What is a STAR smog check, and do you need one in Corona?
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. Corona has 14 STAR certified smog check stations: 9 test-only and 5 test-and-repair, out of 27 licensed stations in the city. The cheapest STAR coupon is $31.75 at BB Smog Test Only; the coupon says whether the $8.25 certificate is included.
Updated
STAR smog check stations in Corona
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 |
9 STAR test-only stations in Corona
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| BB Smog Test Only | 4.9 (332) | $31.75 | 416 W 6th St |
| Corona Express Smog | 4.6 (418) | $36.75 | 625 W 6th St |
| AA Smog Center | 4.4 (195) | $46.75 | 1630 E Ontario Ave |
| A 1 Smog & Test Only | – | – | 1013 W 6th St |
| Corona Drive Thru Smog | – | – | 1453 W 6th St Ste 101 |
| Corona Norco Smog Check | – | – | 410 River Road # D |
| Corona Test Only | – | – | 2189 Sampson Ave Suite #b110 |
| Preferred Smog Center | – | – | 101 Granite St Unit B |
| Smog Stop | – | – | 1210 E 6th Ste A |
5 STAR test-and-repair stations in Corona
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circle City Smog Check | 4.3 (122) | $36.75 | 110 Washburn Cir Ste B |
| Crescent Auto Repair | 4.3 (126) | $40.00 | 1453 W 6th St #105 |
| A Plus Auto And Truck Repair | – | – | 1359 W 6th St #c |
| J&L Discount Car Care | – | – | 420 River Rd #a |
| West Auto Diagnostics Of Corona | – | – | 1655 E 6th Suite A6-B |
STAR stations near Corona
- Ace Smog Center 2 in Norco, about 5 miles from the center of Corona
- Cal Smog Inspection Center in Norco, about 5 miles from the center of Corona
- D&S Automotive in Jurupa Valley, about 12 miles from the center of Corona
- DMV Smog Check in Jurupa Valley, about 12 miles from the center of Corona
- Joe's Express Smog in Perris, about 20 miles from the center of Corona
- Perris Auto Repair Center in Perris, about 20 miles from the center of Corona
- CJ Smog Check in Garden Grove, about 20 miles from the center of Corona
- Garden Grove Star Smog Check in Garden Grove, about 20 miles from the center of Corona
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 14 STAR stations listed in Corona can certify a directed car: 9 test-only and 5 test-and-repair. Pick test-and-repair if the car may fail and you want it fixed in the same place.
Not necessarily. The cheapest STAR coupon in Corona is $31.75. BAR's September 2026 averages were $63.30 at STAR test-only stations and $71.80 at STAR test-and-repair stations, 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.