What is a STAR smog check, and do you need one in Moreno Valley?
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. Moreno Valley has 16 STAR certified smog check stations: 9 test-only and 7 test-and-repair, out of 25 licensed stations in the city. The cheapest STAR coupon is $41.75 at Prieto Smog Center; the coupon says whether the $8.25 certificate is included.
Updated
STAR smog check stations in Moreno Valley
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 Moreno Valley
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prieto Smog Center | 4.5 (560) | $41.75 | 24320 Sunnymead Boulevard Ste 107 |
| 215 Smog | – | – | 13718 Old 215 Frontage Road |
| A&S Smog | – | – | 23180 Hemlock Avenue, Suite 101 |
| City Smog Center | – | – | 23550 Sunnymead Blvd #105 |
| Manny's Smog | – | – | 22275 Alessandro Blvd |
| MGM Smog | – | – | 24594 Sunnymead Blvd Ste X |
| Moreno Valley Smog Check | – | – | 23930 Sunnymead Blvd B2 |
| Stop -N- Go Smog | – | – | 22425 Alessandro Blvd. Suite 101a |
| Valley Smog Test MV | – | – | 14300 Elsworth St Unit 101 |
7 STAR test-and-repair stations in Moreno Valley
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alessandro Smog Test & Repair | – | – | 22790 Alessandro Blvd Ste B |
| Auto Plus Smog | – | – | 24035 Sunnymead Blvd Suite D |
| Best Valley Smog And Auto Repair | – | – | 23952 Alessandro Blvd Ste B |
| King Automotive Services | – | – | 23922 Sunnymead Blvd |
| Low Price Smog & Tire | – | – | 14300 Elsworth St Suite 113 |
| Mojica Smog & Tires | – | – | 21866 Alessandro Blvd # B |
| Reino's Auto Repair | – | – | 23770 Sunnymead Blvd #a |
STAR stations near Moreno Valley
- Joe's Express Smog in Perris, about 7 miles from the center of Moreno Valley
- Perris Auto Repair Center in Perris, about 7 miles from the center of Moreno Valley
- D&S Automotive in Jurupa Valley, about 16 miles from the center of Moreno Valley
- DMV Smog Check in Jurupa Valley, about 16 miles from the center of Moreno Valley
- Paisano Smog Test Only in Lake Elsinore, about 17 miles from the center of Moreno Valley
- Zeit Smog in Lake Elsinore, about 17 miles from the center of Moreno Valley
- Ace Smog Center 2 in Norco, about 19 miles from the center of Moreno Valley
- Cal Smog Inspection Center in Norco, about 19 miles from the center of Moreno Valley
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 16 STAR stations listed in Moreno Valley can certify a directed car: 9 test-only and 7 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 Moreno Valley 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.
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.