How to Get a CARB Compliance Certificate for Trucks: Fees and Testing

To get a CARB compliance certificate for a truck, you report the vehicle in California’s Clean Truck Check Vehicle Information System (CTC-VIS), pay the annual compliance fee, and submit passing emissions test results from a CARB-credentialed tester. Once the data is verified and the fee clears, the system generates a downloadable certificate for that specific vehicle. The requirement applies to any diesel or alternative-fuel on-road vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating above 14,000 pounds that operates on California public roads, whether the truck is registered in California or another state.1California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check (HD I/M)

A quick boundary before the steps: the Clean Truck Check program covers on-road heavy-duty vehicles. Off-road diesel equipment used in construction or agriculture falls under a different CARB regulation with its own compliance pathway, and transport refrigeration units are handled through a separate reporting system. If you operate one of those, this certificate is not the one you need.

What to Gather Before You Start

Most stalled applications come down to mismatched data between the digital form and the physical vehicle. Pull these details directly off the truck before you log in:

  • The 17-character VIN from the driver-side dashboard or door frame, copied exactly.
  • The engine family name, a 12-character alphanumeric code on the vehicle emission control information label. On heavy-duty trucks that label is typically on the engine block. If it is missing or unreadable, ask the engine manufacturer for a replacement.2US EPA. Locating the Vehicle Emissions Label
  • The gross vehicle weight rating from the manufacturer’s plate on the door jamb.
  • License plate number and state of registration.
  • Engine fuel type and vehicle model year.
  • Serial numbers for any retrofit equipment, such as aftermarket diesel particulate filters.

On the owner side, the database asks for the registered owner’s name, business entity name, physical address, and contact information for a responsible official.3California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check – Database Reporting Requirements Every field on the digital form has to match the physical identifiers on the vehicle and the DMV record, so it is worth double-checking before you submit anything.

Applying Through Clean Truck Check

Everything runs through CARB’s online portal.4California Air Resources Board. CTC-VIS The workflow is roughly the same for a single owner-operator and a large fleet:

  1. Create an entity account (or a tester account, if you are a shop performing tests). Fleet accounts can hold multiple vehicles under one login.
  2. Enter vehicle and owner data for each truck. The system attempts to verify the information against state records as you go.
  3. Attest under penalty of perjury that the information is complete and accurate. Whoever submits has to have authority to sign for the fleet.3California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check – Database Reporting Requirements
  4. Pay the annual compliance fee for each vehicle.
  5. Submit the emissions test results through a credentialed tester (covered below).

Once the fee clears and the test results are in, CTC-VIS generates an individual compliance certificate for each vehicle. You can download the PDF from your account, and the system sends an automated confirmation email as a backup. CARB recommends keeping a copy accessible in the truck during California operations, though carrying the physical document at all times is not strictly required.

The Compliance Fee

The annual Clean Truck Check compliance fee is $32.13 per vehicle as of January 1, 2026, up from $31.18 the previous year. CARB adjusts the amount each year based on the California Consumer Price Index.5California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check Compliance Fee Update Effective 1/1/2026 Payment goes through CTC-VIS by credit card or electronic fund transfer. CARB will not issue the certificate until payment posts, so build in time if you are submitting for a large fleet at once.

The Emissions Test

The certificate is only valid if the vehicle keeps passing its periodic emissions test. What that test looks like depends on the engine:

  • Engines from 2013 and later have on-board diagnostics. A credentialed tester connects to the OBD system and submits results electronically. In 2025 and 2026, most of these vehicles are on a semi-annual schedule, with the second test due six months after the first.1California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check (HD I/M)
  • Engines before 2013 do not have OBD and need a smoke opacity test using an SAE J1667-compatible meter, along with a visual and functional inspection. Most of these are also on the semi-annual schedule.
  • Agricultural vehicles and California-registered motorhomes test annually rather than semi-annually.

Testing deadlines are tied to the DMV registration date for California-registered vehicles, or to the last digit of the VIN for vehicles registered elsewhere. Missing a deadline lapses your compliance status and can trigger a DMV registration hold at your next renewal.

You Cannot Self-Certify

Only CARB-credentialed testers can perform and submit Clean Truck Check tests. To earn the credential, an individual has to complete CARB’s training course and score at least 80 percent on the exam.6California Air Resources Board. Clean Truck Check Tester Training Course The credential lasts two years and has to be renewed by retaking the course and exam. Before you hand a truck to a tester, confirm the credential is current. An expired credential means the system will reject the test, and you will be paying for it twice.

If You Cannot Get Compliant in Time

For a one-off trip into California with a non-compliant truck, CARB offers a five-day pass. Each vehicle is eligible once per calendar year, and the vehicle cannot have outstanding enforcement actions against it.7California Air Resources Board. Five-Day Pass Request You apply through CTC-VIS with the VIN, license plate, owner contact information, travel dates, and origin-destination details.

A five-day pass is not a substitute for a compliance certificate. The public lookup tool will still show the vehicle as non-compliant, the truck cannot be registered with the California DMV during the pass period, and the pass has to stay in the cab and be produced on request for CARB enforcement officers or peace officers.7California Air Resources Board. Five-Day Pass Request Treat it as a narrow exception for a single trip, not a workaround.

What a Lapse Costs

The most immediate consequence of operating without a valid certificate is a DMV registration block. California law requires the DMV to deny registration for any covered vehicle that is not reported to CARB as compliant or exempt.8California Air Resources Board. CARB Warning on DMV Registration Renewal Notice For out-of-state carriers, the risk shifts to roadside enforcement, and inspectors can issue citations anywhere in the state.

Civil penalties for emission violations under California’s Health and Safety Code can reach $5,000 per day for standard violations and $10,000 per day for more serious offenses. When a violation causes actual injury to public health, penalties can go as high as $15,000 per day. Each day the violation continues counts as a separate offense, so fines compound quickly.9California Air Resources Board. 2014 – 2024 Minimum and Maximum Penalties Getting the certificate before CARB comes looking is always cheaper than sorting it out after.