“Leno’s Law:” New Bill Would Exempt California Classics from Smog Checks

BY GRACE JARVIS / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 12, 2025

Change may be afoot for Californians who own classic cars. A new bill would make life much easier for the thousands of enthusiasts in California by amending the state’s stringent smog rules, which currently mandate smog checks for vehicles built in or after 1976. If passed into law, California Senate Bill 712 would “fully exempt” any vehicle that was made at least 35 years ago, if it were insured as a collector vehicle.

Naturally, California’s most famous classic-car fan, Jay Leno, is all for the change. He’s even agreed to promote the bill. It’s been nicknamed “Leno’s Law.”

“California’s rich classic car culture, sparked by the post-war hot rod boom and boosted by Hollywood’s love for chrome and horsepower, has made it a paradise for enthusiasts like me,” said Leno to NBC Los Angeles. “California’s smog check laws for classic cars need to be updated—they vary too much from state to state, and California’s rules don’t match up with neighboring ones.”

Each of California’s neighboring states—Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona—has a different set of standards when it comes to smogging classics. Oregon only requires emissions testing in two metro areas, Portland and Medford. Portland exempts vehicles with a model year of 1975 or older, and Medford exempts those 21 years old or older. Nevada only requires emissions testing in the urban areas of Las Vegas and Reno. The state lets pre-1968 model-year vehicles off the hook. It also has special registration categories for Classic Rod, Classic Vehicle, and Old Timer, none of which need to be smogged if they’re driven 5000 miles per year or less. Arizona only smogs vehicles in the metro areas of Phoenix and Tucson, and pre-1967 vehicles and those registered as “collectibles” with appropriate insurance are not policed.

California state senator Shannon Grove, a Republican representing Bakersfield, is the bill’s sponsor.

“California has a rich automotive heritage, with some of the first classic cars rolling off assembly lines right here in our state,” she said to NBC.

Automotive production had an early but slow start in California, with the first plant opening in 1902 and only producing 3000 vehicles in eight years. Ford built an L.A. plant in 1911 but closed it in 1930 to open another location in Long Beach. That one stuck around, producing 1.5 million vehicles. The Chrysler plant in Commerce, built in 1932, was active through 1971 and the Willys-Overland one in Maywood, founded in 1929, till 1954. Toyota built its first plant in the U.S. here—Toyota Auto Body Company, Inc.—and it remains open today.

Grove and Leno both argue that classic cars—if regularly kept up and driven—support the $52B aftermarket industry, represented by the Speciality Equipment Market Association (SEMA), a trade association made of roughly 7000 small businesses, 1066 of which are in California. SEMA itself is based in the Golden State, in Diamond Bar, in eastern Los Angeles County. According to the association, California’s automotive aftermarket industry generates $40.44 billion of economic impact, including $6.16B in taxes paid.

“SEMA is proud to support SB 712. Senator Grove’s bill provides a practical solution for collector vehicle owners, allowing them to enjoy their passion without the burden of unnecessary regulations,” said Mike Spagnola, president and CEO of SEMA. “These vehicles are rarely driven, meticulously maintained, and represent only a fraction of the cars on the road. By exempting collector vehicles from smog checks, we can ensure that these historical treasures are preserved for future generations.”

SEMA even provides an interactive map to help classic-car owners navigate which states require what sort of emissions testing—if they require it at all. (18 don’t.)

The next step for “Leno’s Law” is its first hearing. That will occur in April, before the California Senate Transportation Committee.

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