Hear from Our Customers
Your trucks pass DMV registration without holds or delays. You avoid fines that start at $1,000 and climb to $75,000 per day. Your drivers don’t get pulled over by CHP for compliance violations.
You maintain access to California ports and rail yards where non-compliant trucks get turned away at the gate. Your business keeps running while competitors scramble to fix violations they didn’t know existed.
CARB compliance isn’t optional anymore. Starting January 1, 2024, every truck operating in California needs proof of compliance. That means semi-annual emissions testing for trucks model year 2013 or newer with a GVWR over 14,000 pounds. Miss a test or fail to report, and your registration gets flagged. Your truck becomes illegal to operate.
We handle the testing, the reporting, and the headaches. You get back to running your business.
All SMOG Motors was founded by people who spent 25 years as owner-operators in construction. We’ve dealt with CARB regulations firsthand. We know what it’s like to get hit with penalties you didn’t see coming.
That’s why we became CARB credentialed testers. We can perform the smoke opacity tests and OBD emissions checks that keep your heavy-duty trucks legal across California.
Highgrove sits in the heart of California’s freight corridor, where trucking regulations hit harder than most places. The local economy depends on transportation and warehousing, which means CARB enforcement is constant. We serve truck owners throughout the Inland Empire who need testing done right the first time, without taking their trucks out of service for days.
We bring the testing equipment to your location anywhere in California. No need to drive your truck to a shop and wait around.
For trucks with OBD systems (most 2013+ diesel engines), we connect to your onboard diagnostics, run the emissions check, and verify your system is reporting correctly. For non-OBD trucks, we perform smoke opacity testing and visual inspections of your emissions control systems.
The test takes about 30 minutes per truck. If you pass, we submit the results directly to CARB and handle the compliance reporting. You get documentation for your records and proof of compliance for DMV registration.
If something fails, we tell you exactly what needs fixing before you can retest. You have a 90-day window before your compliance deadline to submit a passing test, which gives you time to make repairs without penalties.
We’re available 24/7 because we know your trucks don’t run on a 9-to-5 schedule. We also keep records of your testing history so you’re never scrambling to prove compliance during an audit.
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You get mobile testing at your location, which means your trucks stay on your property instead of sitting at a shop. We perform both OBD emissions testing and smoke opacity testing depending on your truck’s equipment.
Every test includes visual inspection of emissions control systems, verification of proper equipment installation, and confirmation that your truck meets current CARB standards. We submit passing results directly to CARB and provide you with compliance documentation.
In Highgrove and throughout the Inland Empire, heavy-duty trucks face stricter scrutiny because of the region’s air quality challenges. CARB collected $21.5 million in penalties in 2022, and a significant portion came from the transportation sector in Southern California. Local enforcement targets non-compliant trucks at weigh stations, ports, and during routine traffic stops.
We also help if you’ve already received a violation notice. We can communicate directly with CARB on your behalf and have successfully negotiated reduced penalties for clients who take immediate action to come into compliance.
If your truck is model year 2013 or newer and has a GVWR over 14,000 pounds, yes. This isn’t a local Highgrove rule. It’s a statewide California requirement under the Clean Truck Check program.
You need semi-annual emissions testing, which means twice per year. You also need to pay annual compliance fees and submit reports to CARB. Starting in October 2027, trucks with OBD systems will need testing four times per year instead of two.
If you operate in California at all, even if you’re based out of state, your truck needs to comply. CARB doesn’t care where your registration is from. If the truck drives on California roads, it needs to meet California standards.
DMV blocks your registration renewal. Your truck becomes illegal to operate in California, and if you drive it anyway, you’re looking at fines starting at $1,000 per violation.
CARB can also issue penalties up to $10,000 per vehicle per day for operating without compliance. CHP actively checks for compliance during roadside inspections and at weigh stations. If your truck isn’t registered properly because of a compliance issue, they can impound it.
You also lose access to ports and rail yards. Most California ports require proof of CARB compliance before allowing trucks through the gate. One missed test can shut down your ability to pick up or deliver loads at major facilities throughout the state.
Testing costs vary based on your truck’s configuration and whether it has OBD systems. The test itself is one expense. The annual CARB compliance fee is separate and required regardless of testing.
What’s more expensive is non-compliance. Fines start at $1,000 and can reach $75,000 per day depending on the violation. We’ve seen trucking companies hit with penalties exceeding $50,000 for operating multiple non-compliant vehicles.
Mobile testing costs more than driving to a shop, but you save on downtime. If your truck sits at a testing facility for half a day, you’re losing revenue. We come to you, test on your schedule, and get you back to work faster. The ROI is in keeping your trucks operating instead of parked.
Our CARB compliance service specifically covers trucks model year 2013 or newer with a GVWR over 14,000 pounds. That’s the category subject to Clean Truck Check requirements and HD I/M testing.
Older trucks and lighter vehicles have different requirements. Pre-2013 trucks may fall under other CARB regulations depending on their use and weight class. Vehicles under 14,000 GVWR typically go through standard smog check programs, not the heavy-duty emissions testing we perform.
If your truck doesn’t meet the 2013+ and 14,000+ GVWR criteria, the Clean Truck Check program doesn’t apply to you. You may still have other CARB obligations depending on your truck’s age and how you use it, but they’re handled through different testing programs.
Right now, you need emissions testing twice per year for trucks model year 2013 or newer with GVWR over 14,000 pounds. That’s the semi-annual requirement under Clean Truck Check.
Starting October 2027, the frequency increases to four times per year for OBD-equipped vehicles. CARB is tightening the testing schedule to catch emissions issues faster and reduce the number of non-compliant trucks on California roads.
You can submit a passing test up to 90 days before your compliance deadline, which gives you flexibility to schedule around your operations. We recommend testing early in that window so if something fails, you have time to fix it and retest without missing your deadline.
OBD testing connects to your truck’s onboard diagnostic system to check emissions data directly from the engine computer. Most 2013 and newer diesel engines have OBD systems that monitor emissions in real time. We plug into that system and verify it’s reporting correctly and meeting CARB standards.
Smoke opacity testing measures visible smoke coming from your exhaust. For trucks without OBD systems, we use specialized equipment to test how much particulate matter your truck is emitting. We also do visual inspections of emissions control equipment to make sure everything is installed and functioning properly.
Which test your truck needs depends on its equipment. Some trucks require both. We determine the correct testing protocol based on your truck’s year, engine type, and GVWR, then perform whichever tests CARB requires for your specific vehicle.
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