CA Diesel Smog

[niceguyeddie]

I have had to smog my truck the past 3 years! I thought this was supposed to be a lottery deal where you get randomly picked every couple years. Anyone else getting rapped by the DMV?

[RogerThat99]

I had to get a smog check for the first time last year. I just got my renewal for this year and no smog is required. That is BS you have had to do it every year.

[Dribble]

It's not required every year for anyone. It is every other year just like any other vehicle. If you are getting a notice every year there is something wrong. Go to the BAR website and check the dates it was smogged. If you had to smog it every year, call BAR and have them correct it. There is in the Vehicle Information Database (VID) a demographic for each vehicle registered in CA. It shows when the next smog is due. I have never seen the error that you describe occur but anything is possible.

[niceguyeddie]

Thank you.

Yes. It has been the past 3 years. I paid my tags ($560) back in December (due Jan 31st) and had still not received my new stickers. So I head into the DMV as I needed a new DL anyways and they said I needed a smog. I showed her the top portion of my bill and it mentioned nothing about needing a smog. Well I went and got the smog today and will head to AAA tomorrow to get the tags. If this happens again next year, I'll take the steps you mentioned.

[GRADS2112]

I have had to smog my '06 Ford diesel the last 3 years in a row. I thought all diesels had to be smogged every year now.

[WMC]

every other year for me

[Dribble]

I have had to smog my '06 Ford diesel the last 3 years in a row. I thought all diesels had to be smogged every year now.

Answer: For gas-powered vehicles the 1976 model year is the earliest model year vehicle required to participate in the biennial Smog Check Program. Vehicles six years old and newer are not required to participate in the biennial Smog Check Program.
For diesel-powered vehicles 1998 model year and newer 14,000lbs and less are subject to the biennial Smog Check Pragram. The six year exemption does not apply to diesel vehicles.

If you're getting the notice every year then BAR needs to be made aware of this.