Classic cars don’t need smog tests —so pass Leno’s Law

California legislators might finally give classic cars owners a break on costly smog inspections, by passing a bill known as Leno’s Law.

Leno’s Law is named after its highest-profile supporter former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno. After earlier setbacks, Leno’s Law has been reintroduced, and let’s hope this time it will pass.

Currently, vehicles made before 1975 are not required to have smog checks. If Leno’s Law is passed, then the exemption will be extended to include vehicles made before 1981, with a rolling exemption for years after. The strict language of the bill states that the classic car benefiting from the exemption cannot be the owner’s primary mode of transportation. 

Senate Bill 1392 is a bipartisan text that emerged as a streamlined version of Senate 712, which was previously introduced by Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield). The initial version of Leno’s Law failed to advance past the Assembly Appropriations Committee in 2025. 

Grove and Sen. Dave Cortez (D-San Jose) are the lead authors of the current revised bill. 

The new bill is hardly contentious, and has broad bipartisan support. In today’s divisive political climate, whenever you have a bill that both parties support, you know it’s likely to be a good thing for California. 

The average age of a classic or collector car owner is approximately 54 to 56 years old. While Baby Boomers and Gen Xers hold the highest volume of ownership, Gen Xers have become the top demographic, surpassing Baby Boomers, for collector vehicle insurance quotes.

More than one-third of enthusiasts are retired. And women are increasingly entering the hobby, with a typical female collector age of 52.

Classic cars transcend racial lines and unite communities. Classic car cultures help to shape neighborhoods and the state of California. The lowrider and muscle car cultures have long been symbols of the West Coast, and have provided a reason for people to come together and bond over their classic cars. 

There is also a specifically Latino classic car culture in California, deeply rooted in Mexican-American culture since the 1940s. Families bond over restoring and maintaining classic models. In areas such as East LA, owners invest heavily in customizing classic cars and pass on that knowledge to younger generations. 

The African American classic car culture in California, too, has a long history of community-oriented activity.  

Valuable groups like the Black Classics Car Club foster and mentor youths and mixing car rebuilding with civic pride. 

It is more difficult for classic car owners to have their cars checked for emissions, or “smogged.” California requires vehicles older than 1999 to undergo the elusive BAR-97 test, which many smog stations do not offer, as it is more expensive than conventional tests. Furthermore, classic car owners often face higher smog costs, and have to continually jump through burdensome bureaucratic hoops to smog.

Older vehicles often require more complex tailpipe testing (BAR-97) and may require a STAR-certified station, leading to higher costs compared to modern vehicles.

Classic car owners are increasingly faced with selling their cars due to smog requirements. Just as state legislators want to phase out oil production in California, they have made classic cars a target.

California should cherish and recognize the cultural significance of the classic car culture and not regulate it out of existence. 

California is a state where residents are overtaxed and overregulated. It’s time to offer classic car owners a break by passing Leno’s Law.

Christopher Bunyan is the founder of an environmental advocacy group based Orange County, Calif.