DMV · Checklist · Reviewed July 14, 2026
Vehicle sale, title, and smog check
Put a private sale or an out-of-state move in order. Title first, then smog, then the DMV clock.
The short version
The seller handles smog; the buyer handles the title
When a private sale needs Smog Check, the seller gives the buyer a passing inspection from the last 90 days. The buyer has 10 days to send the title transfer, while the seller has five calendar days to file the release form. The buyer also needs the signed title, mileage record when required, fees, and use tax.
What changes the answer: The seller's release form does not transfer title. A smog pass is not proof of clean ownership. Check the names, lien, brands, VIN, miles, and test history before paying.
A car deal can stall over smog or title papers. Fees, an out-of-state record, or a missing signature can also cause trouble. Check before money changes hands.
How it works
Buyer and seller have separate jobs
The buyer sends the signed title within 10 days, while the seller files the release form within five calendar days and keeps the receipt. That notice can shift later ticket liability, but it does not change the ownership record by itself.
The buyer may need a bill of sale and odometer record along with the smog certificate, fees, and use tax. A lost title, lien, gift, estate, salvage brand, or out-of-state title can add more forms.
Year, fuel, and weight set the smog rule
Gas, hybrid, and alternative-fuel cars from model year 1976 forward usually need Smog Check, and diesel vehicles from 1998 forward usually do too. Electric cars and motorcycles do not. Diesel vehicles over 14,000 pounds or from 1997 and earlier are outside this basic program.
Covered cars usually test every other year. Gas, hybrid, and alternative-fuel cars eight model years and newer skip the renewal inspection and pay a smog fee instead. A 2020 model gets its first normal renewal inspection in 2028.
A sale uses a four-year cutoff
In a private sale, the seller usually gives a smog pass from the last 90 days, while a dealer's certificate can last two years. Some close-family transfers are exempt, but a car first bought for the family member may not fit that rule.
Gas, hybrid, and alternative-fuel cars four model years and newer skip the ownership-transfer inspection and use an $8 smog fee instead. Keep the four-year sale rule separate from the eight-year renewal rule.
The notice tells you which shop to use
A test-only station does not repair, while a test-and-repair station does both jobs. A STAR station meets added state standards, so use STAR when the DMV notice requires it.
A lit check-engine light means the car will fail. Stations set their own inspection prices and also charge an $8.25 certificate fee. A pass goes to DMV by computer and remains valid for 90 days, but the owner still must finish registration.
A car from another state adds two checks
A new California resident usually has 20 days to register the car, and the first California record normally needs a smog inspection. A test from the old state does not replace it.
A car under 7,500 miles may be barred when it lacks California emissions approval, though a listed exception may help. Check the emissions label and DMV fact sheet before buying the car.
First moves
- 1
Write down the VIN, plate, model year, fuel, and mileage. Note whether the car comes from inside or outside California.
- 2
Before buying from a private party, check the title and ask for the smog certificate when one is required. California generally puts the smog-certificate duty on the seller.
- 3
After a private purchase, send the transfer papers and fees to DMV within 10 days. The seller has five days to send the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability.
- 4
If you become a California resident with an out-of-state vehicle, use the DMV new-resident path. DMV generally says to register it within 20 days after becoming a resident or bringing the vehicle into California.
- 5
Check emissions rules before bringing in a vehicle with fewer than 7,500 miles. A car that does not qualify may not be registered unless an exception applies.
- 6
Use a licensed smog station. Keep the report with your title and registration papers.
- 7
Check the title before paying. Look at names, liens, brands, signatures, and the odometer lines.
- 8
Use the DMV fee calculator after you know the purchase date, price or value, county, city, ZIP, and late timing.
Watch for
- 1
Smog rules can depend on model year, fuel type, weight, and transfer type.
- 2
A gas vehicle less than four model years old often uses a smog transfer fee instead of a new certificate. Vehicle type and other exceptions still matter.
- 3
A smog certificate already submitted to DMV can generally be used for 90 days. Check the record and transaction rather than assuming an old inspection still works.
- 4
A passed smog check is not the same thing as a clean title.
- 5
The registration card and title do different jobs. A release of liability, lien release, and bill of sale may matter too.
- 6
Out-of-state cars can need extra steps, inspections, taxes, or fees.
- 7
Late title or registration work can add fees.
- 8
If a private sale feels rushed, pause and check the VIN, title, smog record, and DMV steps first.
Official sources
Where to confirm this
Use the source that matches the step you are on. Current forms, fees, deadlines, and agency decisions can change after this page is reviewed.
Use this as a source map. It points you to official places to check, but it does not make the government decision or replace the current agency rule.