--- title: "Does Emissions Testing Old Cars Actually Make Sense Anymore?" date: "2025-12-16" modified: "2025-12-16" authors: - name: "Byron Hurd" job_title: "Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/byron-hurd" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/does-emissions-testing-old-cars-actually-make-sense-anymore" categories: - "Culture" - "History" - "News" --- # Does Emissions Testing Old Cars Actually Make Sense Anymore? ![Car exhaust screenshot from Youtube]() Depending on where you live in the United States, [emissions]() testing of old cars may or may not even be a thing. There are 28 states where at least some (though not necessarily all) are required to submit their old cars for smog testing. Most have an age cut-off, requiring only that vehicles from the past 20 or 30 years (at most) be tested. And then, of course, there's California. California requires any car built since emissions became a thing (1976) to be tested every two years—period. This puts a ton of pressure on the owners of cars from the 1970s-1990s to keep their emissions systems compliant, often at a price that can exceed the value of the car itself. Automakers are only required to produce replacement emissions equipment for the first decade after a car is produced. From then on, it's up to the aftermarket to fill in the blanks. And if you're an enthusiast with a niche car that was produced decades ago in limited numbers, this process can prove unreasonably fraught. [Leno's Law was going to change all that]() by eliminating smog checks for anything more than 35 years old. As you might have guessed from the name, the bill was heavily promoted by Jay Leno, but this common-sense proposal to revise emissions testing for "classic" cars in California also had the backing of [SEMA]() and other lobbying groups. Now, it's dead. Introduced during the 2025 California State Senate session, the bill ended up stalling in committee. Supporters soured on it after concessions to opponents ended up stacking burdens back on car owners, and ultimately, it didn't have the support to make it back to the floor for a final vote. The last time it was [brought up in committee]() was in August. So, where do we go from here? The short answer: data. Most arguments in favor of the bill suggested—but failed do demonstrate—that the actual real-world impact on emissions would be negligible. Enthusiasts claim that they don't daily drive their old cars, limiting their impact on net real-world smog. But anecdotes weren't enough to convince lawmakers the first time around. The current regulatory climate is probably the most favorable to a step-down in collector car emissions than any in recent history, but that won't get you as far in California as it might in Wyoming or the deep South. *Got a news tip? Let us know at tips@thedrive.com!* ## Author Byron is an editor at The Drive with a keen eye for infrastructure, sales and regulatory stories. He brings a light, punchy style to all of his content, believing that there's plenty out there to be laughed at—himself included. Born and raised in Maryland but now based just a stone's throw from Detroit, Byron is an auto enthusiast and generalist who enjoys building and tinkering with things of all kinds, from cars, computers and digital cityscapes, to the new garage that will soon house his fleet (a CT4-V Blackwing, a JK Wrangler and an NA Miata). Inspired by an early love of rollercoasters, Byron quickly caught the high-performance driving itch. He's been tracking and auto-crossing his cars since 2007. In his downtime, Byron enjoys reading, playing city builders, and studying the history of the Motor City. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()