Owner-operators and fleet owners who operate in California can now register their vehicles in a new California Air Resources Board system before the state implements a new “smog check” requirements on most trucks twice a year.
The new Clean Truck Check program was approved by CARB in December 2021 to replace the state's current Periodic Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP), from which most independent owner-operators were exempt.
Clean Truck Check requires non-gasoline (diesel, alternative fuel, and hybrid) trucks, buses, and other heavy-duty vehicles (such as California-registered motorhomes) with a gross vehicle weight rating over 14,000 pounds to undergo emissions testing if they operate in California. Clean Truck Check applies to most large vehicles that operate in California, regardless of the state in which they're plated. The purpose of the program is to ensure all emissions-related equipment is functioning properly for the life of the vehicle.
The Clean Truck Check Program does not apply to:
[Related: CARB approves ‘smog check’ regulation for trucks operating in California]
By Dec. 31, trucks operating in California must be reported to the Clean Truck Check Database, and an annual $30 per vehicle compliance fee must also be paid.
CARB noted that the Clean Truck Check Database is a separate registration system from other CARB systems, such as the Truck Regulation Upload, Compliance and Reporting System (TRUCRS). A new account will need to be created to report owner information and vehicle information for all vehicles operating in California. For truckers already registered in TRUCRS, owners' vehicle information can be downloaded from TRUCRS and then uploaded to the Clean Truck Check Database to allow for a more convenient reporting method. Changes to the fleet operating in California (adding or deleting a vehicle) must be reported within 30 days of the action.
