Everything Santa Maria Valley residents need to know about California's smog check requirements, vehicle registration, and your local DMV office.
California law requires smog inspections in several specific situations. Here's when you'll need one and what's involved.
Every two years, coinciding with your vehicle registration renewal. The DMV sends a notice indicating whether a smog check is required for this cycle — not every renewal year requires one. If your notice says "smog certification required," that's your cue to come see us before renewing.
When a vehicle is sold or transferred between private parties in California, the seller must provide a valid smog certificate to the buyer. The certificate is valid for 90 days from the date of inspection. Dealer sales are exempt — the dealer handles it on their end.
If you've moved to the Santa Maria area from another state, your vehicle needs a California smog check before the DMV will register it here. This applies even if your vehicle just passed emissions testing in your previous state. You have 20 days from establishing residency.
Registering a vehicle in California for the first time — whether purchased privately, received as a gift, inherited, or brought from out of state — requires a smog inspection. No exceptions for vehicle age or condition (unless the vehicle falls under an exemption category).
Not every vehicle on the road requires a smog inspection. California exempts certain categories:
New vehicles (first 8 model years) — If your vehicle is 8 model years old or newer, it's exempt from the biennial smog check. However, it still needs an inspection for change of ownership or initial registration situations.
Electric and zero-emission vehicles — Fully electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and other zero-emission vehicles are exempt. They produce no tailpipe emissions, so there's nothing to test.
Vehicles 1975 and older — Classic cars and trucks with a model year of 1975 or earlier are exempt from smog testing entirely.
Diesel vehicles 1997 and older — Diesel-powered vehicles with a model year of 1997 or earlier, and a gross vehicle weight rating of 14,000 lbs or less, are exempt from the smog program.
Natural gas vehicles over 14,000 lbs — Larger natural gas-powered vehicles are currently exempt from the smog check program.
The easiest way to check is to look at your DMV renewal notice — it will explicitly state whether a smog check is required. Or just give us a call at (805) 922-1948 and we'll help you figure it out in under a minute.
After your smog check passes, here's where to handle registration if you need to visit in person — though in most cases, you won't need to.
Address: 621 W Foster Road
Santa Maria, CA 93455
Phone: (800) 777-0133
The Santa Maria DMV is located off Foster Road near Highway 101, about a 10-minute drive from our South Broadway location. Wait times can be long, so make an appointment online at dmv.ca.gov before visiting.
In most cases, you don't need to set foot in the DMV. When you pass your smog check, we file the certificate electronically. You can then renew your registration online at dmv.ca.gov, by phone, or at a DMV kiosk. Your new tags arrive by mail. Easy.
Once your smog certificate is filed electronically — which we do same-day — you can renew online without visiting the DMV. Here's how:
Go to dmv.ca.gov/registration-renewal and enter your vehicle information. The system will confirm your smog certificate is on file, and you can pay your renewal fees by credit card. Your updated registration card and new tags ship by mail.
This is by far the fastest and easiest option. No lines, no waiting rooms, no taking a half-day off work. It's available 24/7 and most people complete it in under five minutes.
Smog check timing matters. Here are the key numbers to keep in mind.
A smog certificate is valid for 90 days from the date of inspection. If you're selling a vehicle, get the smog done no more than 90 days before the sale. For registration renewal, complete your smog check within the 90-day window before your registration expires.
New California residents have 20 days from establishing residency to register their out-of-state vehicle. Since a smog check is part of that process, don't wait until the last minute. Come by our South Broadway shop early to leave time for any needed repairs.
If your vehicle fails its smog check and you need time to complete repairs, you can apply for a 30-day temporary operating permit from the DMV. This allows you to legally drive while getting the necessary work done and scheduling a re-test.
Here's the complete picture — smog inspection to renewed registration — in four simple steps.
The DMV mails your renewal notice about 60 days before your registration expires. Check whether it says "smog certification required." If it does, that's your signal to schedule an inspection.
Come by our South Broadway location — walk in or book online. The inspection takes about 15 minutes. Bring your registration or renewal notice.
When you pass, we file your smog certificate electronically with the DMV the same day. No paper to mail, no forms to fill out. The DMV's system updates automatically.
Go to dmv.ca.gov, pay your fees online, and your new registration and tags arrive in the mail. The whole process — from smog check to updated registration — can be done in a single day without ever visiting the DMV.