Clean Truck Check: what California truck owners need to know

Clean Truck Check terms in plain English

New to the program? These are the words you will see most.

• Clean Truck Check (CTC): CARB's emissions testing program for most diesel and alternative-fuel vehicles over 14,000 lb GVWR that operate in California. Many drivers just call it a truck smog check.
• CARB: the California Air Resources Board, which runs the program and sets the rules, fees and deadlines.
• CTC-VIS: CARB's online system where owners report each vehicle, pay the annual compliance fee and check deadlines.
• GVWR: gross vehicle weight rating, the maximum loaded weight the truck is rated for. Over 14,000 lb is the line for most of the program.
• OBD test: the test for 2013 and newer diesel and 2018 and newer alternative-fuel engines. See OBD testing.
• Smoke opacity test: the test, with a visual inspection, for 2012 and older diesel without OBD. See smoke opacity testing.
• Non-compliant: a truck that missed a step. California-registered trucks can get a DMV registration hold, and CARB can issue citations and penalties.

Diesel Dynamix is an independent testing service, not CARB.

Three things every truck owner has to do

Staying compliant comes down to three steps, repeated on schedule.

1. Report the truck in CTC-VIS. Every covered vehicle that operates in California has to be in the system, including out-of-state and international trucks.
2. Pay CARB's annual compliance fee. The amount is set by CARB and shown in CTC-VIS. It is separate from the testing fee a tester charges.
3. Pass the test before each deadline. Most covered vehicles currently test twice a year. Under CARB's original rule, OBD trucks move to four tests a year from October 1, 2027, and a bill has proposed once a year, so check CTC-VIS for your dates.

If a truck fails, it needs a repair and a retest. The usual causes are a check engine light, readiness monitors not set, DPF or emissions faults, or tampered equipment.

The easiest way to stay ahead is a tester who comes to you, gives you the next due date and reminds you before it arrives. Book a test or call (858) 342-8328.