Where does the money from the Smog Check go?
There are more than 7,500 privately owned and operated Smog Check stations in California. The inspection and repair fees they charge are neither set nor collected by BAR. Rather, prices are set by market forces. The only money BAR receives is a portion of the $8.25 Smog Check Certificate fee. The $8.25 is an administrative fee for the Smog Check program and is deposited into the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Vehicle Inspection and Repair Fund. The fee funds research and development operations, engineering, administration, complaint mediation, enforcement, and public education necessary to run the Smog Check program.
