The state of California has been hellbent on making clean air its priority and as a result has implemented certain laws that require vehicle emissions testing for most vehicles at every other registration renewal period. Therefore it only makes sense to have a complete vehicle inspection and maintenance, prior to emissions testing to help identify any potential problems that may need repair. This helps vehicle owners to avoid delays in registration due to a failed smog test.

Who Needs a Smog Check in California

Vehicle Inspection A smog check is required as part of vehicle registration or renewal, but only in the more densely populated counties of California. The counties of Marin, Napa, and San Francisco all require testing. In Sonoma County, it depends on DMV.

In case you may be wondering what the criteria was for California vehicle registration & emissions testing, here is some important information that you may want to review, so you are up to speed with the current regulations.

  • Vehicles less than 6 years old are exempt from emissions testing, but owners are required to pay a $20.00 smog abatement fee before registering vehicles. Other exempt vehicles include:
  • Your classic hot rod doesn’t need a smog check. The rule exempts regular gas cars model year 1975 or older and diesel cars 1997 or older.
  • Diesel-powered vehicles manufactured before 1997 (or a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of more than 14,000 pounds)
  • Electric vehicles
  • Natural gas powered vehicles heavier than 14,000 pounds
  • Hybrids
  • Motorcycles
  • Trailers

If your vehicle successfully passes the vehicle inspection test, the information and test results are sent electronically to the DMV. If you conduct your test at a smog station, you should provide a receipt and copy of the test results or Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR) when renewing your vehicle registration. However, if your vehicle fails the emissions test it must be repaired and retested before the registration is renewed.

All Around Auto Repair can Help you Pass the TEST

Don’t waste another minute; Plan your vehicle inspection today, contact us at All Round Auto Repair at 707-837-0646 to schedule an appointment right away. We offer customers a full inspection of any make or model vehicle to ensure their vehicle meets the state’s standards and is working superbly.

You can trust All Around Auto Repair for honest, expert recommendations. We never try to sell you a part or service that you don’t really need. Just check out our reviews to see how much people love us as their go-to auto repair shop in Windsor, CA.