Model-year 1976 and newer gasoline-powered, hybrid, and alternative-fuel vehicles are required to have a Smog Check, with the following exclusions:
- A biennial Smog Check is not necessary for models eight model years and newer.
- A change-of-ownership Smog Check is not necessary for vehicles four model years or newer.
When determining whether a vehicle needs a biannual or change-of-ownership Smog Check, multiply the model year by eight or four, accordingly.
For instance, a car with a 2020 model year will go through its first Smog Check in 2028 (2020 + 8 = 2028). If the identical vehicle is sold in or after 2024 (2020 plus 4 equals 2024), a change-of-ownership Smog Check is necessary.
A Smog Check is necessary for diesel-powered vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 14,000 pounds or less that are model-year 1998 or newer. Diesel-powered vehicles are exempt from model year restrictions.
In This Article...
What vehicles do not require a Smog Check?
- automobiles with a model year of 1975 or earlier, including hybrids, alternative fuel vehicles, and gasoline-powered vehicles.
- Eight model years or newer gasoline-powered, hybrid, and alternative-fuel cars are exempt from the requirement for a smog check every two years.
- Four model years or newer gasoline-powered, hybrid, and alternative-fuel cars are exempt from the need for a change-of-ownership Smog Check.
- automobiles with a diesel engine that are older than the model year 1997.
- automobiles having a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 14,000 pounds that run on diesel.
- electric automobiles.
- Motorcycles.
If I sell my vehicle, who is responsible for the change-of-ownership Smog Check?
According to California law, the seller is in charge of getting the car smogged and giving the buyer the certificate of conformity.
My vehicle is eight years old. Why does it require a Smog Check?
The kind of vehicle and the model year determine the smog check criteria. Model years are unveiled in the year that precedes the model year of a vehicle. When the model year and the year in the calendar, a car is said to be one model year old. As an illustration, a vehicle from the 2010 model year is one model year old in 2010 and nine model years old in 2018. As a result, the first biennial Smog Check for a vehicle made in 2010 is required in 2018.
Do government-owned vehicles require a Smog Check?
Yes. A Smog Check is necessary for any light-duty trucks or passenger cars that are owned or leased by federal, state, county, city, or special district governments.
Is the Smog Check Program biased against older vehicles?
The Smog Check Program does not force older automobiles to meet the same emissions criteria as newer vehicles, despite California law mandating that it concentrate on high-polluting vehicles. Smog Check emissions regulations take into account the vehicle type and model year to ensure that a vehicle is never required to comply with a standard that was in effect at the time the vehicle was built.
Smog check required for Prius?
Smog checks are not waived for hybrid vehicles. Hybrids must undergo a smog inspection every two years, just as many other vehicles from the 2000 model year and later. Hybrids in California that are changing ownership or getting their first registration must also get a smog inspection.
Which vehicles in California are exempt from the pollution law?
Your car doesn’t require a smog check if you: a gasoline-powered automobile from 1975 or earlier (This includes motorcycles and trailers.) a vehicle with a diesel engine that was manufactured in 1997 or before OR with a gross vehicle weight of greater than 14,000 pounds.
Why is Smog Check required for hybrid vehicles?
Since hybrid vehicles have near-zero emissions motors, many hybrid vehicle owners may believe that California’s twice-yearly Smog Check test is in the rearview mirror. Not so. Older hybrids will now, for the first time, need to pass a smog test before their owners can get a sticker for their vehicle’s registration. Why? because testing the fuel components and emission controls of hybrid vehicles is now possible thanks to new technology. The same pollution-causing wear and tear that occurs in conventional gasoline-engine vehicles also affects these systems.
Older hybrid vehicle owners have started receiving Department of Motor Vehicle notices in the mail to have their vehicles undergo a Smog Check test. “Once the hybrid passes the test, a smog certificate is issued and a registration sticker can be obtained,” says Dave Skaien, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Approved Auto Repair Program Manager.
Hybrid vehicles six model years or newer are exempt from the necessity for a biennial Smog Check, just like gas-powered vehicles are. According to Skaien, the necessity for a change-of-ownership Smog Check does not apply to hybrids that are four model years or newer. He added that if a driver imports a hybrid into California from another state, they must get the car smog-tested.
According to Megan McKernan, manager of the Auto Club’s Automotive Research Center, which produces the AAA Green Car Guide, hybrid cars first appeared on the market in 2000, but they were unable to be tested using the smog test equipment that was in use at the time.
According to Skaien, owners of hybrid vehicles will enjoy a 21st-century smog test that is speedier, more convenient, and possibly less expensive.
According to Skaien, at least 40% of the earlier testing process has been eliminated as a result of technological developments, thus testing only takes around 10 minutes.
The more expensive tailpipe emissions method is no longer necessary thanks to new technologies.
Similar to gasoline-powered vehicles, Skaien noted, the hybrid Smog Check comprises a visual check of emission control parts and a scan of the on-board diagnostic (OBD) system. He said, “However, hybrids do not require a visible smoke test or a tailpipe emissions sample.”
Does the registration of a 2009 Prius require a Smog Check?
Smog tests are typically required in California during a vehicle’s initial registration and then once every two years after that. While the vehicle is registered in this State, this inspection cycle will continue.
The Smog Check Program is applicable to trucks and passenger cars manufactured after 1976 that are propelled, alone or in combination, by:
- Gasoline
- Propane
- Gas, naturally
- Diesel
- ethanol and methanol-based fuels
- Blended Electric
Additionally, every time a vehicle is sold or purchased in California, a smog inspection is necessary. The Department of Motor Vehicles will not permit a vehicle to be registered during a title transfer unless a current smog certificate is given. For automobiles that are categorized as “Gross Polluters,” there are specific testing processes. These comprise inspections by State Referees and Test Only. Your DMV papers will inform you if your car needs a Test Only or Referee inspection. Prior to the inspection, prepare your smog check checklist.
Smog checks are currently required for all vehicles, with the exception of diesel-powered vehicles 1997 year models and older or with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVWR) of more than 14,000 lbs, electric, natural gas-powered vehicles over 14,000 lbs, motorcycles, trailers, or gasoline-powered vehicles 1975 and older. 8 Years & Newer Exempt – At the moment, smog inspections are exempt for all vehicles.
Unless the ARB (Air Resource Board) determines that including the 5th and 6th model-year vehicles in the exemption would prevent the state from complying with the federal Clean Air Act requirements, the 4 Years & Newer Exempt (Vehicle Transfer) smog check exemption includes gasoline-powered motor vehicles 4 or less model years old whenever a vehicle is being bought or sold. Those driving diesel-powered automobiles are not covered by this smog exemption.
Out-of-State Vehicles – Vehicles imported from another state that need initial registration in California are not eligible for the six or four year smog check exemption. For the first California registration and every two years after that, out-of-state automobiles with either diesel or gasoline engines must undergo a smog inspection. See the list of exemptions below.
1975 and Older Exempt – In accordance with the previous smog regulations, vehicles with model years 1975 and later were exempt from Smog Check after they reached the age of 30. (30-year rolling exemption).
How much does a Prius Smog Check cost?
Remember to bring the notification with you if your DMV vehicle registration renewal notice specifies that a Smog Check is necessary. The proper car details and Smog Check certificate will be electronically submitted to DMV thanks to this.
How can I help my vehicle pass a Smog Check?
Your vehicle’s chances of passing a Smog Check will be increased by carrying out routine maintenance in accordance with your owner’s handbook and refraining from tampering with the emissions-control equipment. Get your car fixed right away if the “check engine” light illuminates. Do not hold off until the car’s upcoming scheduled Smog Check. A fault is indicated by a blinking or flashing light, and it needs to be fixed right away to prevent catastrophic harm to the car. For information on which parts or fixes might be covered by the emissions guarantee offered by the manufacturer of your car, consult your owner’s manual.
What is a pretest?
Prior to an official Smog Check, a station will conduct an unofficial test called a pretest, sometimes known as a pre-inspection, to help find any emissions-related issues. The station will produce a vehicle inspection report detailing the findings of the pretest, but no smog certificate will be given out. Stations may charge for this service, and they are required to get customer consent before running the pretest.
How much does a Smog Check cost?
Before bringing your car in for its smog check, BAR advises that you browse about and compare pricing at a number of different stations. BAR does not regulate prices, however. A list of the fees charged by the station for the services it is authorized to provide must be posted.
What is a Smog Check certification fee?
After passing the Smog Check, automobiles are charged a $8.25 Smog Check certificate cost. The station that issues the smog certificate is given the certification charge. The fee pays for BAR’s management of the Smog Check Program and activities related to consumer protection in the vehicle repair and Smog Check sectors.
What is a Smog Check program area?
The state’s air quality varies throughout the board, particularly between urban and rural locations. Based on air quality standards, the Smog Check Program creates three program areas (i.e., enhanced, basic, and change-of-ownership) and specifies when a Smog Check is necessary for vehicles registered in each program area. Visit our Smog Check Program Area Lookup website to find out more and to search Smog Check program regions by zip code.
Is a Smog Check Required for a 2015 Prius?
Owners of hybrid vehicles will start receiving letters from the California Department of Motor Vehicles in April 2015 that their registrations need to be renewed and include a Smog Check. Starting in April 2015, all out-of-state hybrid vehicles registering in California for the first time will need to undergo a smog check as well as inspections for change of ownership. Your authorized hybrid smog check station is Hollywood Star Smog Check.
In California, how do I obtain a smog exemption?
Without a smog certificate, you might be able to register your car. A one-time, two-year extension is available to eligible low-income vehicle owners to finish any necessary repairs connected to emissions.
Without completing a smog inspection or possessing a smog check certificate, the State of California will grant Income Eligible applicants the option to register their vehicles through the DMV and receive registration tags or stickers for two consecutive years. This program is meant to give applicants who qualify for financial aid enough time to fix their smog-failing cars.
A Repair Cost Waiver is only available to:
- The past two years must have been spent getting your car registered in California.
- The “biennial” smog check examination you failed must have occurred.
- Your emissions control system must not be modified.
- The car cannot be in the middle of being sold or being registered for the first time in California.
- Your car has had emission-related maintenance costing at least $650.00.
certified Smog Check repair personnel at a certified Smog If you checked the repair shop, the further repairs would cost money.
For up to $1200 in free state-provided smog check repair assistance, download the CAP application here.
You will be qualified for a smog certificate waiver through the smog referee’s office once your application has been accepted and your vehicle has undergone failed repairs.
To make sure the $1200.00 in CAP money was used appropriately and your vehicle needs additional smog-related modifications to pass the smog test, the smog referee will need to conduct an inspection.
You will be granted a one-time smog check waiver after the inspection is finished and you are determined to be income eligible.
Where in California doesn’t smog need to exist?
Which California Counties Do Not Require Smog Checks? The California states of El Dorado, Riverside, Placer, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Sonoma do not mandate smog checks.
Are hybrids smog-producing?
Hybrids are made to meet tight emission requirements and to have better fuel efficiency than regular cars. However, the same factors that contribute to long-term deterioration in traditional vehicles’ pollution control systems also impact hybrid ones. On hybrid vehicles, malfunctioning emission control systems might result in a rapid rise in emissions. Emission levels will stay low throughout the duration of the vehicle by ensuring that hybrid emission-related issues are found and then adequately fixed.
Hybrid vehicles could not be properly evaluated on the BAR-97 apparatus since it was introduced in 1997, when they were first sold in California. Hybrid vehicles would switch to electric mode during an inspection, so this equipment could not evaluate the emissions of hybrids. This testing difficulty has been handled by the development of the new Bureau of Automotive Repair On-Board Diagnostic Inspection System (BAR-OIS), which is based on a visual examination of emission control components and a scan of the vehicle’s On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) system.
When will hybrid inspections begin?
Starting on April 16, 2015, all out-of-state hybrid vehicles registering in California for the first time will require a Smog Check for both change-of-ownership inspections and inspections. Additionally, the Department of Motor Vehicles will start mailing hybrid owners reminders to renew their registrations that require a Smog Check in April 2015 for registrations that are due in July 2015.
Which types of hybrids will be required to receive a Smog Check?
A Smog Check will be performed on all hybrid vehicles. Hybrid vehicles eight model years and newer are exempt from the yearly Smog Check requirement, much like conventional gasoline-powered automobiles. The requirement for a Smog Check is also waived for hybrid vehicles four model years and newer.
What is the Smog Check procedure for a hybrid vehicle?
The Smog Check process for a hybrid is the same as the process for gasoline-powered vehicles of model years 2000 and after. This include a visual examination of the emission control parts as well as an OBD system check of the car. The process for hybrids does not, however, involve a visible smoke test.
This process adheres to existing hybrid inspection standards that have been put in place in other states across the nation.
What Smog Check equipment is used to inspect hybrids?
Only the Bureau of Automotive Repair’s OBD Inspection System can be used to inspect hybrid vehicles (BAR-OIS). In California, the BAR-OIS is the only testing tool that is compatible with hybrid cars.
Will hybrids be checked for emissions related aftermarket parts?
Yes. A hybrid vehicle’s Smog Check will be rejected if it has unapproved aftermarket parts or accessories. Hybrid battery improvements, such as plug-in charger kits and bigger batteries, don’t result in a failed Smog Check, though. The aftermarket system would only be an exception if it was the source of the vehicle’s “Check Engine” light illumination.
How do inspectors determine which emissions equipment is required on a hybrid?
Hybrids will be subject to the same methodologies used to assess necessary emissions components for conventional cars, including but not limited to:
- designations for under-hood emissions
- Application manuals for emission control
Are engine changes allowed on hybrids?
Hybrid vehicles must follow the same engine change guidelines as conventional automobiles. If a hybrid engine is changed to a different year or kind of engine, the full electrical and emissions control systems must also be updated.