How do I find a smog check near me?
Search your ZIP or city above, pick a station that is open, and call it or drive in. Most shops don’t book online, so call to ask about the wait. We list 5,928 licensed California stations, 3,092 of them STAR certified and 186 with a live coupon.
Smog check by city
Frequently asked questions
Enter your ZIP or city, or share your location, at the top of this page. You get the closest licensed stations with distance, today’s hours, whether each is open now, and any live coupon.
Most stations don’t take online booking. Call the shop to ask about a time, or use the directions link and drive in. If a station does book online, its result shows a Book button.
Turn on the Open now filter. It reads each station’s listed hours on California time. Listings can be out of date, so call before you drive over.
Turn on the Coupons filter to see nearby stations with a live coupon, or browse all of them on the coupons page. Each station sets its own price; BAR’s statewide average for September 2026 was $69.66, plus the $8.25 certificate when the car passes.
Only if your DMV renewal notice says so, or a test flagged your car as a gross polluter. Then turn on the STAR filter. Any other car can go to any licensed station.
California requires a smog check every two years for most vehicles. You'll receive a DMV renewal notice indicating if a smog check is required. New vehicles are exempt for the first 8 years.
STAR stations are specially certified by the Bureau of Automotive Repair. Some vehicles are "directed" to STAR stations based on DMV records. If your renewal notice says "STAR Station Required," you must use a STAR certified station.
The DMV renews the registration only after the vehicle passes a retest. If the registration runs out first, the DMV can issue a $50 temporary operating permit for a failed biennial smog check, good until 60 days after the expiration date: one per vehicle in two years, after you pay the renewal fees and show the failed inspection report and proof of insurance. BAR's Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) pays up to $1,450 toward repairs for income-eligible owners, or $1,350 to $2,000 to retire the vehicle.
The Bureau of Automotive Repair puts the statewide average at $69.66 for September 2026: about $66 for a 2000-or-newer vehicle and $73 for 1999-or-older, plus the $8.25 state certificate fee. Individual stations set their own prices, so call ahead for a quote.