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CA Smog Check Information
All vehicles in the state of California are mandated by law to have smog check every other year. Aside from having your cars registered, your cars should also pass the smog test. Although you will only go to a smog test center, you have to learn all of the things that you need to learn to save you time and money.
First, you own a vehicle that is powered by diesel, electricity or natural gas, you don’t have to bring your vehicle for smog test. This is the same with hybrid cars, trailers, motorbikes and cars you have acquired before 1975. Take note of this so that you will not waste time driving to a smog exam center.
If your vehicle is registered in California, you need to submit a certification of passing the smog test to DMV. If your car is more than 6 years old, you need to pay a smog abatement fee. You have to pay this fee every year and you are not required to have your car checked for smog. DMV will send you a registration renewal notice and they will indicate if you need smog certification or not. When it comes to payments, always be mindful about the different smog check prices and make sure that you are paying only what you understand and know.
If the DMV notification says you need to have smog test, then go and bring your car to your trusted smog check station. If you received this notification and you didn’t comply, you will not be able to receive your new registration sticker from DMV. Even if you pay the registration fee, if you didn’t submit a certification of smog check to DMV, you will not get your sticker.
If you sell your car that is fairly new (model is less than 4 years old), you don’t need a smog certification. The new owner will have to pay a smog transfer fee. However if your car is 5 years s old and older, you have to give the new owner a certificate that the car has passed the smog check. Excepted to this rule is when you are selling the car to your spouse, parent, sibling, child or any of your grandparents.
When you receive a notification from DMV asking you for a smog test, you have to comply within 90 days.
When you need a smog certification, you have to go to a smog check stations that are not affiliated with any car repair shop. Make sure that you are dealing with a Test Only Smog Check Station. This means that the only business that this station have is smog testing. If you fail the inspection, you can either go to a car shop or get into the Voluntary Accelerated Vehicle Retirement Program.
These are some of the most important things that you should remember when you own a car. First, smog check inspection is not needed if you own an electric car, a diesel-powered car or if you acquired a car from your immediate family member. Second, when you receive a notification from DMV requiring you to submit a smog certification, you need to comply within 90 days. Third, if you fail the inspection, there is still a chance for a retest or for Voluntary Accelerated Vehicle retirement program. Talk to any DMV representative in any DMV centers in California.