Sunita Somvanshi
California Governor Newsom signed SB 1392 on September 16, creating a new smog-check exemption for qualifying collector cars built between 1976 and 1985. The law — informally called Jay Leno’s Law after the collector-car advocate who publicly supported it — phases in the exemption starting January 1, 2028. Not every older car automatically qualifies. The eligibility requirements reflect the law’s intent: these are vehicles meant for collector use, not daily driving.
SB 1392 was jointly authored by State Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) and State Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) and signed at a ceremony that also included AB 2541, which creates a specialty license plate for lowrider vehicles. The signing addresses a gap in California’s existing smog-check exemption framework, which already covered cars built before 1976. Vehicles built from 1976 onward were subject to biennial smog inspection requirements regardless of how rarely they were driven or how they were used.
Under SB 1392, qualifying vehicles must be insured as collector cars or driven fewer than 1,000 miles per year. The law is designed for vehicles primarily used in shows, parades, exhibitions, and charitable events — not for regular commuting or transportation. Owning an older car alone does not automatically qualify it for the exemption. The insurance or mileage condition must be met.
If your car was built between 1976 and 1985, here’s what the law actually means for your situation. A car built between 1976 and 1980 becomes eligible for the smog exemption on January 1, 2028, provided it meets the collector-use conditions. A car built between 1981 and 1985 is not covered in the first phase. The law expands the exemption by one model year annually: 1981 models become eligible in 2029, 1982 models in 2030, 1983 models in 2031, 1984 models in 2032, and 1985 models in 2033. If you own a 1983 model, you are not exempt until 2031; a 1984 model until 2032; a 1985 model until 2033.
When Does Your Car Actually Qualify?
The phased structure of SB 1392 is the detail most likely to get lost in the coverage. The headline “classic cars now exempt” is accurate for a narrow category. It is not accurate as a general rule.
Phase one covers cars built from 1976 through 1980. These become exempt from biennial smog inspections beginning January 1, 2028, if the vehicle is insured as a collector car or the owner can document fewer than 1,000 miles per year of use. Under the law, these vehicles are intended for limited uses — shows, parades, charitable events, exhibitions.
Phase two covers cars built from 1981 through 1985. The law phases these in annually — adding one model year each January 1 from 2029 through 2033, at which point all vehicles built before 1986 are covered.
Jay Leno, speaking at the signing ceremony, said: “The car community has been waiting on this for a long time, and they notice when someone follows through.”
Which California classic cars qualify for the new exemption? Under SB 1392, vehicles built from 1976 to 1985 that are insured as collector cars or driven fewer than 1,000 miles per year qualify — but Phase 1 (1976-1980 models) takes effect January 1, 2028. The law then adds one model year annually: 1981 models in 2029, 1982 in 2030, 1983 in 2031, 1984 in 2032, 1985 in 2033.
For the specific requirements, check the California DMV collector vehicle page for how to register under the collector category and what documentation satisfies the mileage condition. The full text of SB 1392 is available on the California Legislature website.
