What is Smog Certificate?

A Smog Certificate is the official proof that a vehicle passed a required emissions test. Think of it as your car being declared “not actively poisoning the air today,” which California insists on before it lets you renew registration or transfer ownership. Shocking, I know. It is a digital certificate generated after a vehicle passes a Smog Check and is automatically sent to the DMV by the test station. It is issued under rules set by the California Bureau of Automotive Repair.