Old car emissions exemption no longer at risk in eight California counties

The California old car hobby convinced California Senate legislators to amend legislation (S.B. 1549) that sought repeal of the state’s current emissions test exemption for pre-1976 vehicles registered by new owners in the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District.

The news was announced by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), which congratulated local lobbyists for the amended legislation.

The San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District includes eight counties in California’s Central Valley. Under the original bill, after Jan. 1, 2009, new owners seeking to register a pre-1976 vehicle in these eight counties would have been subject to emissions tests for the life of the vehicle.

Under the amendment, however, the repeal language was removed and the bill instead now requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to study the state’s special license plate programs and recommend improvements.

For more information, visit www.semasan.com.