How California Smog Checks Work When Selling a Used Car

If you are selling a car in California, the smog certificate is usually your job. This page covers the general picture. Smog rules have exceptions, so check the current details with the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) before you rely on any of it.

Who provides the certificate

In a private sale, the seller is generally responsible for providing a valid smog certificate to the buyer. The DMV uses it when the car is transferred into the buyer's name. If you do not provide one when one is required, the sale can fall apart at the DMV counter, and the buyer will come back to you.

How long it lasts

A smog certificate is generally good for 90 days from the inspection date. Get it close enough to the sale that it will still be valid when the buyer goes to the DMV, but not so early that it expires waiting for a buyer.

When a certificate may not be required

There are exceptions, which have included some very new vehicles, older vehicles of a certain model year, diesel and electric vehicles, and certain transfers between close family members. The exact cutoffs have changed over the years. Look up your car's situation on the BAR website instead of assuming.

If your car fails

• Ask the station what failed. A failed check can come from something simple, like a loose gas cap or a sensor, or from something expensive, like a catalytic converter.
• Get repair quotes before you decide. Sometimes repairing the car is the right call, sometimes it is not.
• BAR runs programs that help with repairs or vehicle retirement for some owners. Check whether you qualify.
• Be honest in your listing about the failed check. Do not sell a car you know cannot pass without telling buyers.

Where to go

Smog stations in the Sacramento area range from quick, cheap test-only shops to repair shops that test. A test-only station has no incentive to find repairs for you. If you suspect a problem, pre-checking the car a few weeks before you list gives you time to fix it.

Put it in the listing

Buyers care. Say whether you have a current smog certificate in hand. On Sac Auto List, the smog field on your listing is labeled as the seller's statement, so be accurate.

For the official word, see the Bureau of Automotive Repair and the California DMV.