{"id":3788,"date":"2026-04-16T09:18:32","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T09:18:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.way.com\/ask\/?p=3788"},"modified":"2026-04-16T09:18:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T09:18:32","slug":"how-to-pass-a-smog-check","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.way.com\/ask\/how-to-pass-a-smog-check\/","title":{"rendered":"How to pass a smog check?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Your car needs to undergo\u00a0a smog check to\u00a0ensure that it is\u00a0not emitting harmful pollutants to\u00a0the\u00a0environment.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In addition, it is\u00a0a legal\u00a0requirement,\u00a0too.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated strict guidelines for automobile emissions to limit exposure to dangerous chemicals. This is tested during a smog check. However, vintage vehicles and those built before 1975, electric cars, and some diesel automobiles are\u00a0exempt\u00a0from the test. \u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A smog check is needed when you renew your vehicle registration,\u00a0when there is a\u00a0change\u00a0of ownership, and in the state of\u00a0California;\u00a0it\u00a0must be done for registering for the first time\u00a0there.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>How to pass a smog check?<\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">There are no shortcuts to passing a smog check. However, there are a few steps you can\u00a0take before going for a smog check.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Make sure the check engine light is off.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Wait at least two weeks after replacing your battery before taking your vehicle for the test.<\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Restore\u00a0modified\u00a0software to the\u00a0manufacturer&#8217;s\u00a0original\u00a0settings.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">An oil change before the smog check will\u00a0result in a cleaner engine.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Heat the catalytic converter before the test by driving for 20 minutes.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fill your tires to ensure proper tire pressure.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">How long does a smog test\u00a0take?<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;134245418&quot;:true,&quot;134245529&quot;:true,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:299,&quot;335559739&quot;:299}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A smog test is not a very cumbersome process, and it would take only about 10 to 20 minutes to get it done. You&#8217;ll<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0get a smog certificate or vehicle inspection report. If your car clears the test, the information will be\u00a0sent to the\u00a0DMV or the concerned authorities, and you can register your car.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">You can also get your vehicle sticker right there at the smog checking center. However, this might cost you a small &#8220;convenience fee&#8221; for the privilege you&#8217;re getting. \u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In addition, to avoid lengthy queues for a smog test, visit a smog check center outside peak times. Try to avoid weekends whenever possible. Going there on a weekday afternoon could be a safer option for a quick exit.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your car needs to undergo\u00a0a smog check to\u00a0ensure that it is\u00a0not emitting harmful pollutants to\u00a0the\u00a0environment.\u00a0In addition, it is\u00a0a legal\u00a0requirement,\u00a0too.\u00a0\u00a0 The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated strict guidelines for automobile emissions to limit exposure to dangerous chemicals. This is tested during a smog check. However, vintage vehicles and those built before 1975, electric&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.way.com\/ask\/how-to-pass-a-smog-check\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">How to pass a smog check?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-car-repair-maintenance","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to pass a smog check?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to pass a smog check with simple tips, including pre-test steps, common failure reasons, and how to improve your car\u2019s emissions.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.way.com\/ask\/how-to-pass-a-smog-check\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to pass a smog check?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how to pass a smog check with simple tips, including pre-test steps, common failure reasons, and how to improve your car\u2019s emissions.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.way.com\/ask\/how-to-pass-a-smog-check\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ask\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-16T09:18:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sara Sam\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sara Sam\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.way.com\/ask\/how-to-pass-a-smog-check\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.way.com\/ask\/how-to-pass-a-smog-check\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sara Sam\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.way.com\/ask\/#\/schema\/person\/7c179bf702fc573f9b729ffaaec1e97b\"},\"headline\":\"How to pass a smog check?\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-16T09:18:32+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.way.com\/ask\/how-to-pass-a-smog-check\/\"},\"wordCount\":336,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.way.com\/ask\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Car Repair &amp; 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