- Jay Leno's namesake California bill is back for another run, and this time the political momentum behind exempting pre-1990 classics from smog testing looks genuinely different.
- The math behind Leno's personal stake is almost comical — 151 cars in his collection alone would dodge testing, saving him over $9,000 every two years, which tells you exactly why he's bankrolling the effort.
- What killed the bill last time was a striking emissions stat: a single 1982 car driven just 3,000 miles per year can pump out the same nitrogen oxides as a new car driven 369,000 miles, and that argument isn't going away.
- If you own anything classic in California, this bill's fate will directly decide whether your weekend cruiser stays legal or becomes a bureaucratic nightmare.
Freaks like me in California, rejoice! It looks like “Leno’s Law” is getting considered again.
They say that Jay Leno has over 180 cars. And almost all of them are old. Very old. Like 1900s old in some cases. It’s no surprise that Jay Leno has been pushing for California Senate Bill 712 — Leno’s Law — which would exempt classic cars 35 years or older from emissions testing, aka the dreaded smog test.
Okay, so Jay Leno is said to have 181 cars (and then a bunch of motorcycles I won’t touch on). I just wasted my time scrolling through all of them and about 30 of them are under 35 years old. I haven’t seen his collection in person, so this is just an estimate, but that means he has 151 classic cars that would be exempt from smog tests if Leno’s Law passed. Smog tests in Beverly Hills, California seem to have an average cost of $60 (I’m not a math person, there’s a reason I write, okay?), so that means he would save over $9,000 on smog tests every two years. You can see why bro is trying to pass Leno’s Law now.
Most of us don’t have this problem, but if I could even save a few hundred bucks, I’d say who not!?
The other issue? Some older vehicles don’t even pass California’s emissions. Leno explained: “When you have an older car, you need older smog testing equipment. And most gas stations and smog stations don’t have that anymore.” As a result, you need to drive hundreds of miles in the car, he said, to find someone who can approve it for you. “It’s a lot of work to try and do the right thing,” he added.
Leno’s Law is back, and there are some added definitions in hopes of getting it passed this time
Leno’s Law was first introduced in March 2025 by Senator Shannon Grove, sponsored by Leno himself. The goal was to get collector cars exempt from smog tests since these vehicles are often rarely driven and well-maintained.
“California’s rich classic car culture, sparked by the post-war hot rod boom and boosted by Hollywood’s love for chrome and horsepower, has made it a paradise for enthusiasts like me. From the start, California has been a driving force in shaping car culture, with deep ties to classic cars and a global reputation as a hub for these timeless machines,” said Leno at the time. “California’s smog check laws for classic cars need to be updated — they vary too much from state to state, and California’s rules don’t match up with neighboring ones.
“Our classic cars are only driven for special occasions, weekend drives, and car shows. I am excited to work with Senator Grove on SB 712 to make it simpler for us to preserve these pieces of history.”
It advanced in July 2025 but was halted by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on August 29, 2025. There was some chatter about saving the environment and stuff. One argument is that a 1982 car driven 3,000 miles a year can produce the same smog-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions as a 2025 car driven 369,000 miles. But like… Math. Who cares? These cars are barely driven. I think 3,000 miles would be a shocking amount. Do you really think Leno’s 1906 Stanley Steamer Vanderbuilt Cup Racer is driven 3,000 miles a year? Do you think it’s driven at all?
The real argument: California wants that sweet, sweet cash from smog testing. Figures.
“We’re disappointed that Leno’s Law (SB 712) was held in committee, but proud of the momentum it created,” SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola said at the time. “This was the most progress on smog-check reform in over 20 years. Thanks to the passion of enthusiasts, builders, and small businesses, lawmakers seriously considered expanding California’s exemption for the first time since 2004. The bill wasn’t perfect, but it was a meaningful step forward. We’re grateful to Senator Shannon Grove, Senator Dave Cortese, and Jay Leno for their leadership. We’ll be back to finish what we started.”
The bill wasn’t perfect back then, but it has come back.
The new bill is co-sponsored by Senator Shannon Grove and Dave Cortese. Once again, it wants to remove smog tests for classic vehicles, this time starting with 1981 models. This would mean the previous calculation was all wrong. What a waste of time. Leno would owe a bit more, but he’ll be okay. Now, vehicles must be registered as a collector vehicle to get the smog exemption and they cannot be used as the owner’s primary mode of transportation. Darn, looks like Leno has to stop daily driving his 1918 Stutz Bearcat into the studio. What a bummer.
This time around, with better definitions of “classic car” in the bill, the politicians behind it are very positive it will pass. C’mon California, don’t you want people to register their vehicles in your state? More people would be able to, and you’d get all the taxes and fees from it, if you allowed these classic cars to drive. Just think of the sweet, sweet taxes you could get from this.
