CARB Clean Truck Check in 2026: Fees, Deadlines, and What Is Changing
In 2026, most heavy-duty diesel vehicles over 14,000 pounds GVWR must pass a CARB Clean Truck Check twice a year and pay a $32.13 annual compliance fee, and starting October 2027 OBD-equipped trucks move to quarterly testing. Miss a deadline and CARB places a hold on your DMV registration until you test and pass.
Fast facts (2026)
- Annual compliance fee: $32.13 per vehicle, paid to CARB (up from $31.18 in 2025).
- Testing frequency: semi-annual (twice per year) through 2026.
- Coming October 2027: OBD-equipped vehicles (2013+ diesel, 2018+ alternative fuel) move to quarterly testing. Non-commercial motorhomes and agricultural vehicles stay annual.
- Miss a deadline: a DMV registration hold under SB 210 until compliance is confirmed.
- Look up your dates: the CARB Clean Truck Check portal at cleantruckcheck.arb.ca.gov.
The 2026 compliance fee
Every subject vehicle owes an annual compliance fee, and for 2026 that fee is $32.13 per vehicle, a small inflation adjustment from the 2025 figure of $31.18. This fee is separate from what you pay a credentialed tester for the actual OBD or OVI test. Paying the fee is part of staying compliant; skipping it can contribute to a registration hold.
How often do you test in 2026?
Through 2026, testing is semi-annual: two compliance tests per year, on deadlines assigned by your vehicle’s VIN and registration. Two trucks in the same fleet can carry different dates, so it pays to track each one in the portal rather than assuming a single fleet-wide deadline.
What changes in October 2027?
The big shift on the horizon: beginning October 2027, OBD-equipped vehicles move from twice a year to four times a year. That covers 2013 and newer diesel engines and 2018 and newer alternative-fuel engines. Non-commercial motorhomes and agricultural vehicles are exempt from the quarterly schedule and stay annual. If you run a modern OBD fleet, start planning now for four testing windows a year.
What happens if you miss a deadline?
Under SB 210, a missed Clean Truck Check deadline triggers a hold on your DMV registration. You cannot renew registration or legally operate the vehicle until CARB confirms compliance. For 2013 and newer engines, a passing OBD test uploads to CARB during the visit and the DMV hold typically clears the same business day. Our OBD periodic testing is built around that same-day turnaround.
Staying ahead in 2026
Schedule each test two to four weeks before its deadline so there is room to repair and retest if a vehicle fails. Mobile testing keeps the trucks working while you stay compliant: we come to your yard, terminal, or home across Sacramento, the Sacramento Region, and the SF Bay Area. For a full deadline breakdown, see our guide to CARB Clean Truck Check deadlines, or call us at (916) 538-7777.