Last verified 2026-05-17
Get help paying for smog repairs
If your car failed its Smog Check and you can't afford the repairs, California's Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) can pay most of the bill. CAP is run by the state Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR).
- 1996 or newer vehicle: up to $1,450 toward emissions repairs
- 1976–1995 vehicle: up to $1,100 toward emissions repairs
You pay a small share (a "co-payment") plus the $8.25 Smog Check certificate fee. [Source: bar.ca.gov/cap/repair (accessed 2026-05-17)]
Who qualifies
You can apply if all of these are true:
- Your income is low enough. Your household's gross income must be at or below 225% of the Federal Poverty Level. For one person that's roughly $35,000/year; for a family of four it's roughly $72,000/year. Check the current chart on BAR's Household Income Eligibility Guidelines.
- The car is in your name. You must be the registered owner.
- The car failed a regular Smog Check. A normal biennial (every-other-year) Smog Check failure. Aborted, manual-mode, or training-mode inspections don't count.
- The car is registered in California, with current registration (or fees paid and not expired more than 365 days), and not in the middle of a title transfer or first-time California registration.
- You haven't used CAP for this same car before.
- The car isn't owned by a business, government, or nonprofit, and isn't junked or salvage-titled.
- The emissions system hasn't been tampered with.
[Source: bar.ca.gov/cap/repair (accessed 2026-05-17)]
How much you pay (the co-payment)
CAP doesn't cover the whole bill. Your share depends on your car's year and the total repair cost.
1996 or newer vehicles
Total repair cost | Your co-payment |
$1,812.50 or less | 20% of the total |
More than $1,812.50 | Total cost minus $1,450 |
Example: $1,000 in repairs → you pay $200. $2,000 in repairs → you pay $550.
1976–1995 vehicles
Total repair cost | Your co-payment |
$1,375 or less | 20% of the total |
More than $1,375 | Total cost minus $1,100 |
Example: $500 in repairs → you pay $100. $1,600 in repairs → you pay $500.
You're also responsible for:
- The $8.25 Smog Check certificate fee
- Any repairs CAP doesn't authorize
- Any repairs not related to the smog failure
[Source: bar.ca.gov/cap/repair (accessed 2026-05-17)]
How to apply
Step 1 — Apply BEFORE getting any repairs done. BAR will not pay you back for work done before approval.
Apply online at bar.ca.gov/caponline. Have your vehicle registration or title in front of you. Online applications process fastest. If you can't apply online, download the paper form at bar.ca.gov/pdf/cap-application.pdf and mail it in. Do not print the online version and mail it — that will delay things.
Step 2 — Send proof of income if asked. BAR will mail you a notice if they need it. Send a copy (not the original) of one of these, with your CAP ID number on every page:
- A letter or bank statement showing public assistance (CalFresh, CalWORKs, Medi-Cal, SSI) in the last 60 days
- A letter, check stub, or bank statement showing unemployment, disability, or VA benefits in the last 60 days
- A Social Security letter, check, or bank statement from the last 60 days
- Your most recent federal 1040 or California 540 tax return plus a paycheck stub from the last 60 days
- If you have none of the above, request a free Wage History Report from EDD via Public Records Request (takes about 4 weeks)
Upload documents at bar.ca.gov/capstatuscheck or mail to:
BAR/CAP
10949 North Mather Boulevard
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Tip: Black out or remove Social Security numbers, account numbers, birth dates, and minor children's names before sending. BAR will securely destroy your documents after review.
Step 3 — Get the work done at a STAR test-and-repair station. Once you're approved, take your car to a STAR test-and-repair station (regular smog shops don't count). Pay your co-payment plus the $8.25 certificate fee — CAP pays the shop the rest.
Common pitfalls
- Don't repair the car first and ask CAP to pay you back. BAR will not reimburse you. Get approved before any work starts.
- Don't go to a regular Smog Check station for the repair. Repairs must happen at a STAR test-and-repair station for CAP to pay.
- One car, one time. You can't use CAP twice on the same vehicle.
- Watch the registration window. If your registration has been expired more than 365 days, you're not eligible.
- Aborted smog tests don't qualify. You need a real fail on a biennial inspection.
Don't qualify? Other options
If you don't meet the rules — for example, your car is registered to a business, your registration is too far expired, or you've already used CAP on this vehicle — check BAR's other options to repair, retire, or replace your vehicle. The Vehicle Retirement side of CAP pays you $1,000–$1,500 to scrap a failed-smog car instead of repairing it.
Where to get help
- General questions: (800) 952-5210
- Application questions: (866) 272-9642
- FAQs: Repair Assistance FAQ
- Find a STAR shop: STAR station locator
- Español: Asistencia para Reparación de Smog
Sources
- BAR — Consumer Assistance Program: Repair Assistance: bar.ca.gov/cap/repair (accessed 2026-05-17)
- BAR — Household Income Eligibility Guidelines: bar.ca.gov/.../household-income-guidelines (accessed 2026-05-17)
Freshness check 2026-05-30: Repair caps confirmed current — $1,450 (1996 or newer) and $1,100 (1976–1995). The 225% Federal Poverty Level income limits (the table adjusts every February) for 2026 are: 1 person $33,885 · 2 people $45,990 · 3 people $58,095 · 4 people $70,200 · 5 people $82,305 · 6 people $94,410 · add $12,105 for each additional person. Funding is limited each fiscal year (July 1–June 30), so apply early in the year. Source: [bar.ca.gov/cap/repair; verified 2026-05-30]