If you live in Sacramento, CA, you know that our state has some of the most stringent automotive emissions testing requirements in the entire country. At Auto Express Sacramento, we’re a fully-licensed, state-accredited smog inspection and repair facility. With over 25 years’ experience in the same location, our dedicated technicians know what it takes to get a vehicle to comply with smog standards…and we guarantee that your vehicle will pass the test.

The state mandates an emissions test every other year, testing for smog-forming pollutants. Vehicles newer than model year 2000 can now be tested with a computer-based process, rather than the traditional tailpipe probe. The vehicle’s onboard computer and diagnostic system gather information and report whether the vehicle’s emissions control system is working properly. A visual inspection of the emissions control components is still a requirement. Vehicles older than model year 1999 will still be tested with a tailpipe probe as well as the OBD test.

Although hybrid vehicles use electric motors for part of their power, their internal combustion engines still need to comply with smog regulations, which can now be tested via the engine’s OBD computer. At Auto Express Sacramento, our technicians are trained and certifications to work with hybrids as well.

Exemptions to California’s smog inspection laws include vehicles older than model year 1976, and vehicles less than six model years old (since newer vehicles are considered to run cleaner).