What is a STAR smog check, and do you need one in Pasadena?
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. Pasadena has 18 STAR certified smog check stations: 7 test-only and 11 test-and-repair, out of 33 licensed stations in the city. No STAR station in Pasadena 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 Pasadena
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 |
7 STAR test-only stations in Pasadena
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Smog Test Only | – | – | 2716 E. Colorado Blvd. |
| Express Smog Test Only Center | – | – | 1816 E Villa St #a |
| Hill Smog Test Only | – | – | 248 N Hill Avenue |
| Lake Smog Test Only | – | – | 765 E Washington Blvd Unit A |
| Pasadena Test Only And Smog Check | – | – | 1920 E Walnut St. Unit #2 |
| Pasadena Test Only Center | – | – | 1076 E Walnut St |
| Vista Test Only Center | – | – | 2655 E. Colorado Blvd #d |
11 STAR test-and-repair stations in Pasadena
| Station | Google rating | Coupon | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altadena Smog N Repair | – | – | 2515 Nina Street |
| Del Mar Auto & Radiator | – | – | 1789 E Del Mar Blvd |
| Demerjian Auto Service | – | – | 1899 E Washington Blvd |
| Fix My Car Now | – | – | 3175 E Foothill Blvd |
| Foothill Smog & Auto Repair | – | – | 2220 E Foothill Blvd |
| Fremont & Purdon | – | – | 836 E Orange Grove Blvd |
| Georges Service Center | – | – | 210 N. Sierra Madre Blvd |
| Hyarcs Auto Repair | – | – | 2162 E Villa St |
| Mike & Sons Automotive | – | – | 500 N Altadena Dr |
| Pasadena Smog Brake & Lamp | – | – | 715 N Orange Grove Blvd |
| Walnut Smog And Repair | – | – | 1323 E Walnut Street Unit 2 |
STAR stations near Pasadena
- A1 Automotive Service in San Gabriel, about 4 miles from the center of Pasadena
- AE Smog Check Test Only in San Gabriel, about 4 miles from the center of Pasadena
- Alhambra Smog Center in Alhambra, about 4 miles from the center of Pasadena
- Auto Pros 76 in Alhambra, about 4 miles from the center of Pasadena
- ABC Eastern Smog Test Only Center in Los Angeles, about 14 miles from the center of Pasadena
- ABC Olympic Test Only Center in Los Angeles, about 14 miles from the center of Pasadena
- Downey Smog in Downey, about 14 miles from the center of Pasadena
- JJ's Auto Service in Downey, about 14 miles from the center of Pasadena
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 18 STAR stations listed in Pasadena can certify a directed car: 7 test-only and 11 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.