CARB Clean Truck Check Compliance (SB 210): Report, Fee, Certificate

To complete the CARB Clean Truck Check compliance form, you report your heavy-duty vehicle through the Clean Truck Check Vehicle Inspection System (CTC-VIS) at cleantruckcheck.arb.ca.gov, enter the vehicle’s identifying and engine data, pay the $32.13 annual compliance fee, have a credentialed tester submit a passing emissions test, and download the compliance certificate for your records.¹ The program applies to diesel, natural gas, and other non-gasoline heavy-duty vehicles over 14,000 pounds GVWR operating on California roads, whether they are registered in California or another state.²

Confirm the Vehicle Is Covered

The requirement reaches any diesel, natural gas, or other non-gasoline vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating above 14,000 pounds that operates in California, including long-haul trucks registered in other states that cross into the state.³ Gasoline-powered vehicles are outside the program regardless of weight.

Several categories are exempt from emissions testing but should still be confirmed in CTC-VIS, because the DMV pulls compliance status from that system before processing registration transactions:

Zero-emission vehicles (fully electric or hydrogen fuel cell).
Authorized emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances.
Military tactical vehicles.
Motorhomes registered outside California.
Historical vehicles.
Vehicles operating under an experimental permit.
New vehicles with engines certified to the most stringent NOx standard (0.01 g/bhp-hr or lower).

What to Have Ready Before You Log In

CTC-VIS asks for specific vehicle and owner details. Gather this before opening the portal so you are not hunting for information mid-form:⁴

The full 17-character VIN, matching exactly what the DMV has on file. A mismatch can trigger a registration hold.
License plate number and state of issuance.
Engine family name, found on the emissions control label (ECL) on the engine block or under the hood. The ECL also shows the engine manufacturer, model, and year.⁵
Gross vehicle weight rating.
Fuel type.
Engine model year, which determines your testing method.
Registration expiration date.
Registered owner’s legal name, physical address, phone number, and email.

Verify each field before submitting. Certificates cannot be edited once generated. If the data is wrong, you have to deactivate the vehicle and re-report it, and CARB does not issue refunds on fees paid against incorrect information.⁴

Report the Vehicle and Pay the Fee in CTC-VIS

Go to cleantruckcheck.arb.ca.gov and create an Entity account if you don’t already have one.⁶ Individual owners enter vehicle data manually on the data-entry screens. Fleet operators can use the Bulk Upload Template, filling out a spreadsheet and uploading in one batch instead of adding vehicles one at a time.⁴

Once vehicle data is confirmed, the portal takes you to the payment screen. The annual compliance fee is $32.13 per vehicle for 2026, adjusted each year based on the California Consumer Price Index.¹ The 2025 fee was $31.18.⁷

CTC-VIS accepts major credit cards and electronic checks. Make sure the billing information matches the payment method. Credit card payments take one to two business days to process; eChecks can take up to seven business days.⁸ Plan around that if your deadline is close. After payment clears, submit the entry. The system displays a confirmation number and emails a receipt. Keep both.

Get the Emissions Test Done

All emissions testing must be performed by a CARB-credentialed tester who has completed the agency’s online training and passed the exam. CARB publishes a searchable public list of credentialed testers available for hire, including mobile services that come to your yard.⁹ Private testing fees vary, so it’s worth calling a few before you schedule, particularly for larger fleets.

Which test your vehicle needs depends on the engine:¹⁰

Diesel vehicles and diesel hybrids with 2013 or newer model year engines take an OBD test. The tester connects a diagnostic tool to the OBD port and reads the emissions system for fault codes.
Alternative fuel vehicles and alternative fuel hybrids with 2018 or newer model year engines also take the OBD test.
Older engines without OBD systems get a two-part test: a smoke opacity measurement using a SAE J1667-compatible smoke meter, plus a visual inspection of the emissions control equipment using CARB’s inspection form. The visual portion confirms that the ECL is affixed and legible.⁵

The tester uploads the result to CTC-VIS. Once a passing test is on file and the fee is paid, the vehicle shows as compliant on your dashboard.

Download the Compliance Certificate

When a vehicle is compliant in CTC-VIS, a Download button appears on the dashboard next to it. Use it to generate the compliance certificate, then save or print the file.⁴ Keep a copy in the cab or accessible digitally for drivers. The certificate is your proof of compliance during roadside inspections and confirms to the DMV that the vehicle is eligible for registration renewal.

Know Your Deadlines

Clean Truck Check runs on a semi-annual schedule. Each vehicle has two compliance deadlines per year, six months apart, and each deadline requires a current fee payment and a passing emissions test.¹¹

For California-registered trucks, deadlines are tied to the DMV registration expiration month. A vehicle expiring in March has deadlines in March and September; one expiring in July has deadlines in January and July. The deadlines stay with the vehicle even if the DMV expiration date later changes.¹⁰

For vehicles registered outside California and DMV-exempt plated vehicles, deadlines are based on the last digit of the VIN and recur every six months. SE-plated vehicles follow the DMV registration expiration schedule instead.¹⁰ In every case, treat the deadlines shown in your CTC-VIS account as the controlling dates rather than guessing from a general schedule.

What Happens if You Miss Compliance

The California DMV automatically places a registration hold on any vehicle that has not met Clean Truck Check requirements. You cannot renew the registration while the hold is active, and most other DMV transactions are blocked.⁸

To clear a hold, the vehicle has to be reported in CTC-VIS, current on the annual fee, and have a passing emissions test on file. Once all three are in place, CARB lifts the hold within one to three business days.⁸ Because an eCheck alone can take up to a week to process, cutting the timing close is a way to end up with a truck sidelined right as it needs to move.

Beyond registration holds, CARB has enforcement authority to pursue citations against non-compliant vehicles, with fines that can run well beyond the annual fee and the cost of a test.

1
California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check Compliance Fee Update Effective 1/1/2026
2
California Air Resources Board. Guidance to Vehicle Owners on 2024 Clean Truck Check Periodic Testing Requirements
3
California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check (HD I/M)
4
California Air Resources Board. CTC-VIS Online User Guide
5
California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check – Non-OBD Test Visual Inspection Worksheet
6
California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check Login Portal
7
California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check – Overview Fact Sheet
8
California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check – CA DMV Registration Hold (SB 210)
9
California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check – Available for Hire Credentialed Testers
10
California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check – FAQ
11
California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check Requirements for Vehicles Subject to Semi-Annual Compliance