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CALIFORNIA CLEAN TRUCK CHECK REQUIREMENTS HAVE COME INTO FORCE

01/31/2025

Clean Truck Check regulations were approved by California regulatory bodies in 2021 and have now come into force. The owners of certain vehicles must now submit emission control tests and pay compliance fees. See below to find out if the regulations apply to you, and, if so, what you must do to comply.

Clean Truck Check applies to vehicles with a gross-vehicle weight rating over 14,000 pounds and operating on California public highways, even if not registered in the state. Fortunately, most last-mile owner/operators use vehicles too light to qualify; even full-size vans top out at approximately 11,000 pounds. If you do own a qualifying vehicle, however, you must submit a compliance fee and a passing emissions test twice annually.[1] The timing for California vehicles is determined by the expiration month of the vehicle’s DMV registration, so that compliance deadlines fall on that month and the month six months before/after. For vehicles registered outside California it depends on the last digit of the VIN. (See Table II at https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/clean-truck-check-requirements-vehicles-subject-semi-annual-compliance .)

If your vehicle has an onboard diagnostics (OBD) system, you need only extract test data with a certified testing device. Without an OBD, you will require a visual inspection of the emissions control system, and diesel engines will additionally require a smoke opacity test. Smoke tests must be performed by a credentialed tester with an approved smoke meter, but it is possible to become a credentialed tester yourself with a free online course at https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/inspection-and-maintenance-program/hd-im-tester-training-course-and-exam , so that you can perform the smoke tests yourself. 


[1] This will increase to four times annually in October 2027, but only for vehicles with onboard diagnostics.

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