How badges work
Smog Station Awards
Every badge here comes from a fact we can show you. A state license, a STAR listing, a license date, or public reviews. Nobody can buy a badge, and no station can ask for one.
Verified Smog Station
Every station on this site holds this seal. We list a station only when it holds a smog check license on the state license file. We check the file again each month.
5,926 stations hold this badge.
BAR Licensed
The station license number is on the state license file kept for the Bureau of Automotive Repair. Stations BAR lists as on probation, or with an accusation filed, keep the seal only and get no other badge.
5,769 stations hold this badge.
Top Rated
A rating of 4.7 or higher on 25 or more public reviews.
1,194 stations hold this badge.
Highly Rated
A rating of 4.5 or higher on 10 or more public reviews. A station holds Top Rated or Highly Rated, never both.
666 stations hold this badge.
Best in Your City
One station per city. It needs at least 8 rated stations in that city with 10 or more reviews each. We rank them by rating weighted for review count, so a 5.0 on 12 reviews does not beat a 4.9 on 400.
123 stations hold this badge.
Most Reviewed
The station with the most public reviews in its city. The city needs at least 5 rated stations, the leader needs 25 or more reviews, and a tie gives no badge.
203 stations hold this badge.
STAR Certified
The state station locator lists the station as STAR certified. STAR stations can test cars the DMV sends to a STAR station.
2,831 stations hold this badge.
10+ Years Licensed
The state license date on file is 10 or more years ago.
2,331 stations hold this badge.
25+ Years Licensed
The state license date on file is 25 or more years ago.
736 stations hold this badge.
Cities With a Best in City Award
123 cities have enough rated stations for this award this year.
- Alhambra
- Anaheim
- Antioch
- Apple Valley
- Auburn
- Bakersfield
- Barstow
- Berkeley
- Burbank
- Camarillo
- Campbell
- Cathedral City
- Chico
- Chino
- Chula Vista
- Citrus Heights
- Clovis
- Concord
- Corona
- Costa Mesa
- Culver City
- Cypress
- Daly City
- Davis
- Dublin
- El Cajon
- Elk Grove
- Encinitas
- Escondido
- Fontana
- Fremont
- Fresno
- Fullerton
- Garden Grove
- Gardena
- Gilroy
- Glendale
- Glendora
- Grass Valley
- Hanford
- Hawthorne
- Hayward
- Hemet
- Hesperia
- Huntington Beach
- Indio
- La Habra
- La Puente
- Lake Forest
- Lancaster
- Lemon Grove
- Livermore
- Lodi
- Lompoc
- Long Beach
- Los Angeles
- Madera
- Merced
- Mission Viejo
- Modesto
- Moreno Valley
- Morgan Hill
- Mountain View
- Murrieta
- Napa
- National City
- Oakland
- Oceanside
- Orange
- Oxnard
- Palm Desert
- Palmdale
- Pasadena
- Placerville
- Pomona
- Porterville
- Poway
- Rancho Cordova
- Rancho Cucamonga
- Redding
- Redlands
- Redwood City
- Richmond
- Riverside
- Roseville
- Sacramento
- Salinas
- San Bernardino
- San Clemente
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- San Leandro
- San Luis Obispo
- San Marcos
- San Ramon
- Santa Ana
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Clara
- Santa Cruz
- Santa Maria
- Santa Rosa
- Santee
- Seaside
- Simi Valley
- South Gate
- Stockton
- Sunnyvale
- Temecula
- Thousand Oaks
- Torrance
- Tulare
- Turlock
- Upland
- Vacaville
- Vallejo
- Ventura
- Victorville
- Visalia
- Vista
- Westminster
- Whittier
- Yuba City
How to Check a Badge
Each station has a badge check page at a web address that starts with /verify/. It shows every badge the station holds, why it was given and the date we checked. If a badge on a station website does not link back to a page on this site, do not trust it.
For Station Owners
Open your station page and scroll to Get Your Badge. Pick a badge, copy the code and paste it into your site. The badge links back to your station page. You can tick the nofollow box first if your web person asks for it. Badges are worked out again each year from the same rules.