i know NEWER cars dont have to but at what year or mileage for older cars?

 

whats that? obd2 and up usually don't need to be tested, they just plug into connector, and thats it. all the older ones, they run on the rollers and have a sniffer at the exhaust.

 

since your in oregon, i dont think you guys have to worry as much as california. we have gay smog laws.

 

Here here on the gay ca smog laws..... grrrr. I'm not bitter, not me.

 

actually it doesnt matter what year or mileage you have on your car.. DMV just randomly select who goes to the "test only" stations. older cars are more likely to go.. but ive seen some '99 cars be directed to "test only". unless you have heavy mods.. theres no reason to worry.!

 

after 4 years they will send you to smog only station. that's what they did to me with my car.

 

assuming you are asking about california.... i think dmv will send you a notice for smog check once your car is 5-year old. and do you need to do this every year i don't know..... my car is registered under washington state and there they required us to do the check every two year for vehicles over 5-year old.

 

in california, a new vehicle won't get tested for 3 or 4 years, then every other year after that (at least for my integra). i've had my car for 5 years, was tested only once, at the 4 year mark. also, smog-only test centers are a random selection. you either go there or to another place.