Hear from Our Customers
Your trucks stay registered. That’s the bottom line.
When you’re compliant with California’s Clean Truck Check program, you don’t get hit with registration holds that ground your fleet. You don’t scramble to find a tester at the last minute. You don’t lose days of revenue because a truck can’t legally operate.
You get documentation that satisfies the DMV. You get peace of mind that your 2013 or newer trucks with a GVWR over 14,000 pounds meet CARB emissions testing standards. And you get to focus on running your business instead of chasing down compliance paperwork.
The testing itself checks your truck’s onboard diagnostics system—the OBD data that CARB uses to verify your emissions control equipment is working. If your truck passes, you’re clear. If it doesn’t, you know exactly what needs fixing before the state comes knocking.
This isn’t about being the greenest fleet in Lakewood. It’s about avoiding penalties that start at $1,000 and can climb to $75,000 per day. It’s about keeping your trucks working.
We’ve been serving Lakewood and the surrounding Los Angeles area since 2015. We’re CARB credentialed testers, which means we’ve completed the certification required to send results directly to CARB—and we renew that credential every two years.
We’re not a general smog shop that does a little bit of everything. We focus on heavy-duty vehicle compliance for 2013 and newer trucks. That’s what we know, and that’s what Lakewood fleet operators and owner-operators come to us for.
The trucking corridor that runs through Lakewood means there’s constant demand for reliable CARB compliance testing. You need someone local who understands the regulations, has the right equipment, and won’t waste your time. That’s what we do.
You bring your truck in, or we come to you if that makes more sense for your operation. We’re talking about trucks that are model year 2013 or newer with a GVWR over 14,000 pounds—those are the vehicles required to undergo OBD testing under California’s regulations.
We connect a CARB-approved OBD test device to your truck’s diagnostic port. This scans the engine’s onboard diagnostics data to check if your emissions control systems are functioning properly. The test looks for fault codes, monitors readiness status, and verifies that everything meets CARB standards.
If your truck passes, we submit the results directly to CARB through their system. You get documentation that proves compliance, and your registration stays active. The whole process typically takes about 30 minutes if there are no issues.
If your truck doesn’t pass, we’ll tell you exactly what the problem is. You’ll need to get those issues repaired and then come back for a retest. The state gives you 30 days from the date of a Notice to Submit to Testing, so time matters.
Starting in October 2027, OBD-equipped vehicles will need testing four times per year instead of the current semi-annual schedule. That’s coming whether you like it or not, so it’s worth building this into your maintenance routine now.
Ready to get started?
You get a full OBD scan using CARB-certified equipment. That’s the baseline—it’s what the state requires, and it’s what we’re credentialed to perform.
You also get documentation that’s ready for the DMV. Our reporting database tracks your compliance history, so if you ever need to pull records or prove testing was completed, it’s there. No digging through file cabinets or lost paperwork.
In Lakewood, where the Port of Long Beach and the 710 corridor create heavy commercial traffic, enforcement is aggressive. Roadside emissions monitoring started in January 2023, and if your truck gets flagged as a high emitter, you’ll receive a Notice to Submit to Testing. You’ve got 30 days to pass a compliance test or your registration gets suspended.
The annual compliance fee is $32.13 as of January 2026, and it adjusts every year based on California’s Consumer Price Index. That’s separate from the testing cost, but it’s part of what you’re paying to keep your trucks legal in this state.
This isn’t optional. If your truck operates on California public roads and highways, it needs to be compliant before it rolls out. The state isn’t flexible about this, and neither should you be.
Yes, if your truck operates in California. The Clean Truck Check program applies to all heavy-duty trucks over 14,000 pounds GVWR that use California public roads, regardless of where they’re registered.
Out-of-state trucks aren’t exempt just because they have Nevada, Arizona, or Oregon plates. If you’re running freight through Lakewood or anywhere else in California, you’re subject to the same compliance requirements as California-registered vehicles.
CARB uses roadside emissions monitoring to flag high-emitting trucks. If your out-of-state truck gets caught, you’ll receive a Notice to Submit to Testing and have 30 days to comply. If you don’t, California can prevent your vehicle from operating here, which effectively shuts down your routes through the state.
You’ll need to get it repaired and retested. The test results will show you exactly what failed—usually it’s a fault code in the emissions control system or a readiness monitor that isn’t set.
You have options for where to get the repairs done. Any qualified diesel mechanic can handle most emissions-related issues, but you’ll want someone who understands CARB requirements so the fix actually solves the problem.
Once repairs are complete, you come back for a retest. If you received a Notice to Submit to Testing from the state, you’re working against a 30-day deadline. Miss that, and your registration gets suspended. If you’re just doing routine compliance testing, you have a bit more flexibility, but you still can’t legally operate until the truck passes.
Right now, it’s semi-annual—twice a year. But that’s changing.
Starting in October 2027, trucks with OBD-equipped engines will need testing four times per year. That’s every three months, which is a significant increase from the current schedule.
The state is ramping up testing frequency because they want to catch emissions problems faster. A truck that passes in January could develop a fault by March, and under the old schedule, that problem wouldn’t get caught until July. The new schedule tightens that window.
For fleet operators in Lakewood, this means building compliance testing into your regular maintenance cycle. Treat it like oil changes or tire rotations—something that happens on a predictable schedule, not something you scramble to handle at the last minute.
No. You need a CARB credentialed tester who’s certified to test heavy-duty vehicles.
Regular smog check stations handle passenger cars and light-duty trucks. They’re not equipped to test heavy-duty trucks over 14,000 pounds GVWR, and they’re not credentialed to submit results to CARB’s Clean Truck Check system.
Only testers who’ve completed CARB’s certification program can perform these tests. That certification has to be renewed every two years, and it requires using CARB-approved OBD test devices that meet specific standards.
If you go to the wrong place, you’ll waste time and money on a test that doesn’t count. Make sure whoever you’re working with is credentialed for heavy-duty vehicle compliance before you schedule anything.
The DMV will suspend your registration. That’s the immediate consequence—your truck can’t legally operate on California roads until you get compliant.
Beyond that, fines start at $1,000 per violation and can go as high as $75,000 per day for repeat offenders or fleets that ignore compliance requirements. The state doesn’t mess around with this.
If you’re caught operating a non-compliant truck, you’re looking at citations, potential impoundment, and lost revenue while your truck sits idle. For owner-operators, that’s a direct hit to your income. For fleets, it’s a truck that’s not generating revenue but still costing you money in insurance, payments, and overhead.
The cost of staying compliant—testing fees, minor repairs, and the annual compliance fee—is a fraction of what you’ll pay if you let things slide. It’s not worth gambling on.
Yes, both. The Clean Truck Check program covers diesel trucks, hybrid trucks, and other alternative fuel heavy-duty vehicles over 14,000 pounds GVWR.
If your truck has an OBD system and meets the weight requirement, it’s subject to testing. That includes natural gas trucks, propane trucks, and hybrid models—not just traditional diesel engines.
The testing process is the same regardless of fuel type. We’re scanning the OBD data to verify that emissions control equipment is working properly. The specific fault codes and readiness monitors might differ slightly between fuel types, but the compliance requirement is universal.
Lakewood sees a mix of diesel and alternative fuel trucks because of the port traffic and the push toward cleaner fleets. No matter what you’re running, if it’s 2013 or newer and over 14,000 pounds, it needs to be tested.
Local Resources
Useful Links
Other Services we provide in Lakewood
