Whether you are planning to sell your vehicle or purchasing a used car, you need to know the rules and regulations surrounding title transfers set by the DMV. In California, almost every vehicle is required to undergo an emissions test when it switches hands. This ensures that whoever is receiving the car is not adding more than their fair share of emissions to the greenhouse gases that effect our environment.
Many test-and-repair smog stations fail vehicles on purpose in order to drain more money from your pocket. You do not want to buy a car just to have to make repairs on its emission systems immediately. Tri-City Smog is a STAR test-only station located in Menifee and Temecula. Our team strives to give you successful and accurate information on the emissions systems, so you only have to pay what is necessary for vehicle registration. Our team takes both walk-ins and appointments. Call us today!
Transferring a vehicle ownership between two people can be a tricky process. Some people do not take good care of their cars, and some neglect their responsibility to get a smog check completely. That is why when ownership trades hands, the DMV needs to double-check that the vehicle is up to snuff with modern emissions law.
Transferring a vehicle title to someone outside the DMV’s list of exemptions – including family and some others – varies depending on when the emissions systems were last inspected and where the car was last registered.
Where the car was last registered matters because of the differences in regulations between states. California’s emissions law is one of the most strict, so a vehicle inspected elsewhere might not meet the required standards.
A vehicle that passes a smog inspection in Texas may fail one in California due to their drastic differences in emissions control. To make sure we are not damaging the environment more than we should, the DMV makes sure that vehicle emissions are still below the required amount when it enters the state.
It seems unfair that you have to get a smog check even if you are simply passing it down to your family member or spouse. This is someone else close to you, who has probably seen and probably driven the car. Paying for an emissions inspection seems like it would be a waste of time for you and the DMV.
Luckily, there are exemptions from this rule. If the title is being transferred to your spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparents, or domestic partner then you do not need a smog inspection to perform a title transfer, assuming the vehicle has received its regular biennial smog inspection within the past two years. This makes it easier on you to get the vehicle registered under your name.
Transferring a new car’s title to you is a stressful process, and a smog inspection is another thing you do not want to deal with. That is why you should choose the station that makes it as easy as possible for you.
Tri-City Smog is a test-only station, which means we are only equipped to deal with the testing and inspection of your on-board emissions system. This may seem like more of a hassle in case you fail, as you will have to find another shop capable of repairs, but many other test-and-repair stations purposefully fail you so they can perform the repairs.
Going with a test-only station like us means the information you get will be accurate. Our team also knows how to get you in and out fast. Tri-City will get you in and out of our shop with the documents you need in less than 15 minutes.
We have waiting rooms ready for you, equipped with Wi-Fi and couches, so you can wait in comfort while our experts get you the information you need. We accept walk-ins, so do not be afraid to show up without an appointment!