Clean Truck Check for Phoenix Carriers Running California
If your trucks run a lane into California, CARB’s Clean Truck Check applies to you — Arizona plates included. You don’t have to drive to California to comply, and you don’t have to take a truck out of service to do it.
Daily mobile testing across the Phoenix metro · AIRPASS ships anywhere · 24/7 dispatch
Yes, It Applies to Arizona-Plated Trucks
This is the question we field most from Phoenix carriers, and the answer is not the one most people expect. Clean Truck Check is not a registration program — it is an operating program. Any diesel vehicle over 14,000 lbs GVWR that operates in California is subject to it, no matter what state issued the plate.
Your deadline works differently than a California carrier’s. California-registered trucks follow their DMV registration month. Yours is set by the last digit of your VIN, twice a year. Most out-of-state operators don’t know that until something goes wrong.
Enforcement happens at the border and at roadside inspection. If you run the I-10 west, you cross into California at Blythe. If you run the I-8, you cross at Winterhaven. Either way, compliance is checked against the truck, not against where it sleeps at night.
AIRPASS — Comply Without Leaving Arizona
For most Phoenix carriers this is the answer, and it has nothing to do with convenience. The device travels with the truck.
AIRPASS plugs into the OBD port once. It runs your Clean Truck Check test when the compliance window opens and files the result with CARB automatically — whether the truck is sitting in Tolleson or crossing at Blythe. Unlimited tests, and if one doesn’t complete it retries at no charge.
It works throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico, so a truck that runs California this quarter and Texas the next stays covered either way.
- Ships to your yard — no appointment, no downtime
- Installs in about 10 minutes through the OBD port
- Works on most 2013 and newer diesel
- Files directly with CARB, twice a year, automatically
Mobile Testing — Daily in the Phoenix Metro
We have technicians in Phoenix every day. For 2013 and newer trucks, fleets, or operators who want a credentialed tech on site, we come to the yard.
- OBD testing for 2013 and newer diesel
- Post-repair retesting
- Notice to Submit testing
- Fleet events — we’ll test the whole yard in one visit
About 10-20 minutes per truck. Results submitted to CARB.
What Test Does Your Truck Need?
| Your truck | Required test | Can AIRPASS do it? |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 and newer diesel | OBD scan through a CARB-certified device | Yes |
| 2012 and older diesel | SAE J1667 smoke opacity test + emissions control equipment inspection | No — needs a mobile tech |
| 2017 and older alternative fuel | Visual inspection only | No — needs a mobile tech |
| 2018 and newer alternative fuel | OBD scan | Yes |
Running a mixed fleet? Most Phoenix operators are. Send us your VIN list and we’ll tell you which trucks can go on AIRPASS and which ones need a tech — before you spend anything.
When Is Your Truck Due?
Clean Truck Check compliance is required every six months, and out-of-state trucks are scheduled differently than California ones.
- Out-of-state and DMV-exempt trucks — your deadline is set by the last digit of your VIN, semiannually. Nothing about your Arizona registration date matters here.
- California-registered trucks — deadline follows the DMV registration expiration month, then every six months after.
- Tests are accepted up to 90 days before your deadline. Use that window. If a truck fails, you’ll want the time to fix it before it has to run.
Miss the deadline and CARB can assess penalties per vehicle. For out-of-state carriers the exposure is at the border and at roadside inspection — which usually means a loaded truck, on a clock, a long way from your shop.
What Clean Truck Check Costs in 2026
Two separate costs, and most sites blur them together. Here they are straight:
| Cost | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| CARB annual compliance fee | $32.13 per vehicle per year | CARB — the state, not us |
| AIRPASS, first year | $399 | AIRLIMITS |
| AIRPASS, renewal | $300 per year — unlimited tests | AIRLIMITS |
| Mobile testing | OBD Testing $175 | AIRLIMITS |
Fleet pricing available. If you’re putting AIRPASS in more than 5 trucks, call and we’ll quote the fleet.
Where We Test Around Phoenix
Phoenix · Tolleson · Glendale · Mesa · Tempe · Chandler · Gilbert · Goodyear · Avondale · Buckeye · Peoria · Surprise · Scottsdale · Maricopa County
If your yard sits along the I-10, the I-17, the 202 or the 101 and it isn’t on this list, call anyway. We’re probably close.
Clean Truck Check Questions — Arizona Carriers
Do Arizona-plated trucks really need California Clean Truck Check?
Yes. Any diesel vehicle over 14,000 lbs GVWR operating in California is subject to Clean Truck Check regardless of where it is registered. The program follows the truck, not the plate. If you’re unsure how your particular operation is classified, call us and we’ll walk through it with you.
My trucks only run California occasionally. Does it still apply?
Yes. The rule covers vehicles that operate in California — not vehicles that operate there frequently. One regular lane puts you in the program. This is the single most common misunderstanding we hear from Arizona carriers, and it’s usually discovered at a roadside inspection.
How do I know my deadline if I'm not registered in California?
Out-of-state and DMV-exempt vehicles are scheduled by the last digit of the VIN, twice a year. Send us your VIN list and we’ll tell you when each truck is due. There’s no cost for that.
Can I get tested in Phoenix, or do I have to go to California?
You can get tested in Phoenix. We have technicians in the metro daily — we come to your yard, your terminal, or wherever the truck is parked. You never have to send an OBD capable truck to California to comply with a California program.
What happens if I'm not compliant when I cross into California?
Enforcement happens at the port, border and at roadside inspection, and CARB can assess penalties per vehicle. The practical cost is usually worse than the penalty — it’s a loaded truck sitting on a clock a long way from your shop.
What if my truck is a 2012 or older?
Older diesels can’t be tested through the OBD port, so AIRPASS isn’t an option for them. They need an SAE J1667 smoke opacity test plus an emissions control equipment inspection, which requires a credentialed technician on site with an opacity meter. We schedule those in Phoenix monthly, call to get on the list.
Does AIRPASS keep working outside California?
Yes. It works throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico. That’s the reason it suits an out-of-state carrier better than it suits a California one — the device stays with the truck no matter which lane it runs.
Get Your Phoenix Fleet Compliant
Send us your VIN list and we will tell you which trucks are due, when, and which ones can go on AIRPASS. No charge for that.
24/7 dispatch · service@airlimits.com · CARB-credentialed HD I/M testers since 2014