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Frequently Asked Questions
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| Voluntary accelerated vehicle retirement or VAVR programs have been operating
in California since the 1990's. VAVR programs are sometimes referred to as car scrappage or vehicle buy back
programs and are designed to provide incentives, including monetary payments, to owners of older, more polluting
vehicles to voluntarily
retire their vehicles. VAVR programs are optional for local air districts who administer VAVR programs. Not
all air districts administer VAVR programs. VAVR programs are operated by private businesses contracted to local
air districts. In most cases, owners interested in retiring their vehicles contact the enterprise operator directly.
The goal of the program is to reduce mobile source ozone-forming emissions by encouraging the accelerated
retirement of the older more polluting vehicles so that newer, cleaner vehicles can be put into use sooner
than would occur naturally. VAVR programs are one of many components of the State Implementation Plan or SIP, California's
comprehensive strategy to achieve the federal ozone standard throughout the state. |
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| 1. What vehicle retirement programs are available? |
Currently, there are two different vehicle retirement programs available.
Vehicle eligibility depends on whether your vehicle failed or passed the last scheduled smog check.
If your vehicle FAILED
the last Smog Check, the Bureau of Automotive Repair's (BAR) Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) may pay up to $1,000
to retire your qualified vehicle. For further information on BAR's CAP program, call 1-800-952-5210 or visit their
website at www.smogcheck.ca.gov and click on Consumer Assistance Program.
If your vehicle PASSED
the last Smog Check or your vehicle is not subject to the Smog Check requirement, your local air district may
administer a VAVR program. As the administration of a VAVR program is entirely optional for your air district,
check the VAVR website to see if your local air district is offering a VAVR program. Go to www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/avrp/avrp.htm.
If your vehicle has passed the last scheduled Smog Check and your local air district does not administer a VAVR
program, your vehicle is not eligible for a VAVR program. The State of California and the Air Resources
Board do not
administer any VAVR programs. |
| 2. Does my vehicle qualify for a VAVR program? |
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To qualify for a VAVR program, your vehicle must have PASSED the last required Smog
Check, be a gasoline-fueled passenger car or light-duty truck and must be currently registered for at
least two years in the air district that is administering the VAVR program. The vehicle must be in good operating
condition and must pass both the functional and the equipment eligibility inspections. The vehicle must not
be on a Smog Check repair cost waiver or economic hardship extension.
If you would like further information about vehicle qualification or whether your local air district is administering
a VAVR program, please visit the VAVR website at
www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/avrp/avrp.htm.
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| 3. How do I retire my vehicle? |
Participation in a VAVR program is entirely voluntary for the vehicle owner and the administration of a VAVR program is entirely
optional for your local air district.
If your vehicle FAILED
the last scheduled Smog Check, contact the Bureau of Automotive Repair's (BAR) Consumer Assistance Program (CAP),
at 1-800-952-5210 or visit their website at www.smogcheck.ca.gov and click on Consumer Assistance Program.
If your vehicle PASSED
the last Smog Check or your vehicle is not subject to the Smog Check requirement, check the VAVR website to see
if your local air district is offering a VAVR program. Go to www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/avrp/avrp.htm.
The State of California and the Air Resources Board do not administer any VAVR programs. |
| 4. Who do I contact to determine if my vehicle qualifies for
a VAVR program? |
VAVR programs are administered by local air districts. Your vehicle must
have been registered in that district for at least the last two years. As the administration of
a VAVR program is entirely optional for your local air district, not all districts administer VAVR programs.
If your vehicle PASSED
the last Smog Check or your vehicle is not subject to the Smog Check requirement, check the VAVR website to see
if your local air district is offering a VAVR program. Go to www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/avrp/avrp.htm. |
| 5. What if my vehicle FAILED the last Smog Check? |
If your vehicle FAILED the last Smog Check, the Bureau of Automotive Repair's (BAR) Consumer Assistance
Program (CAP) may pay up to $1,000 to retire your qualified vehicle. For further information on BAR's CAP program,
call 1-800-952-5210 or visit their website at www.smogcheck.ca.gov and click on Consumer
Assistance Program.
Vehicles that have FAILED
their last Smog Check or are on a Smog Check repair cost waiver or economic hardship extension are not eligible
for VAVR programs. |
| 6. Does the State of California or the Air Resources Board administer
car scrappage or vehicle buy back programs? |
VAVR programs are administered by local air district in which the vehicle
has been registered for at least the last two years. The administration of VAVR programs is entirely
optional for you're the air district.
The State of California and the Air Resources Board do not administer any VAVR programs. |
| 7. How do I get further information about the VAVR regulation? |
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If you would like further information about vehicle qualification; whether
your local air district is administering a VAVR program or to return to the main VAVR web page, click on
www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/avrp/avrp.htm.
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