When a car is sold, who is responsible for the inspection?
The seller is required to provide the buyer with a valid smog
inspection certification at the time of the sale or transfer. Smog
certifications are good for 90 days from the date of issuance. The inspection is not required on a transfer if a biennial smog
certification was submitted to DMV within 90 days prior to the vehicle
transfer date (a vehicle inspection report may be required for proof of
certification). Note: Smog certifications are not required for
transfers that occur for any motor vehicle that is four or less model
years old. (Determine the oldest-qualifying year model by subtracting
three from the current year.) A smog transfer fee will be collected from
the new owner. Unless the vehicle is coming from out of State or is a Diesel vehicle. |