California Smog Check
Know when your car needs one, and when it doesn’t
A California smog check is an emissions inspection done at a licensed station, not at DMV. You may need one to renew your registration, to sell a car, or to register a vehicle here for the first time. Newer cars skip the inspection and pay a fee instead, and some vehicles never need one at all.
By California DMV Appointments Editorial TeamUpdated November 2026Source: California DMV (dmv.ca.gov)
3 times you may need one
- 01Registration renewalIn 34 counties and some ZIP codes
- 02Selling a vehicleThe seller hands over the certificate
- 03First CA registrationBringing a car from another state
Smog Year Finder
Pick your vehicle’s model year and fuel. See when renewal smog checks start, or whether it’s exempt.
Do You Need a Smog Check in California?
Answer four questions. The report shows whether a smog check applies, who has to arrange it, any fee you pay instead, and the official page to finish on.
Who Needs a Smog Check in California?
Three situations call for a smog certification. Each one has its own trigger and its own exceptions for newer vehicles.
Registration renewal
Required in 34 counties and in certain ZIP codes of six more, usually every two years. Your renewal notice says “Smog Certification Required” when it’s due. Gas, hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles eight model years old or newer pay a smog abatement fee instead.
Change of ownership
The seller gives the buyer a valid smog certification. A gas, hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle four model years old or newer skips it, and the new owner pays a smog transfer fee instead.
First California registration
A vehicle coming from another state needs a smog certificate from a California station unless it’s exempt. Our California DMV vehicle registration guide covers the rest of that paperwork.
The 34 counties with renewal smog checks
From DMV’s smog inspection FAQ. Six more counties, El Dorado, Placer, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Sonoma, have renewal smog checks only in certain ZIP codes. Elsewhere, renewals don’t ask for one.
- Alameda
- Butte
- Colusa
- Contra Costa
- Fresno
- Glenn
- Kern
- Kings
- Los Angeles
- Madera
- Marin
- Merced
- Monterey
- Napa
- Nevada
- Orange
- Sacramento
- San Benito
- San Francisco
- San Joaquin
- San Luis Obispo
- San Mateo
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Clara
- Santa Cruz
- Shasta
- Solano
- Stanislaus
- Sutter
- Tehama
- Tulare
- Ventura
- Yolo
- Yuba
Which Vehicles Are Exempt From a California Smog Check?
DMV lists these vehicles as exempt from smog inspections. A newer gas car is only exempt for a while; it pays a fee until its first inspection year.
| Vehicle | Exempt when |
|---|---|
| Gas | Model year 1975 or older |
| Gas, hybrid or alternative fuel | Eight model years old or newer, at renewal (smog abatement fee instead) |
| Diesel | Model year 1997 or older, or over 14,000 lbs |
| Natural gas | Over 14,000 lbs |
| Electric | Always |
| Motorcycles and trailers | Always |
| Family transfer | From an immediate family member, unless they bought it for you without first titling it in their name |
Not an exemption: military status. DMV says serving in the military doesn’t exempt a vehicle from a smog check.
The checklist puts every exemption on one page. Renewing soon? Our California DMV vehicle registration renewal guide shows the rest of the renewal bill.
What Is the Smog Abatement Fee?
Newer gas, hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles don’t get inspected right away. They pay a smaller fee instead, and the fee depends on why DMV is asking. To find your first renewal smog year, add eight to the model year: a 2020 model needs one for its 2028 renewal.
Smog abatement fee
Paid with each renewal while a gas, hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle is eight model years old or newer.
Smog transfer fee
Paid by the new owner when a gas, hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle four model years old or newer changes hands, instead of a smog check.
Station price
Smog stations are private businesses and set their own price for the inspection and certificate.
What Is a STAR Smog Check Station?
The STAR program started on January 1, 2013. It sets performance standards for smog stations and replaced the old Gold Shield and Test Only programs. Your renewal notice tells you whether any licensed station will do or a STAR station is required.
What Happens If Your Car Fails a Smog Check?
Don’t miss the renewal date. You can pay your registration fees on time while you sort out repairs. DMV finishes the renewal once a passing result is on file.
Get the emissions problem repaired, then retest at a licensed station.
Stuck after repairs? Contact the Bureau of Automotive Repair’s Referee Program ↗ for next steps.
Need help paying? You may qualify for repair help through BAR’s Consumer Assistance Program ↗.
Tap the guide to open it full size.
Who Pays for the Smog Check When You Sell a Car?
In a California sale, the smog certification is the seller’s job. Here’s how it fits with the other paperwork.
Provide the certificate
Hand the buyer a valid smog certification along with the signed title, unless the vehicle is exempt or a gas, hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle four model years old or newer. Then report the sale with a California DMV release of liability.
Don’t pay for the seller’s test
Ask for the certificate before you pay. BAR says a car from a private seller must have passed a smog check within the last 90 days. You transfer ownership within 10 days, and for a newer car you pay the $8 smog transfer fee instead.
Gifts within the family
A car from an immediate family member usually needs no smog check. The exception is a car a relative bought for you without first titling it in their own name.
California Smog Check FAQs
How often do you need a smog check in California?
Usually every two years at renewal, in the 34 counties and the ZIP codes with renewal smog checks. Your notice says “Smog Certification Required” when it’s due. A sale or first California registration can also require one.
Which cars don’t need a smog check in California?
Gas vehicles from 1975 or older, diesels from 1997 or older or over 14,000 lbs, natural gas vehicles over 14,000 lbs, electric vehicles, motorcycles and trailers. Newer gas cars pay a fee instead for their first eight model years.
How much is the smog abatement fee?
$20, paid with your registration renewal while a gas, hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle is eight model years old or newer.
Who pays for the smog check when selling a car?
The seller. California requires the seller to give the buyer a valid smog certification, unless the vehicle is exempt or a gas, hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle four model years old or newer.
What is the smog transfer fee?
An $8 fee the new owner pays when a gas, hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle four model years old or newer changes hands. It replaces the smog check at sale.
Does a car from a family member need a smog check?
No, as long as it comes from an immediate family member. The exception is a vehicle the relative bought for you without first titling it in their own name.
What do I do if my car fails a smog check?
Have it repaired and retested. The Bureau of Automotive Repair’s Referee Program can help with next steps, and its Consumer Assistance Program may help pay for emissions repairs.
Are military members exempt from smog checks?
No. DMV says military status doesn’t exempt a vehicle from a smog check.