Your Clean Truck Check result
Got your result? Let's walk through it.
A test comes back one of four ways, and each has a different next step. Tap yours and we'll tell you exactly where you stand and what happens next.
Passed your test but DMV still won’t give you tags?
This is the most common call we get. Passing the test is only one of three things CARB needs. Here they are in order.
Report the vehicle in CTC-VIS
Your truck has to exist in CARB’s system before anything else counts. You need the VIN, plate, make, model and engine year. Check the VIN twice — a typo here causes problems months later that are painful to unwind.
Pay the annual compliance fee
CARB charges a fee per vehicle, per year. For 2026 it is $32.13. It is adjusted every year to the California Consumer Price Index, and CARB publishes the new figure by July 1.
This fee is CARB’s, not ours. We do not collect it and we cannot pay it for you.
Pass the test, and we submit it
A CARB-credentialed tester has to submit the result into CTC-VIS — you cannot run a scan yourself and email it in. When we test your truck, this part is done for you the same day.
"Not Ready" and "Fail" are not the same thing
These two get mixed up constantly, and the fix is completely different for each.
Not Ready means the engine computer hasn't finished its self-checks, so there is no complete result to submit yet. On its own it isn't a failure and doesn't confirm a fault — but it also doesn't confirm the truck is trouble-free. Most often the vehicle needs more drive time to complete its readiness monitors. If it stays Not Ready after normal driving, something else is worth checking.
Fail generally means the emissions system reported a fault — commonly with the malfunction indicator lamp (your check engine light) illuminated and a stored trouble code. This one needs a shop.
If someone tells you a Not Ready result means your truck failed, they're wrong — and it could cost you a repair bill you don't owe.
Worth knowing
Things that trip people up
Regulatory information last reviewed August 11, 2026 against CARB guidance.
Don't clear codes before a test
Disconnecting the battery or clearing codes right before testing resets the monitors, which produces a Not Ready result. Fix the problem, then drive it, then test.
A missed test can freeze your registration
When CARB doesn't have a passing test on file, the DMV can place a hold on your registration — often the first anyone hears about it.
Check your own status any time
Your deadlines and compliance status live in your CTC-VIS account. Check yours at CARB.
Out-of-state trucks still comply
If the truck operates in California, Clean Truck Check can apply no matter where it's registered — including vehicles based outside the country.
Testing frequency increases in October 2027
Beginning October 2027, eligible OBD-equipped vehicles will generally require Clean Truck Check testing four times per year. CARB-defined agricultural vehicles and non-commercial motorhomes remain on an annual testing schedule. See CARB's testing-frequency guidance.
Not sure what your result means?
Send us the test result or your VIN and we'll read it with you. We'll tell you plainly what it says, what it'll take to fix, and whether you actually need to spend money on it.
Danny Barbosa, owner · 20+ years in emissions · English & Spanish