What is a STAR smog check, and do you need one in Garden Grove?
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. Garden Grove has 22 STAR certified smog check stations: 14 test-only and 8 test-and-repair, out of 30 licensed stations in the city. The cheapest STAR coupon is $41.75 at CJ Smog Check; the coupon says whether the $8.25 certificate is included. The best rated is Garden Grove Star Smog Check, at 5.0 stars from 110 Google reviews.
Updated
STAR smog check stations in Garden Grove
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 |
“Star” in the name is not STAR certification
One shop in Garden Grove has “Star” in the name but is not STAR certified in BAR’s records, so it can’t certify a STAR-directed car: Star Smog Check Center. Check any shop’s standing at bar.ca.gov.
14 STAR test-only stations in Garden Grove
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| CJ Smog Check | 4.4 (20) | $41.75 | 13388 Brookhurst St A |
| Garden Grove Star Smog Check | 5.0 (110) | – | 13501 Magnolia St |
| 7 Min Smog Check | – | – | 10142 Westminster Ave |
| Andy Test Only Center | – | – | 13128 Magnolia St # D |
| Auto Research & Clean Truck Check | – | – | 7527 Park Avenue |
| Cal Test Only | – | – | 13100 Brookhurst |
| California Test Only Center | – | – | 13051 Westlake Street |
| CNV Smog Check | – | – | 13182 Garden Grove Boulevard |
| Don Auto Center | – | – | 11701 Westminster Avenue, #5a |
| Don Smog Test Only | – | – | 13642 Euclid St #b |
| LT Smog Check | – | – | 8100 Lampson Ave |
| Nelson Smog | – | – | 10682 Stanford Ave |
| New Century Smog Test Only | – | – | 13072 Century Blvd |
| OC Test Only Center | – | – | 8038 Garden Grove Blvd #a |
8 STAR test-and-repair stations in Garden Grove
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ Complete Auto Care | – | – | 6961 Chapman Avenue |
| Autolink Repair Services | – | – | 11362 Westminster Avenue |
| Best Auto Smog Repair | – | – | 9087 Garden Grove Blvd |
| James Auto Center | – | – | 10711 Garden Grove Blvd |
| Japanese Auto Repairs | – | – | 8196 Garden Grove Blvd |
| Peter Auto Center | – | – | 11521 Anabel Ave #a |
| Pro Auto Care Complex Auto Repair | – | – | 14371 Brookhurst St |
| T A C Auto Repair | – | – | 11721 Westminster Ave #1a |
STAR stations near Garden Grove
- 1 Stop Smog And Repair in Westminster, about 4 miles from the center of Garden Grove
- All American Smog Test in Westminster, about 4 miles from the center of Garden Grove
- Beach Smog Check in Huntington Beach, about 7 miles from the center of Garden Grove
- Expertec Automotive in Huntington Beach, about 7 miles from the center of Garden Grove
- Emission Test Center Norwalk in Norwalk, about 12 miles from the center of Garden Grove
- M & M Auto Clinic in Norwalk, about 12 miles from the center of Garden Grove
- Downey Smog in Downey, about 16 miles from the center of Garden Grove
- JJ's Auto Service in Downey, about 16 miles from the center of Garden Grove
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 22 STAR stations listed in Garden Grove can certify a directed car: 14 test-only and 8 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 Garden Grove is $41.75. 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.
No. "Star" in a shop's name says nothing about BAR's STAR certification: 1 shop in Garden Grove with "Star" in the name is not STAR certified in BAR's records. Check any station at bar.ca.gov before you go.
BAR updates STAR scores every January and July.