Gov. Newsom Signs Leno's Law, Exempting More Classic Cars From Smog Tests
- On Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1392, nicknamed 'Leno's Law,' at Jay Leno's garage in Burbank, creating a phased smog-check exemption for collector vehicles manufactured from 1976 to 1985.
- Jointly authored by Senator Dave Cortese and Senator Shannon Grove, the measure follows years of advocacy by Leno to preserve California automotive heritage after a similar bill failed in 2025.
- Qualifying cars must carry collector insurance or be driven less than 1,000 miles annually, with the phased rollout beginning January 1, 2028, and expanding one model year each year through 2033.
- Newsom also signed Assembly Bill 2541 establishing lowrider license plates and Senate Bill 1069 streamlining aftermarket parts testing; SEMA CEO Mike Spagnola called the package a 'historic win' for automotive culture.
- The legislation preserves California automotive traditions while restricting vehicles to limited use, with officials noting that the affected fleet contributes relatively little to statewide emissions compared with daily-use vehicles.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Gov. Newsom Signs Classic-Car Smog Exemption at Jay Leno's Garage
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Wednesday at Jay Leno’s garage in Burbank that will expand California’s smog-check exemption to certain classic cars. Senate Bill 1392, dubbed “Leno’s Law,” creates a phased-in smog-check exemption for qualifying collector vehicles from model years 1976 through 1985. California currently exempts vehicles made before the 1976 model year from regular […]
California's "Leno's Law" signed, expanding classic car smog exemptions
By Cecilio Padilla California is expanding its smog-check exemption to more classic cars under a bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday. Newsom signed Senate Bill 1392, known as “Leno’s Law,” at Jay Leno’s Garage in Burbank. The law will create a phased-in exemption for qualifying collector vehicles from model years 1976 through 1985. California currently exempts vehicles made before the 1976 model year from the state’s regular smog-check…
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