Many of us at retirement age finally have time to spend on our hobbies. One of those hobbies is classic cars.
The many car shows held around Las Vegas prove how much we love to display our old cars.
What we don’t love is having to get them smog checked. Older cars don’t have the emissions controls of newer vehicles, and it can be a costly hassle that must be done every year.
Leno’s Law (CA SB 1392), while only in California for now, may start to spread to other states soon because, as we know, what happens in California never stays there. The law, which the aftermarket industry has been working to pass for a few years, states that qualifying collector vehicles manufactured before 1981 now are exempt from smog-check requirements.
The exemption would annually expand by one model year until 2033, where it would apply to vehicles manufactured before 1986. For a vehicle to qualify, it must meet the bill’s collector-use requirements, plus owners must have collector-car insurance or verify the vehicle is driven fewer than 1,000 miles per year.
According to California, a qualifying collector car is one that is at least 35 model years old, is primarily used in shows, parades, and charitable events, or historical exhibitions for display, maintenance, and preservation. It also isn’t used as a primary mode of transportation.
In addition, it must pass a functional inspection of the fuel cap and a visual inspection for liquid fuel leaks.
Current Nevada smog test rules apply to vehicles 1968 or newer that are either gas or diesel powered. If your vehicle fails (exceeds carbon monoxide and/or hydrocarbon levels standards for 1968-1995 light-duty vehicles), it may be eligible for a waiver for one year.
Exceptions to this include vehicles eligible for warranty coverage, smoking vehicles, and emissions device tampering. Being good neighbors of California, with many cars often traveling back and forth, let’s hope the Nevada legislature takes notice of Leno’s Law and starts working toward adopting something similar soon for us.
