What is a STAR smog check, and do you need one in Chula Vista?
A STAR station is one the Bureau of Automotive Repair has certified to higher performance standards. You need one only when your DMV renewal notice says “Smog Certification Required at a STAR station”, or after a gross polluter fail. Chula Vista has 31 STAR certified smog check stations: 15 test-only and 16 test-and-repair, out of 41 licensed stations in the city. No STAR station in Chula Vista has a priced coupon listed right now. In BAR’s September 2026 report, STAR test-only stations averaged $63.30 and STAR test-and-repair stations $71.80, plus the $8.25 certificate.
Updated
STAR smog check stations in Chula Vista
Why you were directed to a STAR station
Your DMV renewal notice says “Smog Certification Required at a STAR station” for one of two reasons. BAR’s statistical profile picked the car as more likely than others to fail, or it was one of the 2% BAR selects at random in Enhanced areas to evaluate the program (BAR Smog Check Reference Guide). A car that failed as a gross polluter also needs a STAR station. Any STAR station below can certify it; a regular station can’t. More in what a STAR smog check is.
Does a STAR smog check cost more?
At test-only stations, yes on average. At test-and-repair stations, no. These are BAR’s statewide averages for September 2026, before the $8.25 certificate:
| Station type | STAR | Not STAR |
|---|---|---|
| Test-only | $63.30 | $56.77 |
| Test-and-repair | $71.80 | $75.26 |
15 STAR test-only stations in Chula Vista
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Smog Time | – | – | 2520 Main Street # F |
| Alpha Smog Station | – | – | 881 Palomar St |
| Anaya's National Automotive | – | – | 935 Suite C Broadway |
| California Smog Certification | – | – | 11 3rd Avenue Suite A |
| California Smog Certification | – | – | 1655 Broadway Suite 1 |
| Chula Vista Mobil | – | – | 902 Third Ave |
| EZ-PZ Smog | – | – | 2446 Main Street |
| Just Smog | – | – | 605 3rd Ave |
| S. A Smogs | – | – | 609 Arizona Street Suite C |
| San Diego Smog Test Only Station | – | – | 3311 Main St |
| Smog Express | – | – | 355 Broadway |
| Smoggy's | – | – | 495 Telegraph Canyon Rd |
| Special Smog Test Only | – | – | 801 Broadway #d |
| STAR Station Smog Check Chula Vista | – | – | 1088 Broadway Unit# A |
| Telegraph Canyon Smog | – | – | 501 Telegraph Canyon Road |
16 STAR test-and-repair stations in Chula Vista
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| B & J Auto Repair Smog & Sales | 4.5 (361) | – | 696 Broadway |
| Bonita Point Auto Care | – | – | 1495 East H Street |
| Bonita Vista Gas & Auto | – | – | 903 Otay Lakes Rd |
| Chula Vista Auto Care | – | – | 898 Broadway |
| Dollars Smog And Repair | – | – | 231 Beyer Way #a |
| FP Smog & Safety | – | – | 1655 Broadway |
| Mikes Auto Repair & Smog Center | – | – | 300 E Street |
| Orec Imports Auto Specialist | – | – | 3645 Main St |
| Otay Test And Repair | – | – | 2530 Main Street Ste G |
| Pep Boys Auto Service & Tires #651 | – | – | 454 Broadway |
| Performance Auto Repair And Smog | – | – | 2560 Main St. #f |
| Sam's Auto Shop | – | – | 273 Broadway |
| Star Auto Care | – | – | 1137 Broadway # E |
| T & K Smog Check & Auto Repair | – | – | 1409 Broadway St #106 |
| T-100 Auto Repair | – | – | 3031 Main St Ste D |
| Ted's Garage | – | – | 1270 Third Ave |
STAR stations near Chula Vista
- AAA Smog & Repair Center in San Diego, about 7 miles from the center of Chula Vista
- Lo Sieu Smog Test Only Center in San Diego, about 7 miles from the center of Chula Vista
- Apex Smog in Escondido, about 32 miles from the center of Chula Vista
- Smog Check Escondido in Escondido, about 32 miles from the center of Chula Vista
Frequently asked questions
Only when your DMV renewal notice says "Smog Certification Required at a STAR station", or when the car failed as a gross polluter. BAR directs a car to STAR when its profile says it is more likely to fail, or at random (2% in Enhanced areas). Any car can still be tested at a STAR station.
Yes. All 31 STAR stations listed in Chula Vista can certify a directed car: 15 test-only and 16 test-and-repair. Pick test-and-repair if the car may fail and you want it fixed in the same place.
At test-only stations, a little on average: BAR's September 2026 averages were $63.30 STAR vs $56.77 non-STAR. At test-and-repair stations STAR averaged less, $71.80 vs $75.26. All before the $8.25 certificate.
Not necessarily. "Star" in a shop's name says nothing about BAR's STAR certification. Every station in the list above is STAR certified in BAR's records; check any other at bar.ca.gov before you go.
BAR updates STAR scores every January and July.