--- title: "Clean Truck Check for Out-of-State Trucks (Including Mexico and Canada)" description: "Out-of-state and cross-border trucks that drive in California must still comply with Clean Truck Check, according to CARB. How to register, when to test and…" url: "https://ctcfinder.com/guide/out-of-state-trucks/" updated: "2026-10-30" publisher: "CTC Finder (independent directory, not affiliated with CARB)" --- # Clean Truck Check for out-of-state trucks Updated 2026-10-30. Source: CTC Finder (https://ctcfinder.com/guide/out-of-state-trucks/). Independent; not affiliated with CARB. **Short answer:** Yes, out-of-state trucks need Clean Truck Check if they operate in California. CARB says the rules apply to heavy-duty vehicles over 14,000 lbs GVWR "including vehicles registered outside of California when operating in the state," and that the program "is still in effect for all vehicles operating on California public roads and highways." You must report the truck in CTC-VIS, pay the annual fee ($32.13 in 2026) and pass a test by a CARB-credentialed tester, who can be located in your home state. Out-of-state motorhomes are exempt. ## The 2026 EPA decision, and what CARB says On January 27, 2026, the US EPA approved Clean Truck Check into California's air quality plan **only for vehicles registered in California** and disapproved the part covering out-of-state vehicles (trade press reported the decision on January 29, 2026). The final rule was published in the Federal Register on February 6, 2026 and took effect March 9, 2026. CARB's FAQ says this partial disapproval does not change compliance or enforcement and the program remains in effect for all vehicles on California roads. Until a court or CARB says otherwise, plan to comply. ## What out-of-state carriers need to do 1. **Report each truck in CTC-VIS** (cleantruckcheck.arb.ca.gov). See [how to register](https://ctcfinder.com/guide/how-to-register-ctc-vis/). 2. **Pay the annual compliance fee** per vehicle in CTC-VIS: $32.13 in 2026, $33.12 in 2027. 3. **Test before each deadline.** Vehicles not registered in California get deadlines based on the **last digit of the VIN**, not a DMV date. Check CTC-VIS for your dates. 4. **Use a CARB-credentialed tester.** The tester does not have to be in California. ## Testers outside California CARB's public tester list includes **506 testing businesses outside California**, in states such as Illinois, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Utah, plus Canadian provinces. Many national mobile testing companies also cover out-of-state fleets. [See testers outside California](https://ctcfinder.com/testers/outside-california/). If your trucks enter California through a few points, a tester near your entry route can also work: for example the I-15 corridor ([Hesperia](https://ctcfinder.com/testers/san-bernardino-county/hesperia/)), I-10 ([Fontana](https://ctcfinder.com/testers/san-bernardino-county/fontana/)), I-5 ([Stockton](https://ctcfinder.com/testers/san-joaquin-county/stockton/)) or I-80 ([Sacramento](https://ctcfinder.com/testers/sacramento-county/sacramento/)). ## Trucks from Mexico Cross-border trucks that operate in California are covered; CARB's materials describe the program as including "out-of-country vehicles." The Otay Mesa crossing in San Diego County is California's busiest commercial truck crossing, at about one million trucks a year (GSA, 2022). Testers in [San Diego](https://ctcfinder.com/testers/san-diego-county/san-diego/), [Chula Vista](https://ctcfinder.com/testers/san-diego-county/chula-vista/) and [Imperial County](https://ctcfinder.com/testers/imperial-county/) serve border carriers. ## Roadside screening CARB uses remote emissions monitoring devices (REMD) and license-plate readers along California highways, including near the Mexico border (per Heavy Duty Trucking). A truck flagged for high emissions gets a **Notice to Submit to Testing** and has **30 calendar days** to submit a passing test, whether or not it is registered in California. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do out-of-state trucks need Clean Truck Check? Yes, according to CARB, if they operate in California. EPA's January 2026 decision limited federal approval to California-registered vehicles, but CARB says the rule is still in effect and enforced for all vehicles on California roads. ### Can a tester in my state do the Clean Truck Check test? Yes, if the tester holds a CARB credential. CARB's public list includes 506 businesses outside California. ### How are deadlines set for out-of-state trucks? By the last digit of the VIN. CTC-VIS shows the exact dates for each vehicle. ### Do out-of-state motorhomes need Clean Truck Check? No. CARB exempts motorhomes registered outside California. ## Sources - CARB, [Clean Truck Check program page](https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/CTC) - CARB, [Clean Truck Check FAQ](https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/clean-truck-check-faq-0) - Trucking Info (HDT), [California Clean Truck Check rules still in force for out-of-state trucks](https://www.truckinginfo.com/10254665/california-clean-truck-check-rules-still-in-force-for-out-of-state-trucks-despit), January 29, 2026 - CARB, [Clean Truck Check brochure (2023)](https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2023-08/CTC-Bifold-FINAL-Web.pdf) - Federal Register, [EPA partial approval and disapproval, 91 FR 5325](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-02-06/html/2026-02350.htm), February 6, 2026 - GSA, [Otay Mesa land port modernization](https://www.gsa.gov/about-gsa/newsroom/former-gsa-regional-news-archive/region-9-newsroom/feature-stories/otay-mesa-lpoe-modernization-boosts-regional-economic-development-02142022)