Currently, smog inspections are required for all vehicles except diesel powered vehicles manufactured prior to 1998 or with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVWR) of more than 14,000 lbs, electric, natural gas powered vehicles over 14,000 lbs, hybrids, motorcycles, trailers, or gasoline powered vehicles 1975 and older.
In California, vehicles registered in areas subject to the biennial smog certification program (that's typically in metropolitan areas that are smoggy, like LA, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Bernardino, Riverside, etc.) are required to submit evidence of a smog certification every other renewal period. You get that by going to a privately owned test station. That's one thing California has done right, allowing private businesses to efficiently run part of the program8). When the State ran the smog check program, it was a flop as government hacks can do very few things effectively.
Owners of vehicles six or less model years old will pay an annual smog abatement fee for the first six registration years instead of being required to provide a biennial smog certification. What that means is if you can afford a newer vehicle, California will extort a fee from you so that DMV employees that wear orange or green spandex pants can sit around and do little work all day, but still retire on a fat pension.:shock:
Upon initial registration, nonresident, diesel powered vehicles manufactured in 1998 or after with a (GVWR) rating of no more than 14,000 lbs, and specially constructed vehicles 1976 and newer require smog certification. The six or less model years old rule does not apply to these vehicles. I'd like to see a mandatory smog check for any vehicle that is registered outside the Country. The vehicle from Mexico are a mess and pollute our air.
The check is limited to smog check only.
I was against the program when it started, but now that some of it has been turned over to private business, and because we have seen dramatic improvements in air quality, I'm ok with the program now.8)
