Last year, we wrote about Leno’s Law and what it could mean for our California owners. At the time, the proposal was still working its way through Sacramento. Now, there’s an important update: Senate Bill 1392 has been signed into law.
A phased smog-check exemption
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Leno’s Law this week at Jay Leno’s garage. The legislation creates a phased smog-check exemption for qualifying vehicles built between 1976 and 1985.
The change will begin on January 1, 2028, with eligible vehicles built before the 1981 model year. The qualifying range will then expand by one model year annually, reaching vehicles built before the 1986 model year in 2033. That’s good news for owners of late-1970s and 1980s Camaros, Mustangs, Corvettes, and cars that are becoming recognized as collector vehicles.
What owners need to know
The exemption won’t apply automatically to every vehicle from those model years. Cars will need to meet requirements established by the state. Those requirements are expected to address how the vehicle is used, with options involving insurance or verification of limited annual mileage.
So, for now, owners should continue following California’s existing smog-check requirements. The law also leaves California’s existing exemption for vehicles built before the 1976 model year unchanged.
Part of a bigger conversation
California isn’t the only place considering how emissions rules should apply to older vehicles. In the UK, the government has also been consulting on the environmental impact of emissions from vehicles already in use.
While the UK consultation is not the same as California’s exemption, both reflect a similar challenge: protecting air quality while recognizing that a well-maintained classic driven occasionally is different from a high-mileage daily commuter.
A clearer path ahead
For some DRIVESHARE owners, Leno’s Law could eventually mean fewer inspections, lower ownership costs, and less paperwork. It doesn’t change the rules overnight, but it does create a clearer path for qualifying collector vehicles.
When we covered the proposal last year, it was still uncertain whether it would make it through the Legislature. Now, after years of advocacy, California’s classic-car community has something concrete to celebrate.
Member discussion