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Smog Check Stations in the Antelope Valley
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About smog check stations in the Antelope Valley
Find smog check stations in Lancaster, Palmdale, Quartz Hill and Rosamond. Our team reviews every station before it's listed, and you can call or send a request from its page. Below is when California requires a smog check, which cars are exempt, what a STAR station is and where to get help if your car fails.
Los Angeles and Kern counties both require a smog check every other year when you renew your registration, and your DMV renewal notice tells you when one is due. Gas, hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles eight model years old or newer skip the check and pay a smog abatement fee with their registration instead. Gas vehicles from 1975 or earlier, diesels from 1997 or earlier, electric vehicles and motorcycles are exempt; diesels from 1998 on weighing 14,000 pounds or less need a check.
A smog check is also needed when a car is sold or registered in California for the first time, including cars from out of state. The seller provides the certificate, and for a private sale it must be from the last 90 days. Cars four model years old or newer don't need a check when sold; the buyer pays a smog transfer fee instead. A passing result goes to the DMV electronically and is good for 90 days, and the station must give you an estimate before the inspection.
STAR stations meet a higher inspection standard set by the Bureau of Automotive Repair. Your DMV renewal notice says if you must use one, and any driver may choose one. If your car fails and money is tight, BAR's Consumer Assistance Program can help pay for emissions repairs or pay you to retire the car, depending on your household income and each year's funding. Call (866) 272-9642 or visit bar.ca.gov to check eligibility.
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Frequently asked questions
- How often do I need a smog check in Lancaster or Palmdale?
- Every other year at registration renewal. Los Angeles County and Kern County, where Rosamond is, are both on the DMV's list of counties that require a smog check, and your renewal notice says when yours is due.
- Does my newer car need a smog check?
- Not every other year if it's a gas, hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle eight model years old or newer; you pay a smog abatement fee with your registration instead. To find your car's first required check, add eight to its model year. Electric vehicles never need one.
- What is a STAR station, and do I need one?
- A STAR station is a smog check station certified by the Bureau of Automotive Repair to a higher standard. Your DMV renewal notice says whether you must use one; BAR sends some vehicles there based on a model that predicts which are likely to fail, plus a small random sample. Any driver can choose a STAR station.
- Who gets the smog certificate when I sell my car?
- The seller. For a private sale, the car must have passed within the last 90 days. No smog check is needed for cars four model years old or newer, where the buyer pays a smog transfer fee instead, or for transfers between immediate family members.
- Is there help if my car fails smog?
- Often, yes. The Bureau of Automotive Repair's Consumer Assistance Program helps pay for emissions repairs after a failed smog check, with a copay, for households at or below 225% of the federal poverty level. It also pays owners to retire a car that failed its last check, with a larger payment for income-eligible households. Funding depends on each year's budget, so call (866) 272-9642 to check.
