What is a STAR smog check, and do you need one in Daly City?
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. Daly City has 7 STAR certified smog check stations: 4 test-only and 3 test-and-repair, out of 14 licensed stations in the city. No STAR station in Daly City 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 Daly City
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 |
4 STAR test-only stations in Daly City
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colma Smog Test Only | – | – | 4698 Callan Blvd |
| Daly City Test Only | – | – | 7101 Mission Street |
| Washington Street Arco | – | – | 295 Washington St |
| Westlake Smog Check Test Only | – | – | 101 S Mayfair Ave |
3 STAR test-and-repair stations in Daly City
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brake Plus Smog Check Center | – | – | 7497 Mission Street |
| Car Solutions | – | – | 525 Sylvan St |
| K West Auto Care | – | – | 7236 Mission Street |
STAR stations near Daly City
- 19th And Taraval Smog Test in San Francisco, about 5 miles from the center of Daly City
- 19th Avenue Smog in San Francisco, about 5 miles from the center of Daly City
- Smog Central in San Mateo, about 12 miles from the center of Daly City
- 101 Test Express in San Mateo, about 12 miles from the center of Daly City
- Xpress Star Smog Check in Oakland, about 14 miles from the center of Daly City
- 4 Less Smog Check in Oakland, about 14 miles from the center of Daly City
- 15 Minute Smog Test And Repair in Berkeley, about 15 miles from the center of Daly City
- 4 Less Smog Check in Berkeley, about 15 miles from the center of Daly City
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 7 STAR stations listed in Daly City can certify a directed car: 4 test-only and 3 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.