Clean Truck Check compliance fee, explained

Short answer: the Clean Truck Check compliance fee is an annual, per-vehicle fee that owners pay to CARB in the CTC-VIS system. CARB sets the amount and shows it in CTC-VIS. It is separate from the testing fee, which your tester charges for each test.

What the Clean Truck Check compliance fee is

Every covered vehicle in the Clean Truck Check program carries an annual compliance fee. You pay it to CARB, not to a tester, and you pay it inside CTC-VIS when you report the vehicle.

The fee applies to most diesel and alternative-fuel vehicles over 14,000 lb GVWR that operate in California. That includes trucks, and also buses, refuse trucks, construction and agricultural vehicles and motorhomes over 14,000 lb where they fall under the program. If you are not sure your vehicle is covered, check CARB's rules for your vehicle.

How much is the fee?

The amount is set by CARB and shown in CTC-VIS. We do not state an amount here because CARB sets it and can change it, and an old number is worse than no number. Log in to CTC-VIS or check CARB's Clean Truck Check page for the current clean truck check fee per vehicle.

What we can say for certain:

• It is charged per vehicle, not per fleet.
• It is charged annually.
• It is paid to CARB in CTC-VIS.

Compliance fee vs test cost

These are two different payments, and mixing them up is one of the most common Clean Truck Check mistakes.

The compliance fee:

• Is paid to CARB
• Is paid inside CTC-VIS
• Is due once a year for each vehicle
• Has an amount set by CARB

The testing fee:

• Is paid to your credentialed tester
• Is paid directly to the tester, not through CTC-VIS
• Is due each time the truck is tested
• Has an amount set by the tester

Paying the compliance fee does not test your truck. Passing a test does not pay the fee. A truck needs both to be compliant, plus it must be reported in CTC-VIS.

Our testing price depends on how many trucks you have, the test type and your location, with per-truck pricing for fleets. For the full budgeting picture, see how much Clean Truck Check costs.

When is the Clean Truck Check fee due?

The fee is due annually for each vehicle. The exact due date for your truck is set by CARB and shown in CTC-VIS, so check your account rather than guessing. The simplest habit is to pay the fee when you first report a truck and then renew it each year before its date comes around.

Do I pay the Clean Truck Check fee every year?

Yes. The compliance fee is annual. As long as a covered vehicle operates in California, plan on paying it every year for that vehicle.

What happens if the fee is not paid?

A truck with an unpaid fee is not compliant, even if it has passed its emissions test. For California-registered vehicles, non-compliance can lead to a DMV registration hold. CARB can also issue citations and penalties for non-compliant vehicles.

If you got a DMV notice and your truck already passed its test, an unpaid fee is one of the first things to check in CTC-VIS.

Do out-of-state trucks pay the fee?

Yes. Out-of-state and international trucks that operate in California are covered by Clean Truck Check. They are reported in CTC-VIS and pay the annual compliance fee per vehicle, the same as California trucks. See our post on out-of-state trucks.

Budgeting the fee for a fleet

Because the fee is per vehicle, a fleet's total grows with every truck you report. A few habits keep it from becoming a surprise:

• Count only covered vehicles. Trucks under 14,000 lb GVWR are generally not part of the program. For edge cases, check CARB's rules for your vehicle.
• Report new trucks as soon as they start operating in California, so the fee and the first test are not forgotten.
• Update CTC-VIS when a truck is sold or stops operating in California, so your records match your real fleet.
• Plan the fee and the tests together. Most covered trucks currently test twice a year, so a year of compliance for one truck usually means one fee plus the tests CARB requires.

Invoices and refunds

The compliance fee is paid through CTC-VIS, so records of that payment live in your CTC-VIS account. Keep a copy with your other records for each truck.

Questions about a CARB compliance fee invoice, a duplicate charge or a clean truck check fee refund go to CARB, because CARB collects the fee. A tester cannot issue refunds for CARB's fee.

A simple fee checklist for owners and fleets

1. Report every covered vehicle in CTC-VIS. Our CTC-VIS registration guide walks through it.
2. Pay the annual compliance fee for each vehicle.
3. Note each truck's fee date and test deadlines in one list, by VIN.
4. Book testing early so trucks pass before their window closes.
5. After each test, confirm in CTC-VIS that the truck shows compliant.

How Diesel Dynamix helps

We are an independent testing service, not CARB, so we do not collect the compliance fee. What we do is make the testing side easy. We test on site at your yard, jobsite, terminal, port or home across Southern California, explain results in plain English, help with CTC-VIS questions and give you the next due date for each truck. Fleets get reminders, recurring visits and records per VIN.

• Our services
• Fleet testing
• Clean Truck Check requirements

Book a test, or call, text or WhatsApp (858) 342-8328 for a quote.