Generally speaking, the California Smog Check Program requires that all vehicles manufactured in 1976 or beyond this year need to have a smog check every two years. However, there are some exceptions. For example, if your vehicle has 6 years or less, you won’t need to actually perform a smog check. You’ll just need to pay a smog abatement fee each year.
If you, by any chance, own a vehicle that is over 4 years old and you’re considering selling it, you need to be the one having a smog check performed. You’ll actually need to show and deliver the smog certificate of the vehicle to the buyer before the deal is closed.
But why are smog tests and checks so important?
#1: Air Quality:
According to the California EPA, there is more than one car for every adult aged 18 years old or more. So, in order to have the best air quality possible, smog tests and checks are required to measure the emissions of the different pollutants that vehicles release to the environment. These include checks for oxygen, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons.
#2: Avoid Health Issues:
More than ten years ago, between 2005 and 2007, the air pollution was so bad that took almost 30,000 people to the hospital. The most common health issues revealed were pneumonia, asthma, and other cardiovascular and respiratory ailments. This increased the costs for both insurances as well as for the state in medical care. So, by making smog tests and checks, we will be able to reduce the pollution, reducing related health issues, as well as the air quality will also be improved.
#3: Environmental Friendly:
Some measures related to the air quality had to be taken with urgency in California. After all, this was the state that most kept failing on meeting the clean air standards. By making sure that vehicles pass the smog checks and tests, we are making sure that we have an environmental friendly state.
As you can see, there are multiple reasons why smog checks and tests are incredibly important in California. Not surprisingly, others states like Georgia are also doing the same already.