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Does My Car Require a Smog Check?
In California, smog inspections are typically mandatory when a vehicle is initially registered and then repeated every two years thereafter as long as the vehicle remains registered within the state. This inspection schedule continues over the vehicle's registration tenure.
The Smog Check Program applies to passenger vehicles and trucks manufactured in 1976 or later, regardless of whether they are powered by:
- Gasoline
- Propane
- Natural gas
- Diesel
- Methanol or ethanol fuels
- Hybrid electric systems
Furthermore, smog inspections are obligatory whenever a vehicle is sold or purchased within California. During the process of transferring the vehicle's title, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) mandates the presentation of a valid smog certificate. Special testing protocols are in place for vehicles categorized as "Gross Polluters," which encompass Test Only and State Referee inspections. If your vehicle falls under the Test Only or Referee inspection category, your DMV documentation will explicitly specify it. It is prudent to prepare a checklist for your smog check in advance.
Exemptions:
1. **Vehicles 8 Years & Newer:** Currently, smog inspections are required for most vehicles, with the exception of diesel-powered vehicles from the 1997 model year or earlier and vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) exceeding 14,000 pounds, electric vehicles over 14,000 pounds, motorcycles, trailers, or gasoline-powered vehicles from 1975 and earlier.
2. **4 Years & Newer Exemption (Vehicle Transfer):** Smog check exemption extends to gasoline-powered motor vehicles that are four or fewer model years old when being bought or sold, unless the Air Resource Board (ARB) determines that including the fifth and sixth model-year vehicles would violate the federal Clean Air Act. This exemption does not apply to diesel-powered vehicles.
3. **Out-of-State Vehicles:** The six-year or four-year smog check exemption does not apply to vehicles brought in from out of state that require initial registration in California. Both diesel and gasoline-powered out-of-state vehicles necessitate a smog check for initial California registration and subsequently every two years. Refer to the exemptions below for more details.
4. **1975 & Older Exemption:** Under previous smog laws, vehicles from the 1975 model year and onwards became exempt from the Smog Check when they turned 30 years old (30-year rolling exemption).
Additional Exemptions:
- 2-wheel motorcycles
- Diesel cars and trucks (1997 & older)
- Diesel trucks (over 14,500 GVW)
- Title transfers between close relatives (spouse, domestic partner, sibling, child, parent, grandparent, or grandchild), provided a smog certificate was submitted within 90 days prior to the transfer date.
Diesel Smog Check:
- All diesel-powered vehicles from 1998 and newer, weighing under 14,500 GVW, require a diesel smog check. This check does not include the tailpipe emissions test present in the regular inspection. The diesel smog check does not involve driving the vehicle on a dynamometer. Instead, it focuses on visually inspecting the vehicle's emissions and smog-related components, checking the On-Board Diagnostics (OBD II) system, conducting a visual smoke test for excessive black smoke, and assessing the EVAP system. Failed vehicles will need to undergo repairs at a diesel repair shop.
Hybrid Vehicles (HEVs) Require Smog Test:
- Hybrid electric vehicles, defined as passenger vehicles incorporating both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine in their propulsion system, must undergo a smog inspection every two years during registration renewal, at initial registration, and following a change of ownership (unless a smog inspection occurred within 90 days of the sale date). HEVs are subject to the BAR-OIS smog test, which excludes the tailpipe test. This requirement applies to all hybrid electric cars and trucks.
Please note that the above information is specific to California's Smog Check Program, and it pertains to various makes and models of vehicles that require smog certificates for operation on public roadways in the state.