AppointDo I need a Clean Truck Check for my truck in California?
Yes, if you drive a diesel or alternative-fuel truck with a gross vehicle weight rating over 14,000 lbs in California, including trucks registered in another state. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) program, called Clean Truck Check, requires you to report the truck in CARB's online system, pay an annual compliance fee (about $32 per truck for 2026) and pass emissions tests, twice a year in 2026, done by a CARB-credentialed tester. CARB plans more frequent testing for trucks with on-board diagnostics from about late 2027. A truck that is not compliant can have its California registration held.
Key facts
- Applies to non-gasoline heavy-duty vehicles over 14,000 lbs GVWR operating in California, including out-of-state and Mexican-plated trucks.
- The annual compliance fee is paid per vehicle in CARB's Clean Truck Check system (CTC-VIS); it is about $32 for 2026.
- Periodic emissions tests are due twice a year in 2026 and must be done by a CARB-credentialed tester; many testers come to your yard.
- CARB can block DMV registration for a non-compliant California-registered truck.
What owner-operators should do
- Create an account in CARB's Clean Truck Check system (CTC-VIS) and add every truck.
- Pay the annual fee for each truck in the same system.
- Book the test with a CARB-credentialed tester before each deadline. Deadlines are based on the truck's DMV registration date.
- Keep the check engine light off. A truck with active fault codes fails the on-board diagnostics test; fix it at a heavy-duty repair shop first.
Rules, fees and test frequency are changing in 2026–2027. Check the current schedule on the CARB Clean Truck Check page before a deadline.
Passenger cars and light trucks are not part of this program; they use the regular smog check (see diesel smog check).
Next step
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