Collector cars from the late 1970s and 1980s, an iconic part of California’s automotive heritage, have long faced the challenge of passing smog checks. This has often left them in garages, despite auto lovers pushing for years to lessen emissions regulations for these vintage vehicles, arguing they are driven only short distances for parades and meet-ups.
Now, thanks to a legislative effort championed by comedian and auto enthusiast Jay Leno, who boasts a personal collection of over 150 vehicles, relief is on the way. Governor Gavin Newsom visited Leno’s Burbank garage on Wednesday to sign Senate Bill 1392, now known as Jay Leno’s Law. This new legislation expands smog check exemptions for certain collector cars.
Under current law, vehicles manufactured before the 1975 model year are already exempt from smog check requirements. Jay Leno’s Law will phase in additional exemptions for collector cars built from model years 1976 through 1985, provided they are not used as a primary mode of transportation. The new exemptions are set to take effect starting January 1, 2028, initially applying to qualifying cars manufactured before the 1981 model year.
Each year following, eligibility will extend by another model year until 2033, at which point vehicles manufactured through the 1985 model year will be included. To be eligible, owners must demonstrate that their collector car is not used for everyday transport. This can be proven by holding collector-car insurance or by documenting that the car is driven fewer than 1,000 miles per year. The exemption is specifically designed for cars used primarily in shows, parades, charitable functions, and historical exhibitions.
State Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San José), a co-author of the bill, stated that the law allows California to "protect clean air while also recognizing the historic and cultural value of collector vehicles." He emphasized that SB 1392 establishes a "carefully limited exemption for cars that are preserved, driven sparingly, and maintained as part of California’s automotive heritage."
Maintaining vintage vehicles is often a labor of love, and the biennial smog check requirement has been an additional hurdle for collectors. Many gas stations are not equipped to provide this specialized service. Jay Leno noted the absurdity of the current system at a rally for the bill in August, stating that it risks "making criminals out of people that want to do the right thing" just because they can't find a station or pass outdated emissions tests for their cherished old cars.
The lowrider community, in particular, will see this as a major win, having submitted over 1,700 letters in support of the bill. These customized classic cars, with their distinctive modified suspensions, are a cherished tradition within California’s Chicano community. While the culture persisted through decades of fines, restrictions, and local cruising bans, interest in lowriding has surged in recent years, with caravans of lowriders becoming a resurgent ritual on streets like Van Nuys Boulevard.
During his visit to Leno’s garage, Governor Newsom also signed Assembly Bill 2541 into law, which creates a special license plate to honor California’s lowrider heritage. Assemblymember Mark González (D-Los Angeles), the author of AB 2541, commented that "Lowriding is more than a car; it is cultura, it is art, it’s family, and it is a powerful expression of Chicano and Latino pride."
Securing the Legislature's approval for Jay Leno’s Law, a bill that will incrementally increase emissions, was not an easy task. Environmental and public health advocates have consistently opposed new smog check waivers, citing concerns about increased exhaust emissions, such as nitrogen dioxide, and the fact that California already has some of the worst air pollution in the nation. At least three similar attempts to loosen smog check requirements for older cars failed to reach the governor’s desk since 2016.
This legislative cycle, however, supporters of the Leno-backed bill successfully argued that its environmental impact would be limited. They pointed out that the waivers apply to a small number of vehicles that are only driven short distances each year, with Sen. Cortese noting that less than 1% of registered cars in California fall within the model-year range covered by the law. State Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) co-authored the bill, celebrating its passage with "overwhelming support of car enthusiasts, mechanics, and families across the state."
