Ventura · Test-only smog station
A smog test, and nothing to sell you.
A test-only smog station in Ventura. Drive in warm, and the certificate is filed with the DMV before you pull out.
Walk-ins welcome · Results sent to the DMV electronically
Smog check · every model year
Today's price, on the phone.
Tell us the year and make. We quote the full price, state certificate included, before you drive over.
Tests by model year
Which test your car gets.
The test depends on the model year and the fuel. Call with the year and make and we'll give you today's full price before you drive over, with no fee that appears at the counter.
| Vehicle | Test we run |
|---|---|
| 2000 & newerMOST COMMONGasoline, OBD-II scan | Gasoline, OBD-II scan |
| 1996 – 1999OBD-II scan plus BAR-97 tailpipe | OBD-II scan plus BAR-97 tailpipe |
| 1995 & olderBAR-97 dynamometer, two-speed idle | BAR-97 dynamometer, two-speed idle |
| Diesel, 1998 & newerDiesel OBD or opacity, by weight class | Diesel OBD or opacity, by weight class |
| RV & motorhomeBAR-97 dynamometer, extended bay | BAR-97 dynamometer, extended bay |
| VIN verificationREG 31 physical inspection, no emissions test | REG 31 physical inspection, no emissions test |
Every smog check also carries the state certificate fee, filed electronically before you leave. Model year 1975 and older is exempt from smog in California.
Not sure which test your car needs? Call and we'll tell you the test and the price.
Before you drive over
What to bring.
Five things and the visit is a short one. Print the list or keep it on your phone.
The checklist
For any smog check
Tidewater Smog & Registration
- The DMV renewal notice, if you have one
- Your registration card or the title
- A photo ID
- The vehicle, driven at least fifteen minutes so it's warm
- Any earlier failed smog printout
2140 E Thompson Blvd, Ventura, CA 93001 · (805) 555-0142
WHAT WE TEST
Every kind of smog check.
OBD-II, BAR-97, diesel and the out-of-state inspection the DMV asks for. If your car needs a smog certificate, this is where it gets one.
Change of ownership
Selling, buying, or gifting a car in California. We test and file the certificate the same day so the transfer never sits waiting on us.
Out of state
You have twenty days from the day you move. Bring the title and the vehicle and we run the inspection the DMV wants for a first California registration.
RV & motorhome
Motorhomes get the test for their model year. Call ahead with the length and we'll tell you whether it fits the bay.
Diesel
Diesel pickups and vans, 1998 and newer. Bring it warm and recently driven. A cold diesel is the easiest failure to avoid.
Clean Truck Check
CARB's compliance test for non-gasoline vehicles over 14,000 pounds. Call and ask whether we can run the OBD submission for yours.
Biennial renewal
The every-other-year smog printed on your DMV renewal notice. Walk in, we test, and the certificate is on file before you reach the parking lot.
Registration services
Tags on the spot.
Renewals, transfers and new-resident paperwork are handled at the same counter as your smog check, so there's no separate trip to the DMV and no morning in a queue.
- Registration renewal and a new sticker
- Transfer of title after a private sale
- Out-of-state and new-resident registration
- VIN verification (REG 31) for imports and rebuilds
- Duplicate stickers, plates, and registration cards
- Planned non-operation (PNO) filing
Bring the renewal notice, proof of insurance, and photo ID.
Call before you comeHOW A VISIT WORKS
Three things happen.
01
Pull in
No appointment needed during open hours. You can stay in the car until we wave you into the bay.
02
We test
OBD-II or BAR-97 depending on the model year. Most cars are done in one short visit, and you can wait on site.
03
Drive out
Pass and the certificate goes to the DMV electronically before you reach the sidewalk. Fail and you get the printout and a plain explanation, with no repair pitch: a test-only station doesn't sell repairs.
What you can count on
One job.
A smog station that tests cars and files the paperwork, nothing else.
There's no repair to sell you, the smog and the tags happen at one counter, and if the car fails you hear why in plain English.
QUESTIONS WE GET DAILY
The honest answers.
Including the two the state would rather you heard from someone who is not selling you a repair.
My notice says STAR. What does that mean?
The Bureau of Automotive Repair sends some cars to a STAR station, and the renewal notice says so when yours is one of them. Not every station is a STAR station, so call with the notice and ask whether we can run it.
How long does it take?
Not long for a warm car, longer for a motorhome or a Clean Truck Check. There's nothing to mail and nothing to carry back to the DMV: the certificate is sent electronically before you leave the lot.
What happens if my car fails?
You get the printout, a plain-English walk-through of the line that failed, and no sales pitch. We are a test-only station, so by law we cannot sell you the repair that would fix it. Come back once the work is done and we run the retest. Ask about retest pricing when you call.
What is the Consumer Assistance Program?
CAP is a state program that can help pay for emissions repairs, or retire the vehicle, if you fail a biennial smog check and meet the income limits. We'll point you to the application. You apply to the Bureau of Automotive Repair directly; no shop can apply for you.
What is a gross polluter?
A vehicle that fails by more than twice the emissions standard for its year. The state flags the record, and after the repairs are made it has to be retested at a test-only or STAR station rather than wherever the work was done. Call and ask whether we can run it.
Do I need an appointment?
No. Walk in any time we're open. If you'd rather hold a slot, book a time. It's worth doing for an RV, a Clean Truck Check, or anything you need finished before the DMV closes.
How to find us
Small building, easy stop.
Smog stations are famously easy to drive past. Open directions on your phone and look for the open bay door. Bringing a motorhome or a long trailer? Call ahead and we'll clear the lane before you turn in.
2140 E Thompson Blvd, Ventura, CA 93001
Ventura, CA
Book a time
Hold a lane, or just drive over.
Walk-ins are always welcome. If you'd rather have a slot on the board, especially for a motorhome, a Clean Truck Check or anything that has to be done before the DMV closes, book one and the bay will be open when you pull in.
Prefer to talk it through? Call and we'll find a time with you.