CA: Smog Check
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2018
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CA: Smog Check
Specific question for CA residents or anybody knowledgeable with emissions testing. I've just bought a 2015 c7 outside of CA. Do I need to do smog test in order to register the car? Or is it exempt because of the newer model year?
Last edited by velocityopen6; Oct 29, 2018 at 12:18 AM. Reason: edit
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1,609
Likes: 101
From: Camarillo CA
St. Jude Donor '24
Might depend on the county you live in. Start here: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/de...smogfaq#BM2535
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 4,754
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I read a horror story last year on the forum about a person living in California buying a car from a New Jersey resident but the car did not have the 50 state emission compliance tags in the engine bay. As a result he could not register the car in the state of CA. I never heard any more about this guy but he painted a gloomy picture. Did you check and see if you car has the CA emission EPA tag?
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 106
Likes: 14
From: LA CA
MMD is right though, make sure your car is 50 state legal before purchase (I think all corvettes are 50 state legal). There should be a sticker on the passenger side of the hood.
I imported a mustang last year, and I was shocked that many mustangs are still not 50 state legal. The loophole there is that any car you're importing doesn't have to be 50 state legal if it has over 7500 miles (verify that number).
Last edited by Ed2016; Oct 29, 2018 at 01:19 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,250
Likes: 656
From: San Diego Ca
Less than 7500 miles on the car it needs to have Ca Emissions sticker on the hood. Yes, you will need an entry emissions test.
The fella that had the problem bought a car with an aftermarket hood and this sticker was not removed from the stock hood and put on the aftermarket hood. He did get a new sticker from GM and has gotten the car registered.
The fella that had the problem bought a car with an aftermarket hood and this sticker was not removed from the stock hood and put on the aftermarket hood. He did get a new sticker from GM and has gotten the car registered.
Last edited by pkincy; Oct 29, 2018 at 02:32 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,012
Likes: 955
From: Central Commiefornia
As posted, you'll need to have a smog check to register the car.
Grab your wallet for the fee... Don't be surprised to see a $500 registration bill, including Moonbeam's new "environmental tax" calculated on the value of the car...(My '17 Stingray's 2019 tab is $587, my buddy's '17 Z51 is $685)
The "good" news is that Commiefornia allows a six year period from the initial year of manufacture without smog checks, but confiscates a SMOG ABATEMENT FEE of $20 in lieu of the smog check in addition to the other fees.
Grab your wallet for the fee... Don't be surprised to see a $500 registration bill, including Moonbeam's new "environmental tax" calculated on the value of the car...(My '17 Stingray's 2019 tab is $587, my buddy's '17 Z51 is $685)
The "good" news is that Commiefornia allows a six year period from the initial year of manufacture without smog checks, but confiscates a SMOG ABATEMENT FEE of $20 in lieu of the smog check in addition to the other fees.
Last edited by jimmbbo; Oct 29, 2018 at 03:04 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,503
Likes: 600
well hopefully you guys can be brought into compliance with the rest of the country soon but it looks as though CA will fight it.. If I were GM or another car company I probably would not make a CA compliant car, after a couple years they would have to walk everywhere 
https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/art...s-13128243.php
https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/art...s-13128243.php
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,706
Likes: 539
From: Hampton VA
well hopefully you guys can be brought into compliance with the rest of the country soon but it looks as though CA will fight it.. If I were GM or another car company I probably would not make a CA compliant car, after a couple years they would have to walk everywhere
https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/art...s-13128243.php
https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/art...s-13128243.php
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Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Lake Havasu City Arizona
SoCal Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '12
Yes, depending on your county all cars brought in from outside the state must have a smog test and a vin verification, then you get to pay your fees! Even a brand new corvette bought out of state and brought into Cali by you must be smogged and vin verified!
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,194
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From: Lake Havasu City Arizona
SoCal Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '12
If the car is more than 1 year old and has at least 7500 miles the car does not have to have an "approved" emissions sticker on it. The car must be able to pass a smog test. The emissions sticker is for new cars brought into cali with less than 7500 miles and newer than 1 year old.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2017
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To elaborate on passing a smog test - that doesn't mean it only has to pass the sniffer. It has to pass a visual inspection too. EG if it has headers on it they will have to be CARB approved and you need the sticker.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,250
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From: San Diego Ca
The actual fact is that all cars manufactured in the past 5 years or so have an emissions sticker that states both Federal and California emissions. It may be longer than that. In 2012 I bought a 4200 mile 2008 Z06 that had been ordered and delivered and registered in Texas from a Texan. I flew out, bought the car and drove it back. Arriving back with 6400 miles on the car. I got my smog and went to AAA to register the car and the main thing the agent had to certify and see was that the underhood emissions sticker said California. As I had researched this requirement I knew it did and had no problem. So simply make certain any out of state low mileage car you are buying to import to Californa has an emissions sticker than includes the Ca emissions label. So the 50 state Corvettes since at least 08 have both listed on their underhood stickers.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 4,754
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:
This 
The actual fact is that all cars manufactured in the past 5 years or so have an emissions sticker that states both Federal and California emissions. It may be longer than that. In 2012 I bought a 4200 mile 2008 Z06 that had been ordered and delivered and registered in Texas from a Texan. I flew out, bought the car and drove it back. Arriving back with 6400 miles on the car. I got my smog and went to AAA to register the car and the main thing the agent had to certify and see was that the underhood emissions sticker said California. As I had researched this requirement I knew it did and had no problem. So simply make certain any out of state low mileage car you are buying to import to Californa has an emissions sticker than includes the Ca emissions label. So the 50 state Corvettes since at least 08 have both listed on their underhood stickers.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,441
Likes: 557
The actual fact is that all cars manufactured in the past 5 years or so have an emissions sticker that states both Federal and California emissions. It may be longer than that. In 2012 I bought a 4200 mile 2008 Z06 that had been ordered and delivered and registered in Texas from a Texan. I flew out, bought the car and drove it back. Arriving back with 6400 miles on the car. I got my smog and went to AAA to register the car and the main thing the agent had to certify and see was that the underhood emissions sticker said California. As I had researched this requirement I knew it did and had no problem. So simply make certain any out of state low mileage car you are buying to import to Californa has an emissions sticker than includes the Ca emissions label. So the 50 state Corvettes since at least 08 have both listed on their underhood stickers.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
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From: Toronto
Our province finally discontinued it's smog check program. They finally realized it had no environmental benefit given new car emissions have changed substantially over the past 15 years. All it did was add cost and inconvenience.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,308
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From: Orange County California
I bought a car in AZ 6 years ago and had to get it smog'd...but here is the hot tip: If you pay sales tax on the car in which you bought the car (usually occurs when buying from a dealer) you don't have to pay tax again in CA. So be careful about that.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2017
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Only if the tax you paid is greater than what you would have paid in CA. If CA tax is higher then you will have to pay the difference to CA.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2018
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There is a one year statute of limitations on that I believe. You could theoretically buy the car in Oregon for no sales tax, store the car out of California for a year and then register it in California if you have a home there after one year. You should be able to avoid sales tax. .
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,012
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From: Central Commiefornia
There is a one year statute of limitations on that I believe. You could theoretically buy the car in Oregon for no sales tax, store the car out of California for a year and then register it in California if you have a home there after one year. You should be able to avoid sales tax. .
I bought a 2011 Mustang in Las Vegas and several months later brought it into Commiefornia and registered it. I had to prove I had paid the sales tax in NV, or else it would have been added to the tab...
Unsure how a "no tax" Oregon purchase would be received... Why do I think their initial response would be "PAY US THE SALES TAX"?
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 541
Likes: 38
From: Temecula CA
I purchased my 2017 new from McMulkin in NH and had it shipped. Car has 50 state emission sticker. CA required a smog test, which it failed. Seems it can take up to 1000 miles for a new GM vehicle to get all systems ready. CA has an emissions "Referee" system so took the car there and received a waiver on the emissions test. As jimmbbo said CA will collect unpaid sales tax when registering if not paid in other states, as does KY and many other states.
Phil
Phil