Out-of-state car? California still wants a smog check.
If you are registering a vehicle in California for the first time — bought in another state, or moved here with it — you need a California smog check before the DMV will register it. We are a STAR-certified station in Glendale, eight minutes from the Glendale DMV. Walk in, no appointment: $59.75 flat, plus the state certificate fee.
Registered in California but living out of state right now? That is a different rule — jump to it → See the full price list →“It's almost new” does not get you out of it
This is the part that catches people out. California does waive the smog check for newer vehicles — but only when you are renewing a California registration, or transferring ownership of a car already registered here. Neither exemption applies the first time a vehicle is registered in California.
The 8-year rule is for renewals
Gasoline, hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles eight model years and newer skip the smog check — for California registration renewal only. Bringing the car in from another state is not a renewal.
The 4-year rule is for ownership changes
The four-model-year exemption covers a change of ownership on a car already registered in California. A vehicle arriving from out of state is a first-time registration, so it does not qualify.
Very new cars: check before you buy
California law blocks bringing in or registering a vehicle that is less than two years old and has under 7,500 miles on the odometer at the time you acquired it, unless it was built to California emission standards. A short list of exemptions exists — inheritance or divorce, replacing a California-registered car stolen or destroyed while you were out of state, military service — and they are claimed on form REG 256F. No smog check gets you around it, so check the emission label under the hood before you buy out of state.
Which out-of-state vehicles need one
Which situation are you in?
| Your situation | What California requires | Form and deadline |
|---|---|---|
| You are moving to California, or buying a vehicle from another state | A California smog inspection before the DMV will register the vehicle. | REG 343. Registration fees fall due within 20 days of becoming a resident or first bringing the vehicle into the state. |
| The vehicle arrives already exempt | No smog inspection — but only the narrow set California exempts everywhere, not simply a newer car. | REG 256F, for exemptions on a non-California vehicle. Check the full exemption list before you assume yours qualifies. |
| Your vehicle is registered in California but is temporarily outside the state | A temporary exemption while it is away. The smog check is still required once the vehicle returns to California. | REG 5103. Certain Nevada and Baja California border towns are excluded, so check the form before you file. |
Needs a smog check to register here
Diesel vehicles of model year 1998 and newer, rated at 14,000 lbs gross vehicle weight or less, need one too.
The newer-vehicle exemptions Californians get at renewal do not apply to a first registration here. That is the one thing that catches most new arrivals out.
Arrives already exempt
We keep the full exemption list on one page rather than restating it here, so there is only ever one version to keep current.
How it works, and what the DMV wants
Registration fees fall due within 20 days. For most people that clock starts when you become a California resident or first bring the vehicle into the state, but the exact trigger date varies by situation and the DMV sets out how it is determined in its nonresident-vehicle handbook, linked below. Submit the application and fees on time even if the smog certificate or the title is not in hand yet — the DMV's own advice is to file without the missing paperwork rather than file late, because that is what avoids the penalties.
1. Bring the car to us
Walk in Monday to Saturday — no appointment. Most inspections take 8 to 15 minutes. Bring the out-of-state registration or title if you have it handy; it saves us asking.
2. We send the result to the DMV
A passing certificate is transmitted electronically within minutes, and it is valid for 90 days. Any licensed smog station can do an out-of-state inspection — some vehicles are directed to a STAR station, and your DMV notice will say if yours is one. We are STAR-certified either way.
3. Take these to the DMV
The last out-of-state title and the last out-of-state registration.
A Verification of Vehicle (REG 31), done by a DMV employee, a peace officer, or a licensed vehicle verifier.
Your smog certificate, the out-of-state plates, and the registration and use-tax fees.
What it costs
$59.75 for the inspection — the same flat rate we charge everyone. On top of that the state sets a certificate fee of $8.25, which every station in California must charge and which goes to the state, not to us.
Out-of-state questions
My car is only two years old. Do I really need a smog check?
Yes. The exemption for newer vehicles applies to California registration renewals and to ownership transfers on cars already registered here — not to registering an out-of-state vehicle for the first time. If it is a 1976 or newer gasoline vehicle, it needs the test.
Do I have to use a STAR station?
Not automatically. Any licensed smog station can inspect an out-of-state vehicle. Some vehicles are directed to a STAR station, and the DMV tells you on your notice when that applies. We are a STAR-certified Test-Only station, so either way you are covered.
How long do I have after moving to California?
Registration fees fall due within 20 days. For most people that clock starts when you become a California resident or first bring the vehicle into the state, though the exact trigger date varies by situation — the DMV sets out how it is determined in its nonresident-vehicle handbook, linked at the bottom of this page. Submit the application and fees on time even if you are still missing the title or the smog certificate; that is what avoids the late penalties.
How long is the certificate good for?
Ninety days from the day it is issued. It reaches the DMV electronically within minutes of a pass, so there is no paperwork for you to carry over.
My car is registered in California but I am living out of state. Do I still need a smog check?
Possibly not straight away. If a California-registered vehicle is temporarily located outside the state when its biennial smog certification falls due, the DMV can grant a temporary exemption — you apply on form REG 5103, certifying where the vehicle is garaged and when it will come back. The smog check is still required once the vehicle returns to California. A list of Nevada and Baja California border towns is excluded from the exemption, so check the form before you file.
Not sure whether your vehicle needs one? Call us and read us the year and fuel type — we will tell you straight.
(818) 500-1770Where these rules come from
Every rule on this page comes from the California DMV or the Bureau of Automotive Repair, not from us. Rules, forms and fees are current as of September 2026 — if you are reading this later, follow the links and check before you rely on it.
The rules
DMV — Register a Vehicle From Out of State (HTVR 9) → DMV — Buying a Vehicle From Out of State (FFVR 29) → DMV — Smog inspection requirements and exemptions → Bureau of Automotive Repair — Smog Check → DMV — Determining the date registration fees become due →The forms
You file these with the DMV, not with us. We are happy to tell you which one applies to your situation before you make the trip.
REG 256F — exemptions for a non-California-certified vehicle → REG 5103 — temporary smog exemption, vehicle out of state → REG 343 — Application for Title or Registration → REG 31 — Verification of Vehicle →