The California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) has access from its website allowing any user or person to type in a vehicle license plate number and obtain Smog Test Records pertaining to any registered California vehicle. Records available date as far back as approximately 12 years of history.
California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) runs the CAP Consumer Assistance Program, a program which makes funds available to consumers for optional vehicle retirement. Depending on California budget allowances, the CAP program funding is On the BAR website, A vehicle VIN Number can be used to look up smog history in place of the car' or truck's license plate number, but VIN number is not required to obtain Smog Test Records. Anyone, whether they actually own the vehicle researched or has simply seen the Vehicle driving down the street or parked, can view California smog test records going back years.
While the California Bureau of Automotive Repair BAR site does not state whether an older Vehicle actually has a gross polluter or pollution history, it does lists the car or vehicle’s manufacture year as well as the car’s pass or fail history. Additionally, the specific smog testing where the test took place, including test station name and physical address, are listed.This practice of listing public records so freely, not even requiring any type of registration or log-in, is interesting. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) does not freely distribute vehicle registration records so it seems unique that smog testing records, including actual location of smog for every smog test performed, are so freely distributed.