Saturday, October 20, 2018

What Drivers Want To Know About The Smog Check Stockton CA Technicians Perform

By Amy Graham


Whether or not you have concerns about the air you breathe, if you own a car in many states, you can not drive it without an emissions inspection. An emissions test is done to determine the level of pollutants your car is emitting when you are driving it. Your vehicle has to pass this test before you can get your license renewed. Requirements vary from state to state. In order to conduct what California refers to as a smog check Stockton CA technicians, and others around the state, have to be certified.

Drivers with relatively new cars question whether the tests are necessary for them. In California, if your vehicle was built in the last six years, you don't need the test. There is an annual abatement fee that will be your responsibility however. It's just the certification itself that is unnecessary for the six year period.

Drivers are interested in whether there is a way to get exempted from the testing. If you have a gas powered vehicle that was built after 1975, it probably has to be tested. If your vehicle is powered by diesel, the built by date is after 1997.

Certain vehicles do qualify for exemptions. Vehicles weighing over fourteen thousand pounds are exempt. Trailers and motorcycles do not have to be tested. The State of California does not allow any special exemption for active or retired military personnel or their families.

Probably the most frequent question asked is what happens if the vehicle fails the test. In this case, you will have to take your car to the dealer or a mechanic to have it repaired so that it passes an inspection. You have the right to dispute the test results, and for this you should consult the state agency that deals with these matters.

It is possible, for those who qualify, to get repair assistance from the BAR Consumer Assistance Program. If you are willing to voluntarily retire your car from the roadway, you may be compensated through this program. You can get as much as $1500 for retiring your vehicle.

Some drivers are instructed to use a STAR station and don't know exactly what that means. STAR stations are those that have met the higher standards laid down by BAR for tests, or testing and repair. Every STAR station must post the type of service they offer. These kinds of stations were previously under the Gold Star and Test Only program.

Drivers ask about the what they have to give buyers when they sell a car. In this instance, the seller is responsible for providing the buyer with a valid certification when the vehicle is sold or transferred. The certification will be valid for 90 days from the date it was issued. The buyer has to pay the smog transfer fee.

People who are gifted with a vehicle have questions about the inspection requirements. If the vehicle is registered in California to a parent, grandparent, grandchild, spouse or domestic partner, or sibling, the person receiving the vehicle is exempt from an inspection. Other family members are not.




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