Your registration renewal notice came in the mail, and it says “Smog Certification Required”. The DMV will not renew your car until it passes, so now you need a smog station and you want to know what it will cost.
So how much is a smog check? In California it is about $48 to $78 for a 2000 or newer car. That is the station’s own price, $39.75 to $70 at the five stations I checked, plus the state’s $8.25 certificate fee.
In this guide I will show you what stations charge in four California cities and what the state’s own numbers say. Then we look at what a failed test can cost you, and what an emissions test costs in eight other states.
The Two Parts of the Price
The Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR), the state office that runs the Smog Check program, does not set the price of the test. Every station sets its own, so it pays to shop around.
The second part is the certificate. Every station must charge $8.25 for it. The certificate goes to the DMV electronically and is good for 90 days.
What California Smog Stations Charge
Here are the prices five stations post on their own websites for a 2000 or newer car. I checked them on October 5, 2026, and added the $8.25 certificate to each one:
Trucks, SUVs and vans cost a little more. LA STAR Smog and San Diego STAR Smog Check add $10 for them, and the San Jose station adds $5.
The San Jose station also adds $10 for a Prius, a Porsche or an exotic car, and another $10 when your DMV notice sends you to a STAR station.
What the State’s Own Numbers Show
BAR asks smog stations for their inspection price once a month and publishes the averages. In August 2026, across 964,281 first tests, the average price was $69.16.
The kind of station matters. Test-only STAR stations averaged $63.34, while stations that also do repairs and are not STAR stations averaged $74.36. BAR adds that these prices may or may not include discounts.
A STAR station meets higher standards and can test every car, including high polluters. Your DMV renewal notice tells you if you have to go to one.
Older Cars Pay More
Cars built before 2000 cost more to test at the stations above:
- Smog ‘N Go charges $84.75 + $8.25 = $93 for a 1996 to 1999 car, and $99.75 + $8.25 = $108 for a 1995 or older car.
- The San Jose station adds $50 for a 1996 to 1999 car, so $39.75 + $50 + $8.25 = $98.
- LA STAR Smog asks $160 for a car older than 2000, which gets the tailpipe test.
BAR’s August numbers show the same thing. The older tailpipe test (BAR-97) averaged $72.90, and the computer test (OIS) averaged $65.42. A diesel is $80 + $8.25 = $88.25 at LA STAR Smog.
What Happens If Your Car Fails
Most cars pass. In August 2026, 80,034 of 968,963 first tests in California failed, which is 8.26%. So about one car in twelve fails the first time.
A failed test is not free. LA STAR Smog still charges its $39.75 test price when a car fails, but the $8.25 certificate only when one is issued, and $30 for the retest. Smog ‘N Go includes one free retest within 90 days.
The repair is where the real money goes. BAR also counts what stations charged to fix cars that failed. In August 2026 they repaired 3,941 cars, at an average of $783.13:
So 1,558 of the 3,941 repairs, about 4 in 10, cost more than $651.
A Tacoma World member whose ’96 failed for high hydrocarbons was quoted over $1,000 by a mechanic for plugs, wires and coils in March 2025, and chose to do that work at home.
If the repair is too much for you, California can help. Its Consumer Assistance Program pays up to $1,450 toward emissions repairs on a 1996 or newer car, and up to $1,100 on a 1976 to 1995 car, if you qualify.
You still pay a share. BAR’s own example is a $1,000 repair, where your part is $200. Or you can retire the car instead: BAR pays $1,350 without an income test, and $1,500 or $2,000 if your household income qualifies.
What a Smog Test Costs in Other States
Outside California most states call it an emissions test, and most of them cap the price. These are the official fees I found on each state’s own website:
Texas changed its rules in 2025. Safety inspections for ordinary cars ended on January 1, 2025, but cars in the emissions counties still need the test. San Antonio’s Bexar County joins them on November 1, 2026, at $18.50.
Every non-commercial vehicle in Texas also pays a $7.50 inspection program replacement fee when it is registered. In New York, the station may charge its fee whether your car passes or fails.
Smog Check Questions People Ask
How much is a smog check in California?
About $48 to $78 for a 2000 or newer car at the five stations above. That is the station’s price of $39.75 to $70 plus the $8.25 certificate. Stations told BAR their average inspection price was $69.16 in August 2026.
Do I pay for the smog check if my car fails?
At the stations I checked, yes for the test but not for the certificate. LA STAR Smog charges $39.75 for a failed test and $30 for the retest, and Smog ‘N Go includes one free retest within 90 days.
How often does a car need a smog check in California?
Every other year when you renew the registration, once the car is more than eight model years old. Newer cars pay a smog abatement fee instead, which the DMV sets at $20 a year, and $25 in the seventh and eighth year.
Do I need a smog check to sell my car in California?
Yes, the seller gets it before the sale, unless the car is four model years old or newer. Then the new owner pays a smog transfer fee instead, which is $8 on the DMV’s fee list.
Is a smog check the same as an emissions test?
Yes. California calls it a smog check, and most other states call it an emissions test or emissions inspection. The state table above shows what each one charges.
How long does a smog check take?
LA STAR Smog gives about 20 to 30 minutes for a standard car, and longer for a diesel or a hybrid.
Where These Prices Come From
- Bureau of Automotive Repair, Smog Check: When you need one and what’s required, checked October 5, 2026.
- Bureau of Automotive Repair, Smog Check Executive Summary Report, August 2026, the latest one out.
- Bureau of Automotive Repair, Apply for repair assistance and Retire your vehicle, checked October 5, 2026.
- California DMV, Smog Inspections, Registration Fees and Smog Program Changes and New Abatement Fee (PDF).
- Station price lists, checked October 5, 2026: LA STAR Smog, San Diego STAR Smog Check, Smog Check San Jose, Progressive Smog and Smog ‘N Go.
- Nevada DMV, Maximum Emission Test Fees for 2026 (PDF), and AirCare Colorado, Need to Know.
- New York DMV, Inspection Groups and Fee Chart (PDF), and NC DEQ, General Emissions Inspection Information.
- Georgia’s Clean Air Force, Before You Test, and myAZcar.com from Arizona’s ADEQ, Testing Info and Fees.
- Texas DPS, Cost of Inspection and the Bexar County notice of January 5, 2026, and Illinois EPA, Vehicle Emission Test Program FAQ (PDF).
- Tacoma World, CA Smog fail journey (March 2025).
I hope this saves you some money and some worry at the smog station. If you have any questions about your own test, you can email me at costcheckr@gmail.com.
