California Air Resources Board

Summary of OBD Templates

Manufacturers that certify OBD systems are required to submit certain information (i.e., certification applications, in-use data after OBD certification) described in the OBD regulations.  Some of the information are required to be submitted in specific formats or templates.  The following table indicates the information required to be submitted as well as a link to the specific format/template that manufacturers are required to use for the information.  Since some of the templates are occasionally updated, the table indicates the latest date the template was revised.

CARB OBD-Related Mail-Outs

Mail-Out # ECCD 2023-01: "Guidance for On-Board Diagnostic II and Heavy-Duty On-Board Diagnostic Production Vehicle/Engine Evaluation Testing and Manufacturer Self-Testing Reporting Documentation" (September 29, 2023)

• Mail-Out # ECCD 2023-01: CARB document containing overview of CARB-developed templates that manufacturer may use to report information required for production vehicle/engine evaluation testing and manufacturer self-testing. The templates referenced in the document can be found in the table above.

Mail-Out #ECCD 2020-02: "Potential Delays in Manufacturer Submission of Required Data and Reports" (May 7, 2020)

• Mail-Out #ECCD 2020-02: CARB document advising manufacturers of steps to take should manufacturers fail to timely complete or submit any CARB-required data submissions or reports (including OBD data/reports) due to stay-at-home orders, production shutdowns, or laboratory closures.

Mail-Out #ECARS 19-05: "Guidance for Heavy-Duty On-Board Diagnostic (HD OBD) System Certification Documentation and Running Change/Field Fix Documents Submitted to the California Air Resources Board Document Management System" (October 7, 2019) 

• Mail-Out #ECARS 19-05: CARB document containing overview of the information related to HD OBD system certification and running changes/field fixes that manufacturers are required to submit to CARB via the Document Management System (DMS) website. 
• Attachment A: HD OBD System Certification 'A-S' Document: Document containing templates and examples of the format for each required information in the HD OBD system application.
• Attachment B: OBD DMS File-Naming Convention Document: Required naming convention for each file submitted to the DMS website. 
• Attachment C: OBD DMS Workflow-Naming Convention Document: Required naming convention for each workflow through DMS. 
• Attachment D: Running Change/Field Fix Examples: Document containing examples of the formats for running change/field fix information.

Mail-Out #ECARS 17-03: "Guidance for On-Board Diagnostic II (OBD II) System Certification Documentation submitted to the California Air Resources Board Document Management System" (June 29, 2017) 

• Mail-Out #ECARS 17-03: CARB document containing overview of the information related to OBD II system certification that manufacturers are required to submit to CARB via the Document Management System (DMS) website. 
• Attachment A: OBD II System Certification 'A-P' Document: Document containing templates and examples of the format for each required information in the OBD II system application.
• Attachment B: OBD DMS File-Naming Convention Document: Required naming convention for each file submitted to the DMS website. 
• Attachment C: OBD DMS Workflow-Naming Convention Document: Required naming convention for each workflow through DMS. 

Mail-Out #MSC 09-22: "Guidelines for Heavy-Duty On-Board Diagnostic (HD OBD) Certification Data" (July 7, 2009)

Note: The templates and checklists provided below are regularly updated by CARB staff.  Please use the latest versions of these templates and checklists.

• Mail-Out #MSC 09-22: CARB document containing details of the information and formats manufacturers are required to submit to CARB for HD OBD systems. 
  • Attachment A: Misfire Disablement and Detection Chart (last updated February 24, 2011)
• HD OBD Rate-Based Data Report Template: Template manufacturers are required to use for electronically submitting rate-based data reports (section 1971.1(l)(3) of Title 13, California Code of Regulations (CCR)) to CARB. 
  • HD OBD Diesel Rate-Based Data (last updated January 14, 2019)
  • HD OBD Gasoline Rate-Based Data (last updated October 25, 2018)
• HD OBD CAL ID and CVN Data: Template manufacturers are required to use for electronically submitting CAL ID and CVN information (section 1971.1(h)(4) of Title 13, CCR) to CARB. (last updated October 28, 2015)
• HD OBD Monitoring Requirements Checklist: Checklist manufacturers are required to fill out as part of the HD OBD certification application (section 1971.1(j) of Title 13, CCR).
  • HD OBD Diesel Monitoring Requirements Checklist  (last updated October 28, 2015)
  • HD OBD Gasoline Monitoring Requirements Checklist  (last updated October 28, 2015)

Mail-Out #MSC 06-23: "Guidelines for On-Board Diagnostic II (OBD II) Certification Data" (December 21, 2006)

Note: The templates and checklists provided below are regularly updated by CARB staff.  Please use the latest versions of these templates and checklists.

• Mail-Out #MSC 06-23: CARB document containing details of the information and formats manufacturers are required to submit and use for OBD II systems. 
  • Attachment A: Misfire Disablement and Detection Chart(last updated February 24, 2011)
• OBD II Rate-Based Data Report Template: Template manufacturers are required to use for electronically submitting rate-based data reports (section 1968.2(j)(3) of Title 13, CCR) to CARB.
  • OBD II Gasoline Rate-Based Data (last updated April 18, 2019)
  • OBD II Diesel Rate-Based Data (last updated April 18, 2019)
• OBD II CAL ID and CVN Data Template: Template manufacturers are required to use for electronically submitting CAL ID and CVN information (section 1968.2(g)(4) of Title 13, CCR) to CARB for 2008 and subsequent model year vehicles. (last updated October 28, 2015)
• OBD II Monitoring Requirements Checklist: Checklist manufacturers are required to fill out as part of the OBD II certification application (section 1968.2(i) of Title 13, CCR).
  • OBD II Gasoline Monitoring Requirements Checklist (last updated August 8, 2016)
  • OBD II Diesel Monitoring Requirements Checklist (last updated August 8, 2016)

Mail-Out #98-01: "On-Board Diagnostics II Compliance Guidelines" (January 22, 1998)

Mail-Out #98-01: This document, published after the guidance made available in CARB Mail-Out #95-20 (found below), was developed to provide more guidelines to manufacturers and clarify certain aspects of the OBD II requirements, including clarifications to the MIL illumination requirements for misfire detection.  Please note that since the initial publication of this document in 1998, some of the information in the document have been superceded with new regulatory language.

Mail-Out #96-05: "Guidelines for Reporting Full Range Misfire Detection Data for On-Board Diagnostics II (OBD II) Approval" (February 16, 1996)

Mail-Out #96-05: This document was developed during the early years of OBD II implementation and served as a guidance to manufacturers for reporting the probability of misfire detection data.  Please note that since the initial publication of this document in 1996, information about the required format for the misfire probability of detection chart have been superceded with CARB Mail-Out #MSC 06-23 (found above).

Mail-Out #95-20: "Guidelines for Compliance with On-Board Diagnostics II (OBD II) Requirements" (May 22, 1995)

Mail-Out #95-20: This document was developed during the early years of OBD II implementation and served as a guidance to manufacturers to clarify certain aspects of the OBD II requirements and to set forth the minimum acceptable performance requirements for certain OBD II monitors.  The document also contained details on the required format for the summary tables manufacturers are required to submit to CARB when certifying their OBD II systems.  Please note that since the initial publication of this document in 1995, most of the information in the document, including the required format for the summary table, has been superceded with new regulatory language and other documents, such as CARB Mail-Out #MSC 06-23 (found above).