What is Clean Truck Check?
Clean Truck Check is California’s mandatory heavy-duty inspection and maintenance (HD I/M) program. It requires periodic emissions testing for most diesel trucks and other qualifying vehicles that operate on California roads, with compliance tracked in the Clean Truck Check Vehicle Inspection System (CTC-VIS).
How the program works
CARB established Clean Truck Check to reduce harmful diesel emissions from the freight sector. Instead of relying solely on manufacturer standards at the point of sale, the program tests vehicles throughout their operating life—similar in spirit to smog checks for passenger cars, but tailored to the complexity of heavy-duty powertrains, aftertreatment systems, and fleet operations.
Vehicle owners register eligible units in CTC-VIS, pay applicable state compliance fees, and complete emissions testing within assigned due windows. A CARB credentialed tester performs either an OBD-based inspection (common on 2007 and newer model-year engines) or a smoke opacity test (typical for older engines), then submits pass/fail results to CARB electronically.
Program details—including fee amounts, test procedures, and phase-in schedules—are published on arb.ca.gov. A commonly cited annual state compliance fee is $32.13 per vehicle, but always confirm the current fee on official CARB sources before paying.
CTC-VIS: your compliance dashboard
CTC-VIS is the online portal where owners see registration status, testing due dates, fee payment history, and whether each vehicle is compliant. Dispatchers and fleet managers often assign one person to monitor due windows across dozens or hundreds of units because a missed date can cascade into registration holds and roadside citations.
After a successful test, results typically appear in CTC-VIS within a short processing window. If a vehicle fails, the system records the outcome and owners must repair the underlying issue before retesting within program timelines.
New to the portal? See our CTC-VIS registration guide or visit CARB’s official CTC-VIS resources linked from the program homepage.
How Zurfex fits in
Zurfex does not administer the Clean Truck Check program—we connect you with independent CARB credentialed testers who perform inspections and submit results. You can compare testers by location, read reviews, and book mobile or shop-based appointments without calling multiple shops.
Continue with who needs Clean Truck Check, requirements, or how truck emissions testing works.