California Smog Check Interval Question

This is a new one to me. FWIW - I've lived in California numerous times and smogged many, many vehicles.

So last year (2020) in August I purchased a 98 Grand Prix GTP that was already registered in CA. The seller forgot to follow the rules and have it pre-smog checked so after I took possession of the car I went and had it smogged at a STAR certified station - where it passed with flying colors - and then I submitted my title transfer paperwork and got my new title from the DMV in September.

For the past 30-ish years I have come to expect that I will not need to smog check my car again until 2 years from the previous check. That would mean that my 1st tag renewal in 2021 should NOT require smog but the tag renewal in 2022 WILL require smog.

So last week the 2021 renewal notice comes in the mail and they want me to smog check at a STAR station AGAIN - just 11 months after I did the 1st freakin one.

Or am I just getting old and don't know that smog checks are every 1 year? Or am I right about the 2 year cycle - but the does the DMV not reset it's clock at time of title transfer and the car is still on the original smog cycle clock from the PO? 

No reset from title transfer is what I have been told. Happens to me all the time. 

It’s every two years.

And yeah, it didn’t reset when you had it sniffed. You should be able to let them know and not have to do it again.

The seller should have had the smog checked, not the buyer. Your responsible for smog checking every two years on the original schedule.
I seriously doubt the DMV is going to let you skip your upcoming smog check. To much work for the counter jockey.

I've dodged the bullet a few times in CA by buying a car that hasn't been smogged and then I handled it.  It never bit me, but boy-howdy it sure can bite you.

What others have said is correct.  The sniffer for a transfer doesn't reset the schedule.  I often gave consideration to when I sold a car based on how much of the smog time I've used :)

Of course, nearly all of what I drove when I was out there was intentionally old enough that I didn't need to worry about it.

Yep, as others mention, transfer of title does not reset the original smog schedule, which is why it's supposed to be the sellers responsibility to take care of it. They left you a nice "gift" for sure.

Sucks to have to smog it again, but once you do, it should be two years as usual until you have to do it again.  The answer, as Curtis points out, is to never own a car newer than 1975 model year (or a diesel newer than 1997) and say goodbye to smog checks forever.

In reply to jerrysarcastic (Forum Supporter) :

Or move to a County that doesn't smog

And.......you can get hit with doing it every year 

We have a Nissan Pick-up and we need to do it every year , I guess the DMV computer decides which cars they would want off the road  and makes you do it yearly !

But last year they offered $1500 if we would scrap it  for pollution ,

In reply to thashane :

The state dictates smog tests in CA, not the county. Unless that changed since I moved away...

In reply to thatsnowinnebago :

There are several no biennial smog counties, unless it's changed in the last couple of years. I think you still smog on change of ownership, but not biennial. 

In reply to thashane :

That's wild. I lived there for almost 30 years and never knew some zip codes only did smog checks on change of ownership. 

In reply to thatsnowinnebago :

I'm almost surrounded by Counties that don't smog and am jealous. It's still illegal to tamper with emissions equipment, but... still jealous

I had no idea either. What counties?

Del Norte County in the far northwest corner of California (AKA Baja Oregon) only requires smog on vehicle title transfer or bringing a vehicle in from out of state.  My understanding is that Humbolt, Lake, and Inyo Counties are the same.

I believe pre-1975 vehicles are exempt

The countries in CA which do not require smog check are El Dorado, Riverside, Placer, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Sonoma
 

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/vehicle-industry-registration-procedures-manual-2/appendix-1c-partial-biennial-smog-counties-zip-codes/
 

I had no idea either and it really makes no sense.  San Diego and San Bernardino are very much in smoggy areas (I assume those are all the zip codes in the county).  Sonoma is in the Bay Area.

Catalina does not require any checks, but that clearly makes sense.  It's mostly golf carts anyway.

aircooled said:

The countries in CA which do not require smog check are El Dorado, Riverside, Placer, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Sonoma
 

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/vehicle-industry-registration-procedures-manual-2/appendix-1c-partial-biennial-smog-counties-zip-codes/
 

I had no idea either and it really makes no sense.  San Diego and San Bernardino are very much in smoggy areas (I assume those are all the zip codes in the county).  Sonoma is in the Bay Area.

Catalina does not require any checks, but that clearly makes sense.  It's mostly golf carts anyway.

It's not that they don't require them, but they're "smog on transfer" (when you sell it) rather than biennial.  There are a lot more counties than just those, as well.

Also, I'm pretty sure that within many of those counties it's by zip code, with the urban areas being biennial.  San Bernardino county would be the 42nd largest state by area -- it's bigger than Maryland.