Frequently Asked Questions About The Smog Check Stockton CA Technicians Perform

Whether or not you have concerns about the air you breathe, if you own a car in many states, you can not drive it without an emissions inspection. An emissions test is done to determine the level of pollutants your car is emitting when you are driving it. Your vehicle has to pass this test before you can get your license renewed. Requirements vary from state to state. In order to conduct what California refers to as a smog check Stockton CA technicians, and others around the state, have to be certified.

Drivers with relatively new cars question whether the tests are necessary for them. In California, if your vehicle was built in the last six years, you don't need the test. There is an annual abatement fee that will be your responsibility however. It's just the certification itself that is unnecessary for the six year period.

Drivers are interested in what cars are exempt from testing. If you own a car that is gas powered and build after 1975, it must be tested. If you own a car that's powered by diesel, you have to get it tested if it was built after 1997.

Vehicles that weigh more than fourteen thousand pounds are exempt. Motorcycles and trailers are exempted from the inspections. There is no special exemption for those in the military.

The question heard most often concerns failing the test. Drivers want to know what to do if their vehicles don't meet the standards. If this happens to you, you are required to take your car to an auto mechanic, or a dealer, to have its condition brought up to an acceptable level. You can dispute the testing results. This involves contacting the appropriate agency for the particulars.

It is possible, for those who qualify, to get repair assistance from the BAR Consumer Assistance Program. If you are willing to voluntarily retire your car from the roadway, you may be compensated through this program. You can get as much as $1500 for retiring your vehicle.

Drivers often do not understand what a STAR station is or why they are required to use one. These are stations that have met the requirements of BAR for testing or testing and repairs. The services available at a STAR station must be posted. For more information on a STAR station near you, you can go to smogcheck.ca.gov. These stations replaced the Gold Star and Test Only programs.

Drivers ask about the what they have to give buyers when they sell a car. In this instance, the seller is responsible for providing the buyer with a valid certification when the vehicle is sold or transferred. The certification will be valid for 90 days from the date it was issued. The buyer has to pay the smog transfer fee.

People want to know what is required if they give someone a car as a gift. If the vehicle in question is registered in California and belongs to a parent, sibling, domestic partner, spouse, grandparent, or grandchild, the vehicle does not need to be inspected. If the gift comes from anyone else, this exemption does not apply.