Hear from Our Customers
Starting January 2025, semi-annual clean truck check testing became mandatory for heavy-duty diesel trucks with 2013 or newer engines over 14,000 pounds GVWR. Miss your test window and the DMV puts a registration hold on your truck. That means no tags, no legal operation, and your rig sits until you’re compliant again.
We handle the entire CARB compliance process so you don’t lose days figuring it out. Our credentialed testers bring certified OBD equipment to your location in Temple City or anywhere across Los Angeles County. We run the test, upload results directly to CARB’s system, and your vehicle status updates within 24 to 48 hours.
You’re not dealing with a shop that makes you wait in line or drop off your truck for half a day. You schedule a time that works, we show up, and you’re back to work. If you got flagged with a Notice to Submit to Testing during a roadside check, we get you compliant before that 30-day deadline hits and enforcement starts knocking.
All SMOG Motors has been handling California emissions compliance for over 15 years. We’re not a general repair shop that added CARB testing as a side service. This is what we do, and we’ve been doing it since before the clean truck check program even existed.
Temple City and the surrounding San Gabriel Valley have thousands of owner-operators and small fleets running through the 10, the 60, and local distribution routes. You’re dealing with tighter regulations every year, and CARB isn’t slowing down. By 2027, OBD-equipped trucks will need quarterly testing. Right now, it’s twice a year, and most operators are still figuring out how to stay ahead of it.
We work with drivers who can’t afford to park a truck for a day. Our mobile service keeps your schedule intact, and our team knows exactly what CARB requires because we passed their credentialing exam and stay current on every regulatory update.
First, you call or message us with your truck details. We need the VIN, model year, and GVWR to confirm eligibility. This service only applies to trucks with 2013 or newer engines and a gross vehicle weight rating over 14,000 pounds. If your truck doesn’t meet those specs, CARB’s clean truck check program doesn’t apply to you yet.
Once we confirm your truck qualifies, we schedule a time that works for your operation. Most appointments in Temple City and nearby areas in LA County can happen same-day or next-day. We bring the certified testing equipment to your yard, terminal, or wherever your truck is parked.
The actual OBD test takes about 15 to 20 minutes. We plug into your truck’s onboard diagnostics system, pull the emissions data, and check for any fault codes or readiness issues. If your truck passes, we upload the results to CARB’s CTC-VIS system right there on-site. You get a confirmation, and CARB updates your compliance status within 24 to 48 hours. If there’s a DMV registration hold, it lifts automatically once CARB processes the passing test.
If your truck doesn’t pass, we’ll tell you exactly what’s flagged and what needs fixing before you can retest. We don’t do the repairs ourselves, but we’ll point you in the right direction so you’re not guessing.
Ready to get started?
You’re paying for a CARB-credentialed tester to come to your location with certified equipment, run an OBD emissions test on your 2013 or newer heavy-duty truck, and upload passing results to the state’s compliance database. That’s the core service, and it’s what keeps your registration active and your truck legal to operate in California.
But you’re also paying for speed and convenience. Temple City sits right in the heart of LA County’s logistics corridor. Trucks move through here constantly, and downtime costs you money. Our mobile service means you don’t drive to a testing station, wait in line, or leave your truck overnight. We work around your schedule, not the other way around.
You’re also getting someone who understands CARB’s rules inside and out. The clean truck check program is still new enough that a lot of operators don’t know when they need to test, what happens if they miss a deadline, or how to handle a Notice to Submit to Testing. We’ve been through hundreds of these tests, and we know what CARB looks for. If you’ve got a registration hold, we know how to clear it fast. If you’re managing a small fleet, we’ll help you stay on top of testing schedules so you’re never scrambling at the last minute.
Temple City and the San Gabriel Valley have a high concentration of small trucking operations. Most of the fleets here are under ten trucks, and a lot of drivers are owner-operators. You don’t have a compliance department. You’re doing this yourself, and CARB doesn’t care. They’ll fine you $1,000 to $75,000 per day for non-compliance, and they’ll hold your registration until you fix it. We make sure that doesn’t happen.
No. The clean truck check program only applies to heavy-duty trucks with model year 2013 or newer engines and a gross vehicle weight rating over 14,000 pounds. If your truck has a 2012 or older engine, you’re not required to participate in this testing program yet.
CARB set that cutoff because 2013 was when EPA emissions standards changed and OBD systems became more advanced. The clean truck check uses onboard diagnostics to monitor emissions performance, and older trucks don’t have the right OBD setup for this kind of testing. If you’re running older equipment, you might still have other CARB requirements depending on your operation, but the semi-annual clean truck check doesn’t apply to you.
If you’re not sure what year your engine is, check the emissions label under your hood or look at your vehicle registration. The engine model year is what matters here, not the truck’s chassis year. Some trucks have older engines swapped in, and that can affect eligibility.
Most registration holds clear within 24 to 48 hours after CARB processes your passing test results. We upload your results to the CTC-VIS system immediately after testing, but CARB has to update their database and communicate with the DMV before the hold lifts.
You won’t get a phone call or email confirmation when it clears. You can check your status by logging into the CTC-VIS portal or calling the DMV directly. If it’s been longer than 48 hours and your hold is still active, that usually means there’s another issue on your account, like unpaid fees or a separate compliance problem.
If you’re in a situation where you need to get back on the road fast, passing the clean truck check is the first step. But the hold won’t lift instantly. Plan for at least a day or two of processing time. If you’re up against a deadline, don’t wait until the last minute to schedule your test.
If your truck fails, you’ll get a report showing exactly what triggered the failure. Most failures come from fault codes in the OBD system, readiness monitor issues, or emissions levels that exceed CARB’s thresholds. We’ll walk you through what the codes mean and what needs to be addressed before you can retest.
You’ll need to get the problem fixed before scheduling another test. We don’t do mechanical repairs, but we can point you toward shops that handle heavy-duty diesel work. Once the repairs are done, you’ll need to drive the truck for a bit to make sure the OBD system resets and all readiness monitors complete. If you retest too soon, you might fail again just because the system hasn’t cycled through yet.
After the repairs and drive cycle, you can schedule a retest. There’s no limit on how many times you can test, but every test costs money and takes time. If you’re dealing with a DMV hold or a Notice to Submit to Testing, you’re on a clock. Get the repairs done right the first time so you’re not burning days on multiple failed tests.
Yes. Every truck subject to the clean truck check program has to be registered in CARB’s CTC-VIS system, and you have to pay the annual compliance fee before you can submit test results. If you haven’t registered yet, your test results won’t upload, and you won’t get credit for passing.
Registration is free, but the annual fee is $35 per vehicle. You pay it once a year, and it covers your compliance reporting for that period. If you’re running multiple trucks, you’ll need to register each one individually and pay the fee for each vehicle. CARB won’t process your test results until that fee is paid.
We can help you figure out if your truck is already registered or walk you through the registration process if you’re setting it up for the first time. It’s not complicated, but it’s one more thing you have to do before your first test. If you’re getting close to a testing deadline or you’ve already got a DMV hold, don’t skip this step. Without CTC-VIS registration, your test doesn’t count.
We’re based near Temple City, but we bring our mobile testing service to you. That means we can test your truck at your yard, your terminal, or wherever it’s parked across Los Angeles County. You don’t have to drive to us.
Most of our appointments in Temple City, Alhambra, Monterey Park, El Monte, Pasadena, and the surrounding San Gabriel Valley happen same-day or next-day. If you’re farther out in LA County, we can usually still accommodate you within a day or two depending on our schedule. The point of mobile testing is to save you time and keep your truck working, so we make it as easy as possible.
If you’ve got multiple trucks that need testing, we can knock them all out in one visit. Fleet pricing is available, and scheduling everything at once is a lot more efficient than bringing trucks in one at a time. Just let us know how many vehicles you need tested and where they’re located, and we’ll set it up.
Right now, testing is required twice a year. CARB rolled out semi-annual testing in January 2025, and that’s the current standard for all heavy-duty trucks with 2013 or newer engines over 14,000 pounds GVWR. You’ll get notified when your testing window opens, and you have a set period to complete the test and submit results.
By 2027, CARB is moving to quarterly testing for OBD-equipped trucks. That means four times a year instead of two. The goal is to catch emissions issues faster and keep trucks running cleaner, but it also means more frequent appointments and tighter compliance schedules.
If you get flagged during a roadside emissions check, you might also receive a Notice to Submit to Testing. That gives you 30 days to complete a passing test, regardless of where you are in your regular testing cycle. Missing that deadline triggers enforcement action, which can include fines and registration holds. The best way to avoid surprises is to stay on top of your regular testing schedule and make sure your truck is maintained well enough to pass when the time comes.
Local Resources
Useful Links
Other Services we provide in Temple City
