What is a STAR smog check, and do you need one in Hayward?
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. Hayward has 19 STAR certified smog check stations: 9 test-only and 10 test-and-repair, out of 32 licensed stations in the city. No STAR station in Hayward 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 Hayward
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 Hayward
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Star Smog | – | – | 335 West A Street |
| Emporium Auto Center | – | – | 2216 American Ave |
| Fast N Cheap Smog | – | – | 727 Industrial Pkwy W #n1 |
| Just Smog | – | – | 909 West A Street Suite C |
| K1 Smog | – | – | 24087 Mission Blvd #b |
| Meekland Smog Test Only | – | – | 21930 Meekland Ave |
| Quik Smog Hayward | – | – | 22326 Mission Blvd |
| Steves Smog | – | – | 365 Jackson St |
| Whipple Quality Smog | – | – | 2408 Whipple Rd |
10 STAR test-and-repair stations in Hayward
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avis Auto Repair | – | – | 27451 Mission Blvd #1 |
| Baysmog | – | – | 258 W Tennyson Rd |
| DLA Automotive Service | – | – | 1974 W Tennyson Rd #2 |
| Empire Automotive Services | – | – | 28160 Industrial Blvd Unit A |
| Harder Automotive | – | – | 197 W Harder Rd |
| Hayward Auto Care | – | – | 24659 Mission Blvd |
| Hayward Smog & Auto Repair | – | – | 25224 Mission Boulevard |
| Mission & Tennyson 76 | – | – | 28590 Mission Blvd |
| Mission Smog Test | – | – | 27159 Mission Blvd |
| Winton Smog Express | – | – | 1418 W Winton Avenue |
STAR stations near Hayward
- Castro Valley Union 76 in Castro Valley, about 3 miles from the center of Hayward
- Chabot Smog in Castro Valley, about 3 miles from the center of Hayward
- Advantage Automotive Repair in San Leandro, about 6 miles from the center of Hayward
- B And A Auto Repair Smog Check in San Leandro, about 6 miles from the center of Hayward
- Super Smog in Fremont, about 8 miles from the center of Hayward
- ABC Smog in Fremont, about 8 miles from the center of Hayward
- Xpress Star Smog Check in Oakland, about 11 miles from the center of Hayward
- 4 Less Smog Check in Oakland, about 11 miles from the center of Hayward
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 19 STAR stations listed in Hayward can certify a directed car: 9 test-only and 10 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.