Smog Check Executive Summary Report
December 2024
- Initial Tests
- Initial Test Failures
- Certification
- Inspection and Repair Costs
- Stations and Technicians
- Smog Check Requirements by Vehicle Type
Initial Tests
Testing Volume
| Test Type | Performed | Failed | Failure Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Tests | 829,267 | 69,789 | 8.42% |
| All Tests | 895,334 | 79,601 | 8.89% |
Initial Tests Performed by STAR Stations
| Vehicle Type | Test-and-Repair Station Initial Tests | Test-Only Station Initial Tests | Test-and-Repair Station Certificates Issued | Test-Only Station Certificates Issued |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Directed | 82,252 | 203,297 | 72,763 | 180,038 |
| Non-Directed | 138,797 | 263,478 | 126,105 | 243,546 |
| Total | 221,049 | 466,775 | 198,868 | 423,584 |
Initial Tests Performed by Non-STAR Stations
| Vehicle Type | Test-and-Repair Station Initial Tests | Test-Only Station Initial Tests | Test-and-Repair Station Certificates Issued | Test-Only Station Certificates Issued |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Directed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Non-Directed | 108,230 | 28,727 | 100,700 | 26,658 |
| Total | 108,230 | 28,727 | 100,700 | 26,658 |
BAR-97 Initial Tests by Vehicle Model Year
| Model Year | Initial Tests | Failed Overall | Overall Failure Rate | Emissions Failure Rate | Gross Polluter Failure Rate | Functional Failure Rate | Visual Failure Rate | OBDII Failure Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 226 | 43 | 19.03% | 13.72% | 6.64% | 6.64% | 3.98% | NA |
| 1977 | 317 | 58 | 18.30% | 13.88% | 5.68% | 8.20% | 4.42% | NA |
| 1978 | 375 | 74 | 19.73% | 12.80% | 5.07% | 8.00% | 4.00% | NA |
| 1979 | 429 | 102 | 23.78% | 18.18% | 6.76% | 10.96% | 5.13% | NA |
| 1980 | 212 | 38 | 17.92% | 12.74% | 6.13% | 6.60% | 2.83% | NA |
| 1981 | 225 | 49 | 21.78% | 16.44% | 5.33% | 8.00% | 6.22% | NA |
| 1982 | 273 | 51 | 18.68% | 12.45% | 4.03% | 8.42% | 5.86% | NA |
| 1983 | 346 | 66 | 19.08% | 13.29% | 5.20% | 7.80% | 5.20% | NA |
| 1984 | 606 | 127 | 20.96% | 15.35% | 5.45% | 9.41% | 4.46% | NA |
| 1985 | 749 | 168 | 22.43% | 16.82% | 5.34% | 9.61% | 3.20% | NA |
| 1986 | 990 | 194 | 19.60% | 14.65% | 6.36% | 8.89% | 3.94% | NA |
| 1987 | 1,286 | 255 | 19.83% | 13.84% | 5.21% | 8.09% | 4.67% | NA |
| 1988 | 1,214 | 249 | 20.51% | 14.91% | 4.86% | 8.24% | 3.46% | NA |
| 1989 | 1,710 | 363 | 21.23% | 14.39% | 5.38% | 9.53% | 4.04% | NA |
| 1990 | 1,940 | 348 | 17.94% | 12.78% | 3.81% | 7.47% | 3.25% | NA |
| 1991 | 2,173 | 429 | 19.74% | 13.94% | 4.51% | 8.19% | 2.72% | NA |
| 1992 | 1,979 | 378 | 19.10% | 12.89% | 3.24% | 8.39% | 3.13% | NA |
| 1993 | 2,431 | 480 | 19.74% | 14.19% | 3.46% | 7.73% | 2.71% | NA |
| 1994 | 3,268 | 682 | 20.87% | 14.20% | 2.97% | 9.46% | 3.30% | NA |
| 1995 | 4,204 | 886 | 21.08% | 15.46% | 2.76% | 7.71% | 3.31% | NA |
| 1996 | 4,469 | 829 | 18.55% | 9.24% | 1.45% | 10.32% | 2.69% | 10.30% |
| 1997 | 6,222 | 1,180 | 18.96% | 9.61% | 1.41% | 10.62% | 3.23% | 10.62% |
| 1998 | 8,285 | 1,463 | 17.66% | 7.81% | 1.44% | 10.59% | 2.67% | 10.57% |
| 1999 | 10,752 | 1,770 | 16.46% | 5.89% | 0.86% | 10.81% | 2.73% | 10.81% |
| 2000 | 204 | 17 | 8.33% | 5.39% | 0.49% | 1.47% | 2.45% | 0.98% |
| 2001 | 179 | 19 | 10.61% | 6.70% | 2.23% | 3.91% | 2.79% | 3.91% |
| 2002 | 175 | 13 | 7.43% | 6.29% | 2.86% | 1.71% | 0.57% | 1.72% |
| 2003 | 204 | 11 | 5.39% | 3.92% | 1.47% | 1.47% | 0.49% | 1.47% |
| 2004 | 193 | 15 | 7.77% | 6.22% | 3.11% | 1.55% | 1.04% | 1.04% |
| 2005 | 205 | 5 | 2.44% | 1.46% | 0.49% | 0.00% | 0.98% | 0.00% |
| 2006 | 256 | 16 | 6.25% | 3.91% | 0.39% | 1.95% | 2.34% | 1.95% |
| 2007 | 184 | 8 | 4.35% | 3.26% | 1.09% | 1.09% | 0.00% | 1.09% |
| 2008 | 189 | 10 | 5.29% | 1.59% | 1.59% | 2.65% | 1.59% | 2.65% |
| 2009 | 81 | 5 | 6.17% | 3.70% | 2.47% | 2.47% | 1.23% | 2.47% |
| 2010 | 62 | 3 | 4.84% | 1.61% | 0.00% | 1.61% | 1.61% | 1.61% |
| 2011 | 139 | 4 | 2.88% | 0.72% | 0.00% | 0.72% | 1.44% | 0.72% |
| 2012 | 178 | 2 | 1.12% | 0.56% | 0.56% | 0.00% | 0.56% | 0.00% |
| 2013 | 155 | 1 | 0.65% | 0.65% | 0.65% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 2014 | 184 | 1 | 0.54% | 0.54% | 0.54% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 2015 | 225 | 4 | 1.78% | 0.44% | 0.44% | 0.89% | 0.44% | 0.89% |
| 2016 | 340 | 2 | 0.59% | 0.59% | 0.29% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 195 | 1 | 0.51% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.51% | 0.00% | 0.51% |
| 2018 | 44 | 1 | 2.27% | 2.27% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 56 | 1 | 1.79% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.79% | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 41 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 2021 | 27 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 2022 | 42 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 2023 | 46 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 2024 | 91 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 2025 | 34 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| All Model Years | 58,410 | 10,421 | 17.84% | 10.20% | 2.43% | 9.06% | 2.98% | 9.55% |
Note: Some model year 1975 and older vehicles required a Referee inspection (for example, engine changes). Vehicle model years 2000 and newer were tested on the BAR-97 because they may not be compatible with the OIS test (for example, a non-OBD-II certified vehicle).
OIS Initial Tests by Vehicle Model Year
| Model Year | Initial Tests | Failed Overall | Overall Failure Rate | Functional Failure Rate | Visual Failure Rate | OBDII Failure Rate | OBDII Readiness Failure Rate | Smoke and/or Liquid Leak Failure Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 1997 | 3 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 1998 | 101 | 12 | 11.88% | 8.91% | 4.95% | 8.91% | 3.96% | 0.00% |
| 1999 | 446 | 67 | 15.02% | 11.88% | 3.36% | 11.79% | 7.03% | 0.39% |
| 2000 | 15,111 | 2,444 | 16.17% | 14.55% | 3.08% | 14.29% | 10.80% | 0.43% |
| 2001 | 17,954 | 2,757 | 15.36% | 13.70% | 3.02% | 13.45% | 9.78% | 0.40% |
| 2002 | 21,699 | 3,050 | 14.06% | 12.33% | 2.95% | 12.06% | 8.63% | 0.48% |
| 2003 | 24,829 | 3,257 | 13.12% | 11.53% | 2.69% | 11.22% | 7.59% | 0.46% |
| 2004 | 29,071 | 3,511 | 12.08% | 10.53% | 2.54% | 10.32% | 7.32% | 0.33% |
| 2005 | 29,676 | 3,335 | 11.24% | 9.75% | 2.37% | 9.59% | 6.56% | 0.26% |
| 2006 | 37,288 | 3,807 | 10.21% | 8.96% | 1.96% | 8.80% | 5.82% | 0.25% |
| 2007 | 35,937 | 3,220 | 8.96% | 7.66% | 1.90% | 7.53% | 5.07% | 0.17% |
| 2008 | 37,201 | 3,111 | 8.36% | 7.35% | 1.53% | 7.26% | 4.99% | 0.15% |
| 2009 | 22,132 | 1,718 | 7.76% | 6.84% | 1.22% | 6.70% | 4.82% | 0.19% |
| 2010 | 32,146 | 2,532 | 7.88% | 7.23% | 1.00% | 7.16% | 3.42% | 0.10% |
| 2011 | 33,589 | 2,456 | 7.31% | 6.65% | 0.91% | 6.62% | 2.96% | 0.07% |
| 2012 | 43,142 | 3,569 | 8.27% | 7.41% | 1.16% | 7.34% | 3.30% | 0.11% |
| 2013 | 51,868 | 3,143 | 6.06% | 5.34% | 0.94% | 5.29% | 2.63% | 0.07% |
| 2014 | 56,989 | 3,531 | 6.20% | 5.56% | 0.83% | 5.54% | 2.59% | 0.06% |
| 2015 | 62,086 | 3,065 | 4.94% | 4.38% | 0.68% | 4.34% | 2.20% | 0.05% |
| 2016 | 76,288 | 4,117 | 5.40% | 4.86% | 0.68% | 4.83% | 2.14% | 0.05% |
| 2017 | 56,623 | 2,127 | 3.76% | 3.40% | 0.44% | 3.37% | 2.02% | 0.03% |
| 2018 | 14,707 | 791 | 5.38% | 5.06% | 0.42% | 5.03% | 3.07% | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 14,482 | 798 | 5.51% | 5.27% | 0.30% | 5.25% | 3.47% | 0.03% |
| 2020 | 13,466 | 692 | 5.14% | 4.96% | 0.22% | 4.95% | 3.62% | 0.01% |
| 2021 | 17,996 | 965 | 5.36% | 5.20% | 0.18% | 5.20% | 3.91% | 0.01% |
| 2022 | 11,450 | 563 | 4.92% | 4.75% | 0.23% | 4.75% | 3.76% | 0.00% |
| 2023 | 8,272 | 385 | 4.65% | 4.49% | 0.19% | 4.47% | 3.57% | 0.02% |
| 2024 | 5,550 | 274 | 4.94% | 4.85% | 0.09% | 4.85% | 3.95% | 0.00% |
| 2025 | 751 | 70 | 9.32% | 9.32% | 0.00% | 9.46% | 8.38% | 0.00% |
| Other | 3 | 1 | 33.33% | 0.00% | 100.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| All Model Years | 770,857 | 59,368 | 7.70% | 6.87% | 1.24% | 6.78% | 4.13% | 0.14% |
Note: Some model year 1999 and older vehicles required a Referee inspection, were tested at Beta stations, or were 1998/1999 model year diesels.
Initial Test Failures
Initial Test Failures by Failure Type
| Failure Type | OIS | BAR-97 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed | Failure Rate | Failed | Failure Rate | |
| All Emissions | NA | NA | 5,958 | 10.20% |
| All Visual | 9,529 | 1.24% | 1,739 | 2.98% |
| All Functional | 52,961 | 6.87% | 5,293 | 9.06% |
| OBDII | 52,279 | 6.78% | 3,195 | 9.55% |
| Overall | 59,368 | 7.70% | 10,421 | 17.84% |
Initial Test Failures by Program Area
| Program Area | OIS | BAR-97 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Tests | Failed | Failure Rate | Initial Tests | Failed | Failure Rate | |
| Enhanced | 668,241 | 51,609 | 7.72% | 48,528 | 8,863 | 18.26% |
| Partial Enhanced | 36,970 | 2,827 | 7.65% | 2,896 | 527 | 18.20% |
| Basic | 61,083 | 4,540 | 7.43% | 6,585 | 949 | 14.41% |
| Change of Ownership | 4,563 | 392 | 8.59% | 401 | 82 | 20.45% |
| All Program Areas | 770,857 | 59,368 | 7.70% | 58,410 | 10,421 | 17.84% |
Initial Test Failures by Station Type
| Station Type | OIS | BAR-97 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Tests | Failed | Failure Rate | Initial Tests | Failed | Failure Rate | |
| STAR Test-Only | 431,226 | 34,895 | 8.09% | 35,549 | 6,291 | 17.70% |
| Non-STAR Test-Only | 27,305 | 1,631 | 5.97% | 1,459 | 212 | 14.53% |
| STAR Test-and-Repair | 204,330 | 16,586 | 8.12% | 16,719 | 3,294 | 19.70% |
| Non-STAR Test-and-Repair | 104,060 | 5,900 | 5.67% | 4,292 | 518 | 12.07% |
| Test-and-Repair/Dealer | 1,951 | 110 | 5.64% | 25 | 6 | 24.00% |
| Business Fleet | 318 | 4 | 1.26% | 0 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Permanent Fleet Registered | 24 | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Referee | 236 | 163 | 69.07% | 75 | 43 | 57.33% |
| Government Fleet | 1,407 | 79 | 5.61% | 291 | 57 | 19.59% |
| All Stations | 770,857 | 59,368 | 7.70% | 58,410 | 10,421 | 17.84% |
BAR-97 Initial Test Failure Rate by Vehicle Model Year
BAR-97 Initial Test Failure Rate by Vehicle Model Year. A visual representation of the data of the chart in the BAR-97 Initial Tests by Vehicle Model Year table from 1976 to 1999.
Note: Please see tabular data in the BAR-97 Initial Tests by Vehicle Model Year table for BAR-97 tests conducted on other vehicle model years not shown in chart.
OIS Initial Test Failure Rate by Vehicle Model Year
A chart showing OIS initial test failure rate by vehicle model year 2000 to 2019. The chart is a visual display of the OIS Initial Tests by Vehicle Model Year table.
Note: Please see tabular data in the OIS Initial Tests by Vehicle Model Year table for OIS tests conducted on other vehicle model years not shown in chart.
Certification
Certification Volume
| Test Type | Certificates Issued Total | Certificates Issued Percent | No Certificates Issued | No Certificates Issued Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Tests | 752,067 | 90.69% | 77,200 | 9.31% |
| All Tests | 807,712 | 90.21% | 87,622 | 9.79% |
Certification Volume by Station Type1
| Station Type | Certificates Issued on Initial Test Total | Certificates Issued Percent | No Certificates Issued on Initial Test Total | No Certificates Issued Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STAR Test-and-Repair | 198,868 | 89.97% | 22,181 | 10.03% |
| STAR Test-Only | 423,584 | 90.75% | 43,191 | 9.25% |
| Non-STAR Test-and-Repair | 100,700 | 92.94% | 7,652 | 7.06% |
| Non-STAR Test-Only | 26,658 | 92.68% | 2,106 | 7.32% |
| Total | 749,810 | 90.89% | 75,130 | 9.11% |
1 Note: Excludes Basic area dealer, Fleets and Referee stations
Inspection and Repair Costs
Inspection Costs by Station and Test Type1
| Station Type | BAR-97 Initial Test Count | Average BAR-97 Inspection Cost | OIS Initial Test Count | Average OIS Inspection Cost | Total Initial Test Count | Overall Average Inspection Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STAR Test-and-Repair | 16,719 | $73.86 | 204,330 | $61.53 | 221,049 | $67.69 |
| STAR Test-Only | 35,549 | $63.71 | 431,226 | $56.51 | 466,775 | $60.11 |
| Non-STAR Test-and-Repair | 4,292 | $70.23 | 104,060 | $72.59 | 108,352 | $71.41 |
| Non-STAR Test-Only | 1,459 | $60.88 | 27,305 | $50.37 | 28,764 | $55.63 |
| Total | 58,019 | $68.51 | 766,921 | $63.08 | 824,940 | $65.79 |
1 Note: Smog Check Inspectors are asked to enter their inspection costs once per month. These costs may or may not include any discounts and may not reflect the actual inspection cost. Additionally, inspection costs entries in excess of $99 cannot be entered into the BAR-97 software.
Inspection Costs by Station and Equipment Type1
| Station Type | BAR-97 Equipment Only | OIS Equipment Only | Both Equipment (BAR-97 and OIS) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAR-97 Initial Test Count | Average BAR-97 Inspection Cost | OIS Initial Test Count | Average OIS Inspection Cost | BAR-97 Inspection Count | Average BAR-97 Inspection Cost | OIS Initial Test Count | Average OIS Inspection Cost | |
| STAR Test-and-Repair | 0 | $0.00 | 271 | $53.41 | 16,719 | $73.86 | 204,059 | $61.56 |
| STAR Test-Only | 0 | $0.00 | 807 | $46.85 | 35,549 | $63.71 | 430,419 | $56.54 |
| Non-STAR Test-and-Repair | 0 | $0.00 | 41,814 | $74.86 | 4,292 | $70.32 | 62,246 | $70.72 |
| Non-STAR Test-Only | 0 | $0.00 | 9,052 | $51.17 | 1,459 | $60.88 | 18,253 | $49.63 |
| Total | 0 | $0.00 | 51,944 | $71.47 | 58,019 | $68.52 | 714,977 | $61.34 |
1 Note: Smog Check Inspectors are asked to enter their inspection costs once per month. These costs may or may not include any discounts and may not reflect the actual inspection cost. Additionally, inspection costs entries in excess of $99 cannot be entered into the BAR-97 software.
Repair Costs
| Repair Station Type | Cost Ranges | Vehicles Repaired | Average Cost | Vehicles Repaired (All Cost Ranges) | Average Cost (All Cost Ranges) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STAR Repairs (Test-and-Repair, Non-CAP) | $1-100 | 357 | $53.51 | 2,503 | $663.80 |
| $101-250 | 573 | $170.45 | |||
| $251-500 | 505 | $366.37 | |||
| $501-650 | 227 | $573.98 | |||
| Over $650 | 841 | $1,461.84 | |||
| Non-STAR Repairs (Test-and-Repair) | $1-100 | 90 | $56.30 | 577 | $599.87 |
| $101-250 | 173 | $179.57 | |||
| $251-500 | 115 | $363.82 | |||
| $501-650 | 47 | $567.43 | |||
| Over $650 | 152 | $1,588.72 | |||
| Repair-Only | $1-100 | 0 | $0.00 | 0 | $0.00 |
| $101-250 | 0 | $0.00 | |||
| $251-500 | 0 | $0.00 | |||
| $501-650 | 0 | $0.00 | |||
| Over $650 | 0 | $0.00 | |||
| CAP Repairs | $1-100 | 0 | $0.00 | 289 | $1,272.88 |
| $101-250 | 11 | $208.08 | |||
| $251-500 | 38 | $362.13 | |||
| $501-650 | 18 | $578.24 | |||
| Over $650 | 222 | $1,537.86 | |||
| Total Repairs | $1-100 | 447 | $54.07 | 3,369 | $705.10 |
| $101-250 | 757 | $173.08 | |||
| $251-500 | 658 | $365.68 | |||
| $501-650 | 292 | $573.19 | |||
| Over $650 | 1215 | $1,491.60 |
Note: Non-CAP repair costs are based solely on Smog Check Inspector entries. The majority of non-CAP repairs are not entered into the repair database and therefore not included in this summary.
Stations and Technicians
Licensed Stations by Type/Privilege and Program Area
| Station Type | Basic | Change-of-Ownership | Enhanced | Partial | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STAR Test-and-Repair | 114 | 35 | 1,636 | 78 | 1,863 |
| STAR Test-Only | 18 | 3 | 1,664 | 37 | 1,722 |
| STAR Sub-Total | 132 | 38 | 3,300 | 115 | 3,585 |
| Non-STAR Test-and-Repair | 424 | 50 | 1,737 | 182 | 2,393 |
| Non-STAR Test-Only | 37 | 9 | 318 | 38 | 402 |
| Non-STAR Sub-Total | 461 | 59 | 2,055 | 220 | 2,795 |
| Test-and-Repair/Dealer | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| Business Fleet | 1 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 29 |
| Permanent Fleet Registered | 5 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 35 |
| Referee | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 13 |
| Government Fleet | 44 | 5 | 300 | 13 | 362 |
| Repair Only | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Other Station Sub-Total | 100 | 5 | 372 | 15 | 492 |
| All Stations | 693 | 102 | 5,727 | 350 | 6,872 |
Stations Conducting Test by Equipment Type
| Station Type | Equipment Type | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| BAR-97 Only | OIS Only | BAR-97 and OIS | |
| STAR Test-and-Repair | 2 | 326 | 1,449 |
| STAR Test-Only | 3 | 151 | 1,504 |
| STAR Sub-Total | 5 | 477 | 2,953 |
| Non-STAR Test-and-Repair | 0 | 1,577 | 243 |
| Non-STAR Test-Only | 0 | 165 | 92 |
| Non-STAR Sub-Total | 0 | 1,742 | 335 |
| Permanent Fleet Registered | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Business Fleet | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Test-and-Repair/Dealer | 0 | 42 | 3 |
| Government Fleet | 3 | 121 | 24 |
| Referee | 0 | 4 | 28 |
| Other Station Sub-Total | 3 | 176 | 55 |
| All Stations | 8 | 2,395 | 3,343 |
Referee Inspections
| Inspection Type | Total Completed |
|---|---|
| Smog Inspection/Repair Disputes | 389 |
| Law Enforcement Citations | 312 |
| BAR Referrals | 269 |
| Clean Gas | 100 |
| Repair Cost Waiver + Parts Locator Service | 103 |
| CAT BAR Label | 46 |
| Engine Change/Replacement | 70 |
| Specially Constructed Vehicle/Kit Car | 25 |
| OBD Monitor Issues | 16 |
| Grey Market | 10 |
| All Inspections | 1,340 |
Referee Certificates Issued
| Certificate Type | OIS | BAR-97 |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Compliance | 162 | 85 |
| Repair Cost Waiver | 30 | 5 |
| Limited Parts Exemption | 11 | 0 |
| Exempt Vehicle | 2 | 13 |
| Exempted by Directive | 12 | 0 |
| All Certificates Issued | 217 | 103 |
Technicians
| Technician License Type | Technicians Conducting Tests | Total Licensed Technicians |
|---|---|---|
| EO (Inspect Only) | 4,576 | 7,352 |
| EO+EI (Inspect and Repair) | 3,884 | 5,133 |
| All License Types | 8,460 | 12,485 |
Smog Check Requirements by Vehicle Type
| Fuel Type | Model-Year | GVWR1 | OBD II Equipped? | Smog Check Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All2 (except Diesel) | Four model-years and newer3 | All | ‐ | None |
| Fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth model-years4 | All | ‐ | None | |
| 1975 and earlier | All | ‐ | None | |
| Gasoline and Flex Fuel (Methanol or Ethanol) |
1976-1999 | All | ‐ | BAR-97 |
| 2000 and newer | 14,000 and less | Yes5 | BAR-OIS | |
| No | BAR-97 | |||
| Over 14,000 | ‐ | BAR-97 | ||
| Hybrid | 2000 and newer | 14,000 and less | Yes | BAR-OIS |
| Dedicated Propane and Natural Gas (CNG, LNG, or LPG) |
1976-1999 | 14,000 and less | ‐ | BAR-97 |
| Over 14,000 | ‐ | None | ||
| 2000 and newer | 14,000 and less | Yes | BAR-OIS | |
| No | BAR-97 | |||
| Over 14,000 | ‐ | None | ||
| Diesel | 1976-1997 | All | ‐ | None |
| 1998 and newer | 14,000 and less | Yes | BAR-OIS | |
| Over 14,000 | ‐ | None6 | ||
| Full Electric Powered | All | All | ‐ | None |
| Motorcycle | All | All | ‐ | None |
| Other Vehicles: Two Cylinder Engine, Two-stroke Engine, Off-highway Registered |
All | All | ‐ | None |
1 Gross vehicle weight rating
2 Includes gasoline, flex fuel, hybrid, dedicated propane, and natural gas vehicles. A Smog Check is required for all out-of-state 1976 model-year and newer vehicles registering in California for the first time and other initial registration events determined by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
3 Vehicles four model-years and newer are not subject to biennial (every other year) or change-of-ownership Smog Checks. Add four to the model-year of a vehicle to determine the first year a vehicle will be subject to a change-of-ownership Smog Check. For example, a 2020 model-year vehicle will be first subject to a change-of-ownership Smog Check in 2024 (2020+4=2024).
4 Fifth through eighth model-year vehicles are not subject to biennial Smog Checks. However, a change-of-ownership Smog Check is required. Add eight to the model-year of a vehicle to determine the first year a vehicle will be subject to a biennial Smog Check. For example, a 2020 model-year vehicle will be first subject to a biennial Smog Check in 2028 (2020+8=2028).
5 BAR has identified some vehicles that have GVWR of 14,000 and less or that have problematic OBD II systems that may require the BAR-97 test.
6 CARB’s Clean Truck Check Program replaces the Periodic Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP) effective October 1, 2024. Vehicles with 2012 and older model year engines are required to undergo an opacity test and a vehicle emissions control equipment inspection. Vehicles with 2013 and newer model year engines are required to undergo OBD testing. See CARB’s Clean Truck Check webpage for details.