The On-Road Light-Duty Certification Section is responsible for the certification and production audit of new passenger cars (PC), light-duty trucks (LDT), medium-duty vehicles (MDV), highway (on-road) motorcycles (HMC), off-highway recreational vehicles (OHRV) including off-road motorcycles (OFMC), all-terrain vehicles (ATV), off-road utility vehicles (UV), off-road sport vehicles (SV), sand cars (SCAR), and electric golf carts (eGC). Vehicles and engines (hereinafter, vehicles) are not legal for sale in California until certified. Violation of the requirement for certification can subject the vehicle manufacturers and/or selling dealers to enforcement actions including a fine of up to $37,500 per violation per vehicle. This fine established in 2018 is adjusted periodically for inflation based on the California Consumer Price Index (CPI). For the CPI-adjusted fine visit the California Consumer Price Index-Increased Maximum Penalties web page.
More about this program
On-Road Light-Duty Vehicle Certification Program
Certification of new on-road light-duty vehicles produced and offered for California sale.