Smog Check

If the state determines your vehicle will most likely fail a smog check, the California DMV will send you a registration renewal notice stating whether you must take your vehicle to a test-only station.Owners of vehicles that fall under this High Emitter Profile, (or those who own a vehicle among the 2% randomly selected) will see the following printed on their renewal: Smog Certification Required at Test-Only Center.By law, the test-only facilities cannot repair your vehicle. You must take it to a Test-Repair or Gold Shield station. For more info on station specifics, visit the official site of the Bureau of Automotive Repair.

If the state determines your vehicle will most likely fail a smog check, the California DMV will send you a registration renewal notice stating whether you must take your vehicle to a test-only station.

Owners of vehicles that fall under this High Emitter Profile, (or those who own a vehicle among the 2% randomly selected) will see the following printed on their renewal: Smog Certification Required at Test-Only Center.

By law, the test-only facilities cannot repair your vehicle. You must take it to a Test-Repair or Gold Shield station. For more info on station specifics, visit the official site of the Bureau of Automotive Repair.

The Department of Motor Vehicles renewal notice will indicate whether a Smog Check is required to re- register your vehicle. Most areas of the state require vehicles to have a Smog Check performed every two years, when being sold, and when being initially registered in California.

Not all vehicles must get a Smog Check. Smog Check need depends on the type of vehicle, the model-year, and the area in which the vehicle is registered. Additionally, some vehicles only need a Smog Check when they are being sold or being registered in California after previously being registered in another state.

If you received the DMV registration renewal paper saying “SMOG Certification Required at a STAR station”, you are at the right place. Premier Star Smog is a Star Certified Smog Check Station. STAR Smog Station means, DMV has chosen your car to be inspected at a smog station which is monitored closely by the BAR (Bureau of Automotive Repair) and must conform to high standards established by the Bureau of Automotive Repairs.

STAR smog stations will be able to issue a certificate of compliance to a vehicle passing a smog check when a motorist is referred by the DMV to such a station for vehicle registration renewal. A non “star” station may not issue a certificate to the motorist’s vehicle. They may however, test and issue certificates to vehicles not directed by the DMV to a “STAR” smog check station.

Smog test only stations are not allowed to profit or perform any auto repairs, whether smog check related or not. In the past smog test only centers typically charged more for their smog inspection in order to cover their expenses. In today’s market however, with competition being so great, and the fact that there are plenty of test only directed vehicles to go around, the cost of the test only smog check has been dramatically reduced.

Proper and regular maintenance according to your Owner’s Manual, and not tampering with the emissions control equipment are keys to passing Smog Check and lowering emissions from your vehicle. Also a good 15 minute drive helps to ensure a proper warm-up of all emission related components which helps out in the emissions part of the smog check.

First and foremost we’ll help explain to you why you failed and some suggestions as to what to do next. You will also need to get your vehicle repaired so it can pass its Smog Check retest in order to complete your registration.

Check out our Smog Repair

Please refer to California Bureau of Automotive Repair website where you can enter license plate or vehicle identification number (VIN) to check the history.

https://www.bar.ca.gov

You may qualify for up to $500 in financial assistance to repair your car if it requires a Smog Check at a Test-Only station and failed that test. The Bureau of Automotive Repair Retirement Program is now offering $1000.00 for eligible motorists to voluntarily retire their high-polluting vehicles. If you don’t think it’s worth repairing the Bureau of Automotive Repair may buy your car!

CAP offers two options for consumers whose vehicles fail their biennial Smog Check.

https://www.smogcheck.ca.gov

Some vehicles that fail their smog inspections give off such high levels of pollution that a category called “Gross Polluter” was created. BAR identifies these vehicles to encourage their immediate repair. Gross Polluters are some of the worst polluting vehicles on California roadways.

Most smog checks done in 30 minutes.

Yes. Smog checks include one free retest within 60 days of original test.

*Free retest applies to original failing vehicle

Yes. All-wheel drive vehicles are smogged doing a two-speed idle test rather than being tested on a dynamometer.

Yes. We can perform a smog test on your car whether or not it has been directed to a test-only center.

Yes. We use the Vehicle Identification Number that is imprinted on the vehicle itself to identify the vehicle with the DMV.

No. However, you may still want to have your car smogged anyway so you can take advantage of the Consumer Assistance Program to help pay for repairs. California has the Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) to help cover the expenses of emissions related repairs.

California Department of Consumer Affairs (800) 952-5210

Aftermarket parts such as air intakes need a sticker with an eo# affixed to the vehicle to prove that those parts are legal for street use in California. If you have specific questions about specific parts on your car, ask us before we start the smog check, not after we start. View CA’s Aftermarket Part Lookup Resource.

The Registration Renewal form that was mailed to you by the DMV helps things go smoother. If you do not have access to that form you can just bring the current registration. If you do not have either of those articles, please inform the service representative and the necessary paperwork will be provided for you in the office. The process generally takes less than two minutes. Should there be any complications we will be able to inform you within five minutes.

Please check California Bureau of Automotive Repair website for step by step procedures.

https://www.bar.ca.gov