Guide Updated 2026-10-30
Failed a smog check in California, what to do
If you fail, read the report, check your emissions warranty, repair the cause and retest, and use CAP, retirement or the $650 waiver if the bill is too big.
First, take a breath
A failed smog check feels like bad news. It is common, and it has a path. In 2025 about 959,667 California cars failed their first smog check. Most owners fix the problem and pass. This guide gives you the order of steps, the money that can help, and what to avoid.
Here is the short version. Read your report, check your warranty, get a written estimate, repair, and retest. If the repair is too big, you have help programs and a waiver to look at. Start with the report.
Step by step after a failed smog check
- Read your Vehicle Inspection Report. The station gives you a report listing why the car failed. It also lists any open safety recalls on your car. Keep it. You will need it for a warranty claim, for CAP and for a waiver.
- Do not clear codes or disconnect the battery. That resets the car's self tests and can cause a "not ready" fail at the retest. See readiness monitors.
- Check your emissions warranty. If your car is young enough, the maker pays. Call the dealer before a shop.
- Get a written estimate. Ask for the estimate in writing before any work starts. If you want a second opinion, get one.
- Look at money help. CAP, retirement and the waiver are below. Some of them require that you wait for approval before work starts.
- Repair the cause. Keep all receipts. A waiver counts only repairs at licensed smog repair stations, and CAP only pays at STAR test and repair stations.
- Drive, then retest. Give the car's monitors time to finish. Retest at any station, unless your DMV notice says STAR. In that case the retest that certifies the car must be at a STAR station.
Do not use a shortcut. Clean piping, fake scanners and paying for a pass are illegal, and the state pursues them. Read illegal smog check stations before you take one.
Your options at a glance
| Option | What you get | Main rule |
|---|---|---|
| Emissions warranty | A free repair from the maker or dealer | Car must be young enough (see table below) |
| CAP repair help | Up to $1,450 (1996 and newer) or $1,100 (1976 to 1995) | Income under 225% of the poverty level, failed a renewal check, CAP station repair |
| Vehicle retirement | $1,350, $1,500 or $2,000 for your car | Car drives under its own power and meets the condition list |
| Repair cost waiver | Requirement put off up to two years | At least $650 of eligible repairs and a second fail |
| Economic hardship extension | More time to repair | Low income owner, set by statute, very rare |
You can use more than one. For example, CAP repairs count toward the $650 you need for a waiver. We cover each one below.
Is it covered by warranty
This is the cheapest fix, so check it first. California certified cars carry an emissions warranty. In plain terms, any smog check failure in the first 3 years or 50,000 miles must be fixed free. High priced parts are covered longer.
| Coverage | What is covered | Length |
|---|---|---|
| California certified car | A smog check failure of any kind | 3 years or 50,000 miles |
| California certified car | High priced emissions parts | 7 years or 70,000 miles |
| PZEV car | Emissions parts | 15 years or 150,000 miles |
| PZEV hybrid | Hybrid battery | 10 years |
| Federal | Emissions defects | 2 years or 24,000 miles |
| Federal | Catalytic converter and engine computer | 8 years or 80,000 miles |
Ask the dealer about both the California and federal coverage. The CARB helpline at (800) 242-4450 can help with recall and warranty questions.
How much does the repair cost
Stations log the repairs they make on failed cars. These numbers are a floor, since not every repair gets logged. In 2025 they covered 46,033 vehicles. The average cost was $756.68.
What repairs cost after a failed smog check, 2025
| Repair cost | Vehicles | Share | Average cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1 to $100 | 6,023 | 13% | $54 |
| $101 to $250 | 9,633 | 21% | $178 |
| $251 to $500 | 8,531 | 19% | $368 |
| $501 to $650 | 3,857 | 8% | $575 |
| Over $650 | 17,989 | 39% | $1,525 |
The pattern is split. Many repairs are small. About 13% cost $100 or less and 21% cost $101 to $250. Yet 39% ran over $650, and those averaged $1,525. If your repair lands in that top band, the waiver and CAP matter.
Average reported emissions repair cost, 2019 to 2025
The average reported repair rose from $423 in 2019 to $757 in 2025. That is up 79%. Parts and labor have gone up, so it pays to compare quotes and read the estimate.
What the help looks like in dollars
CAP uses a simple rule. You pay 20% of the bill until the bill reaches the cap point, which is $1,812.50 for 1996 and newer cars and $1,375 for 1976 to 1995 cars. Past that point, you pay everything over $1,450 or $1,100. BAR gives one example. A $2,000 repair on a 1996 or newer car costs you $550.
| Repair bill | You pay on a 1996 and newer car | CAP pays | You pay on a 1976 to 1995 car | CAP pays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $200.00 | $800.00 | $200.00 | $800.00 |
| $1,812.50 | $362.50 | $1,450.00 | $712.50 | $1,100.00 |
| $2,000 | $550.00 | $1,450.00 | $900.00 | $1,100.00 |
| $3,000 | $1,550.00 | $1,450.00 | $1,900.00 | $1,100.00 |
Compare that with the average logged repair of $756.68. If your car is on the older side and your income fits, CAP could cut a $1,000 repair to $200 out of pocket. Ask your shop for a written estimate first, since the numbers above depend on the final bill.
If you fail again
Many people pass on the second try. Not all. In 2025 BAR counted 924,737 follow up tests, and about 142,670 of them failed. That is 15.4%, or about 1 in 6. If your car fails the retest, the first repair did not fix the real cause. Go back to the shop with the new report. A failed retest is also one of the steps toward a waiver.
CAP repair assistance
The Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) pays part of the repair for income eligible owners. The cap is $1,450 for 1996 and newer cars and $1,100 for 1976 to 1995 cars. You must be the registered owner and your car must have failed a renewal check. Do not start repairs before the eligibility letter arrives. BAR will not reimburse early work. The line is (866) 272-9642. Full details, income limits and a co-pay calculator are in our guide to CAP repair assistance.
Sell the car to the state
If the car is not worth the repair, the state will buy it and retire it. This is the vehicle retirement option in CAP.
| Retirement amount | Who gets it |
|---|---|
| $2,000 | Income eligible owner, and the car failed its most recent smog check |
| $1,500 | Income eligible owner, and the car had any smog test within 180 days, pass or fail |
| $1,350 | No income test, and the car failed its most recent smog check |
The car must drive in under its own power, weigh 10,000 lbs or less, and have continuous registration, meaning no lapse over 120 days in the past two years. It also needs its doors, hood, windshield, a bumper, exhaust and lights. You may retire one car per 12 months as sole owner. Failures caused only by ignition timing, a gas cap or tampering do not qualify for the $1,350 option.
The repair cost waiver
If you spent real money and the car still fails, the waiver can put off the requirement. The repair cost limit today is $650.
- Fail at a licensed station. Spend at least $650 on emissions repairs and diagnosis at licensed smog repair stations. Smog test fees do not count. CAP repairs do count.
- Retest and still fail. You need two failed reports and the receipts.
- Book the Referee. Call (800) 622-7733. Everyone starts with a virtual appointment. The call comes from a blocked number. If you miss it or no show, your file locks for 60 days.
- Document review. This takes about 3 to 5 business days. Then an onsite visit if needed. Pay onsite with Visa or Mastercard.
The waiver puts off the requirement by up to two years. You get one waiver per vehicle per owner. The car must be fixed by the next renewal check or at sale. It is not available for tampered cars, for sales, or on initial registration of out-of-state cars and similar vehicles. Owners of visible smoke failures qualify only if low or moderate income (up to 225% of the poverty level).
What the Smog Check Referee issued in 2025
In 2025 the Referee issued 550 waivers and 2 economic hardship extensions. It also issued 3,841 certificates of compliance. The Referee also handles disputes, citations, kit cars and engine swaps.
Special cases
- You are registering a car from another state. No repair cost waiver is available on an initial registration of an out-of-state, imported, engine swapped, alternate fuel or specially constructed car. The car must pass.
- You are selling. A failed change of ownership check does not qualify for CAP, since CAP needs a failed renewal check. The seller has to provide a valid certificate.
- Fleet and business cars. Government and private fleet vehicles are not eligible for waivers or CAP.
- Your address is wrong. If DMV shows an old address and the station cannot test, call the DCA Consumer Information Center at (800) 952-5210.
- You think the result is wrong. The Referee handles disputes. It took in 5,475 of them in 2025.
To lower the risk of a repeat, read why cars fail smog, and for the test itself read what happens during a smog check. For the light, see check engine light and smog. Prices are in smog check cost.
Questions people ask
What do I do if my car fails a smog check in California?
Read the Vehicle Inspection Report, check your emissions warranty, get a written estimate, repair the cause and retest. If the repair is big, look at CAP repair help, vehicle retirement and the repair cost waiver.
Can I retest at a different station?
Yes, at any licensed station. The exception is a car whose DMV notice says STAR. That car must get its certifying retest at a STAR station.
Is a failed smog check covered by warranty?
It can be. California certified cars carry a smog check failure warranty of 3 years or 50,000 miles, and 7 years or 70,000 miles for high priced parts. Federal coverage is 2 years or 24,000 miles, and 8 years or 80,000 miles for the catalytic converter and engine computer.
How much can CAP pay toward my repair?
Up to $1,450 for 1996 and newer cars and up to $1,100 for 1976 to 1995 cars. You pay a 20% co-pay up to the cap point, and everything above it. Owners must be income eligible, at or below 225% of the federal poverty level.
What is the repair cost waiver?
It postpones the smog requirement by up to two years after you spend at least $650 on eligible repairs and the car still fails. You get one waiver per vehicle per owner. The Smog Check Referee issues it.
How do I contact the Smog Check Referee?
Call (800) 622-7733. Everyone starts with a virtual appointment. If you miss the call or no show, your file is locked for 60 days.
Can the state buy my car if it fails smog?
Yes, through CAP vehicle retirement. It pays $2,000 or $1,500 to income eligible owners and $1,350 with no income test if the car failed its most recent check. The car must meet a condition list.
What if my car fails again after the repair?
About 15% of follow up tests failed in 2025. Take the new report back to the shop. A second fail plus at least $650 of eligible repairs is what opens the door to a waiver.
How much does a smog repair cost?
The average repair logged by stations in 2025 was $756.68. About 39% of repairs ran over $650 and averaged $1,525.