California extends smog-check exemption to collector cars through the 1985 model year
California signed Senate Bill 1392 on September 16, 2026. The law phases in biennial smog-check exemptions for collector motor vehicles meeting Vehicle Code section 259 criteria, extending eligibility from pre-1976 vehicles to pre-1986 model years by 2033. The exemption phases in one model year at a time beginning January 1, 2028, for pre-1981 vehicles. Older collector cars at least 35 model years old gain partial test exemptions if insured as collectors and meeting emissions standards.