California Air Resources Board

Local educational agencies are subject to State and Federal regulations for a range of vehicles and equipment that they may own and operate. Examples include school buses, trucks, utility vehicles, maintenance and landscape equipment and vehicles, and more. In general, CARB defines vehicles by their gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), whether their intended purpose was for on-road or off-road, and the type of fuel they use to operate (e.g. diesel, gasoline, propane). Listed below are the CARB regulations affecting different vehicle and equipment types. The information is intended to assist local educational agencies in learning about compliance requirements and where to find additional information. CARB offers educational and training events on many of the regulations a school district may be subject to.

Assembly Bill 579 

This bill requires that, commencing January 1, 2035, 100% of all newly purchased or contracted school buses of a school district, county office of education, or charter school to be zero-emission vehicles, where feasible. View full bill text here.

On-Road Vehicles: School Buses and Trucks

School buses, as defined by California Vehicle Code section 545, and heavy-duty trucks are subject to several CARB regulations for both privately-owned and publicly owned vehicles.

School Bus compliance requirements:

1. Truck and Bus Regulation if diesel fueled and over 14,000 lbs. GVWR; and

2. Idling Limits if over 10,001 lbs. GVWR or if the vehicle has idling limitations in school zones per the School Bus Idling Limitation; and

3. Clean Truck Check (HD I/M) which affects almost all diesel and alternative fuel on-road vehicles over 14,000 lbs. GVWR operating in California

Trucks and other vehicle types:

1. Other vehicle types have the same compliance requirements as school buses, see above; and

2. the Public Agency and Utility Regulation if over 14,000 lbs. GVWR and owned/operated by a public school district; and

3. Advanced Clean Fleets This regulation applies to affected fleets with medium- and heavy-duty on-road vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 8,500 lbs. Depending on the compliance option selected, light-duty package delivery vehicles may also be affected. However, in all cases, school buses as defined in CVC section 545(a) are exempt from the ACF regulation.

Off-Road Vehicles: 

• The Off-Road Regulation applies to all self-propelled off-road diesel vehicles 25 horsepower or greater used in California and most on-road and off-road vehicles. This includes vehicles that are rented or leased.

Large-Spark Ignition:

• The Large Spark-Ignition Engine Fleet Requirements Regulation, with some exceptions, applies to operators of forklifts, sweeper/scrubbers, industrial tow tractors, and airport ground support equipment.

Portable Equipment

The Portable Equipment Registration Program (PERP) is a voluntary statewide program to register portable equipment such as air compressors, generators, concrete pumps, tub grinders, woodchippers, water pumps, drill rigs, pile drivers, rock drills, abrasive blasters, aggregate screening and crushing plants, and concrete batch plants. With certain limited exceptions, including a determination by a local air district that a permit is required for operation at a given location, portable equipment registered in PERP may operate throughout the state without obtaining permits from any of California's 35 air quality management or air pollution control districts (air districts).