Smog check coupon sites compared: SmogCheckDeals, Groupon and smogtips
Friday, October 30, 2026
The main difference is when you pay. Groupon sells vouchers you buy first and then use at the station. SmogCheckDeals and smogtips list offers that you use at the station and pay for there. No state agency runs any of these: BAR's Smog Check page doesn't mention coupons, and it says "Shopping around can help you find the best price."
This is our own site's comparison, so weigh it that way. SmogCheckDeals is run by Smog Coupons, which also provides marketing services to California smog check stations. We looked at the other two sites on October 30, 2026, and their pages can change.
How do the three sites compare?
| Question | SmogCheckDeals | Groupon | smogtips |
|---|---|---|---|
| When do you pay? | At the station | Up front, for a voucher | At the station |
| Does the listing state the certificate? | Yes, when the station told us | Check the fine print | Not on the city page we checked |
| Does the city page show an expiry date? | Check the coupon | Check the fine print | Not on the city page we checked |
| Does it list stations with no coupon? | Yes, licensed stations by city | No, only deals | We did not check this |
Where is SmogCheckDeals the better choice?
Use SmogCheckDeals to compare prices across a city or the state. The coupons page sorts live coupons cheapest first, and station pages show hours, STAR status and license type. You pay nothing until you are at the station.
Our limits: as of October 2026 only about 111 stations had a priced coupon on the site, out of thousands we list, so your nearest station may have none. Partner stations appear first on our city pages, and stations can pay us for a subscription.
Where is Groupon the better choice?
Groupon can suit you if a deal is at a station you already want to use. Because you buy first, read the deal's fine print for the model years it covers, whether the $8.25 certificate is included, the station's address, and when it expires. If your DMV notice says STAR, confirm the station is STAR certified before you buy, since a voucher doesn't change the type of station your car needs.
Where is smogtips the better choice?
Smogtips has been around since at least 2001, according to its copyright line, and it also publishes passing tips and guides. Its San Jose page shows each station with a headline offer, either a price or a discount, and a button to get the coupon. It's worth checking too, particularly if your city has few coupons on our site. Ask the station about the certificate and any end date, since the city page we checked doesn't state them.
How do you choose?
- Check whether your DMV notice says STAR, and use only STAR stations if so.
- Compare a few offers near you, on any of these sites or on the stations' own websites.
- Compare the total with the $8.25 certificate, not the headline price.
- Call first, and show the coupon before the test.
See also coupon vs walk-in price.
Sources: BAR: Smog Check · Groupon: smog check deals · smogtips.com
Checked on October 30, 2026.