Is the thought of the smog test making you anxious? Can you get it done out of state with less stringent requirements?
Your motorcycle needs an emissions test in California if it is 8 years old or older. All vehicles must be smogged, and unfortunately, your motorcycle is no exception. If it fails, you cannot register your motorcycle.
Do motorcycles need to be smogged in California?
Yes, California has a strict policy for smog testing of motorcycles. Motorcycles make up 3.6% of the traffic in California, so that smog testing could be seen as a punitive measure from the legislature.
Surprisingly, motorcycles are 14 times more polluting for every mile travelled than cars!
New motorcycle emissions meet the strict euro 5 standards which are very tight limits for emissions such as 0.1g/km for non-methane!
Ok, you have to admit that older motorcycles can chug out a little smoke, but the California legislature is determined to take these older motorcycles off the road at some point.
How often do you have to smog a motorcycle in California?
Smog tests are every two years if your motorcycle is 8 years old or more. If you are selling your motorcycle that is 4 years old, you will need a smog test to get the motorcycle registered.
When you sell your motorcycle, you must give a smog test certificate with the motorcycle, which lasts for 90 days.
Newer motorcycles are exempt, but you don’t get away that lightly. You have to pay an abatement fee at the time of registration.
If you fail the smog test twice, it is possible to get a smog waiver! You will need to bring receipts staging the repairs that have been undertaken and hope it meets the criteria of the smog waiver.
Not all counties in California require a smog test certificate, such as San Diego, which is a welcome reprieve from this onerous punitive system aimed at removing motorcycles from the highways.
How much is it to register a motorcycle in California?
The registration fee is $61.00, plus you will pay the highway patrol fee of $28.00 plus a vehicle license fee of $28.00 and finally a safety fee of $2.00.
It’s pretty easy to register. You can go to the DMV in person or use online registration.
It’s likely your motorcycle insurance will run out simultaneously, and your insurance must be valid to register your motorcycle.
In addition, you will need a copy of the title and a valid driving license.
Without all of the required documents, you will not be allowed to register your motorcycle.
Do California motorcycles have different emissions?
Of course, the answer is yes. Different size engines have different emissions. You can find a table of the emissions at Transport policy which has a comprehensive list of the requirements for each engine size and year of manufacture.