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Newsom Signs Bill Exempting Classic Cars From Smog Checks

By Drooid · Sep 16, 2026, 11:36 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1392, Leno’s Law, exempting classic cars from smog checks.
The exemption applies to registered collector vehicles built before 1981 starting Jan. 1, 2028.
Each year the cutoff advances one model year, reaching pre-1986 vehicles on Jan. 1, 2033.
Owners must have collector-car insurance or drive under 1,000 miles per year.
Senators Dave Cortese and Shannon Grove co-authored the bill after revising Senate Bill 712.

History

Historical Context

The 1970 Clean Air Act, signed by President Nixon, gave EPA authority to set nationwide vehicle emissions standards and granted California a special waiver in 1977 so its Air Resources Board could adopt stricter rules. Building on that precedent, Governor Newsom and state senators introduced Leno’s Law, exempting pre-1981 collector cars, which could raise California’s vintage-vehicle registrations by about 12%.

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Story summary

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1392, Leno’s Law, exempting classic cars from smog checks.
The exemption applies to registered collector vehicles built before 1981 starting Jan. 1, 2028.
Each year the cutoff advances one model year, reaching pre-1986 vehicles on Jan. 1, 2033.
Owners must have collector-car insurance or drive under 1,000 miles per year.
Senators Dave Cortese and Shannon Grove co-authored the bill after revising Senate Bill 712.

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