content between 5 % and 15 % vol or higher). These vehicles must also comply with CFR Title 40 (Parts 86, 1065 or 1066) and NBR‑PROCONVE PL7, as well as requirements for onboard diagnostics systems (OBD‑US or NBR), evaporative emissions, crankcase and idling emissions (if applicable), and durability. Equivalent technological standards for noise and stray electromagnetic emissions as established by U.S. EPA and NBR‑CONAMA for Brazil likewise apply. (iii) In both cases, certification in CO₂ emissions and fuel consumption under the NEDC cycle per UNECE Regulation 101 (or equivalent European regulation), pursuant to the vehicle labeling requirements set by MAyDS Resolution No. 383/2021.
Moreover, Resolution 546/2025 also:
- Approves the new simplified procedure to be followed to obtain the ECL.
- Sets the processing fee for each certification component of the ECL — whether for acoustic emissions, gaseous emissions, electromagnetic compatibility, or energy efficiency labeling — at the equivalent of 940 Retributive Units each, and 212 Retributive Units for each extension, and establishes the annual adjustment mechanism.
- Mandates creation of a database, and provides that data associated with ECLs (i.e. the numbers of the Gaseous Emissions Certification, Acoustic Emissions Certification, Electromagnetic Compatibility Certification, and Energy Efficiency Labeling) will be publicly accessible.
Finally, it is established that the said Resolution shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Gazette, which occurred on October 2, 2025.