Same job at other shop types (everything else as set above): Independent shop (~$100/hr) $35–$90 · Chain shop / franchise (~$120/hr) $39–$99 (the headline above) · Dealership (~$175/hr) $46–$117. Each figure applies that shop type's hourly labor rate (market estimates, shown above) to the calculator's own hours and parts assumptions. It is modeled, not a quote.
Check a quote against these ranges
This sets your number beside published ranges and owner-written bills. It is not a verdict: ask the shop what the quote includes (parts grade, labor hours, fees, tax). It runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Is this repair covered by an emissions warranty?
Federal rules require carmakers to cover the catalytic converter, the emissions computer and the onboard diagnostic system for 8 years or 80,000 miles, and any part whose failure fails an emissions test for 2 years or 24,000 miles; California requires 3 years or 50,000 miles on every emission part.
| Warranty | Covers | Length |
|---|---|---|
| California, all emission parts | All emissions-related parts | 3 years or 50,000 miles |
| California, high-cost parts | Specific high-cost emission parts listed in the owner manual | 7 years or 70,000 miles |
| Federal, basic | Any part that causes an emissions failure | 2 years or 24,000 miles |
| Federal, extended | Catalytic converters, electronic emissions control unit (ECU), onboard emissions diagnostic device or computer (OBD) | 8 years or 80,000 miles |
What do emissions repairs cost?
Among 46,033 California vehicles repaired to pass a Smog Check in 2025, 39.1% cost over $650 to fix and the average bill was $757.
What it shows: Over $650 is the largest at 39.1%, followed by $1 to $100 at 13.1%; the smallest shown is $501 to $650 at 8.4%.
If my car fails smog, how much of this repair must I pay, and does California help?
California caps required Smog Check repair spending at $650 through a repair cost waiver and its Consumer Assistance Program pays up to $1,450 of repairs for qualifying owners of 1996 and newer cars, so on a typical $69 emissions test the program would pay $55 and the owner $14.
| Rule | Amount | What it means at $69 |
|---|---|---|
| CAP repair assistance, model year 1976 to 1995 | up to $1,100 | you pay 20% up to $1,375 of repairs, then everything above $1,100 |
| CAP repair assistance, model year 1996 or newer | up to $1,450 | On a emissions test at $69 the program pays $55 and you pay $14 |
| CAP vehicle retirement | up to $2,000 | paid instead of repair when you retire the car |
| Repair cost waiver line (every Smog Check failure) | $650 | A emissions test at $69 is under the line, so no waiver |
| Roadside re-failure within a year, model years 2000 to 2006 | 17% after passing, 35% after failing first | 7,886 cars checked in CY 2017-2018 |
After a failed emissions test, who can repair it, and what do repairs cost?
Maryland lists 135 certified emissions repair facilities and New Jersey 332, while Texas inspectors logged about 21,000 emissions repairs costing $3.7 million across its two inspection areas in 2024 and 2025, with a median repair cost of $25 to $299 by category after dropping zero and over-$2,000 entries.
| Program | What the public record shows | Count or figure |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland certified emissions repair facilities | 13 counties; most in Baltimore 31, Montgomery 24, Anne Arundel 17 | 135 facilities |
| New Jersey emission repair facilities | 218 also run private inspections | 332 facilities |
| Texas program evaluation, repair records | repairs logged by inspectors, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas, 2024 and 2025 | about 21,000 repairs, $3.7 million |
| Texas repair cost per repair (median and mean ranges) | by repair category, after dropping zero entries and costs above $2,000 | median $25 to $299, mean $82 to $415 |
| Texas repair records logged at zero cost | inspectors enter the cost by hand; the report warns of entry errors | 68.1% of records |
Has this part been recalled abroad on cars that may share it?
Manufacturers filed 1 foreign recall campaigns that name emissions test with NHTSA since 2015; the latest, from Isuzu Motors Limited in 2023-08. These are recalls abroad, and they apply to U.S. cars only if the same model is sold here.
| Filed | Manufacturer | Foreign recall no. | What the filing says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08 | Isuzu Motors Limited | 143 | Of 3 Detailed description: Modern day vehicles are equipped with readiness monitors that self-test the vehicle's emission control systems during each drive cycle. |
Does my county fall under federal smog rules or breathe unhealthy air?
Among 203 counties EPA currently lists as nonattainment for ozone or fine particles, the largest are Los Angeles County, CA (10,013,976 residents), Cook County, IL and Harris County, TX.
What it shows: Los Angeles County, CA is the largest at 10,013,976, followed by Cook County, IL at 5,275,555; the smallest shown is Queens County, NY at 2,405,425.
Which emission standard was my car certified to?
EPA's certification records show 100.0% of model year 2014 light-duty carlines certified to the older Tier 2 exhaust standard and 79.1% of model year 2026 carlines certified to Tier 3 Bin 50 or cleaner, so the catalytic converter and sensors a car needs depend on its model year (one count per carline, not per car sold).
| Model year | Tier 2 (older standard) | Tier 3 Bin 70 to 160 | Tier 3 Bin 20 to 50 (cleaner) | Tier 3 Bin 0 (zero emission) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 95.6% | 3.1% | 1.2% | 0.1% |
| 2018 | 3.1% | 82.4% | 12.8% | 1.8% |
| 2020 | 2.4% | 69.8% | 24.7% | 3.1% |
| 2022 | 0.2% | 53.2% | 38.3% | 8.3% |
| 2024 | 0.3% | 34.5% | 43.5% | 21.7% |
| 2026 | 0.1% | 20.7% | 48.1% | 31.0% |
How often does this part fail a real inspection, by car age?
In 2,102,125 New Jersey initial inspections in 2025, 14.3% of cars aged 16+ years failed the emissions test against 2.8% of cars under 3 years, about 5 times as often (record counts, not a sample).
What it shows: 16+ is the largest at 14.3%, followed by <3 at 2.8%; the smallest shown is 3-4 at 2.6%.
The emissions test cost is $39–$99 for an average state, according to the calculator above. Where you live moves the price most, and the type of shop moves it next.
What does the emissions test cost cover?
The fee covers the inspection itself: a visual check, a read of your car's computer, and in some programs a tailpipe or simulated-driving test. You get a pass or fail on paper. That's all you're buying.
It doesn't cover a repair, a diagnosis of why the car failed, or a retest after you fix it. Ask the station whether a retest is free and for how many days. Some programs include one, and others charge the full fee again.
What does the emissions test cost estimate leave out?
The estimate doesn't know your state's official fee, whether your county requires testing at all, or whether your car is exempt. Some programs skip new cars, very low-mileage cars, electric vehicles and older collector registrations. Check your state's rules before you pay.
It also excludes the repair after a failed test. A catalytic converter, an oxygen sensor or a gas cap can each lead to a bill far above the test fee, and the fee is the small part. Use the repair calculators for those jobs, and confirm the final test fee with the station.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay again if my car fails the emissions test?
It depends on your state and station. Some programs include a free retest within a set window, and others charge the full fee again. Ask before you test, and keep the failure report for the repair shop.
Is an emissions test the same as an emissions diagnosis?
No. The test gives a pass or fail. A diagnosis is a shop job that reads trouble codes and tests the failing system to find the cause, and it's billed separately by labor time.
Sources
Data shown on this page
- U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR 85.2103, and the California Air Resources Board warranty fact sheet downloaded 2026-10-05
- California Bureau of Automotive Repair, Smog Check Executive Summary Report 2025 data from 2025
- California Bureau of Automotive Repair: Smog Check Reference Guide, Consumer Assistance Program repair assistance page, and 2019 Smog Check Performance Report data from 2025
- Maryland Department of the Environment (opendata.maryland.gov 7gas-4kz4), State of New Jersey open data (9qpt-bnm4), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Evaluation of the Texas Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Program (2026) data from 2026
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, Foreign Campaigns (filings under 49 CFR 579.11, public API) downloaded 2026-10-05
- EPA Green Book, Currently and previously designated nonattainment areas by county; county population from the 2020 Census downloaded 2026-09 (EPA export 2026-09-30)
- U.S. EPA, Annual Certification Data for Vehicles, light-duty vehicle models 2014-present (exhaust standard of every certified carline) downloaded 2026-10
- New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Vehicle Inspection Data downloaded 2026-10
Terms: US government data, public domain.
Rule: a published legal rule, not a measurement; whether it covers a given repair depends on the car and the facts. Observed: records as filed; owner reports are unverified and are not failure rates.
What is our own estimate
The price range comes from our calculator's formula. Its parts prices, labor hours per job and shop-rate tiers are CalcScrape estimates, not a published price dataset. Checked against RepairPal's range ($61–$90) on 2026-10-05: our default's midpoint is 9% below the middle of that range. Price evidence grade C: one outside published range; the hours and parts prices behind the estimate are CalcScrape assumptions and have not been checked against repair invoices. Methodology