Smog check and oil change in one stop

Registration season tends to pile up errands. A smog check, an oil change and a registration renewal all show up in the same few weeks, and each usually means a different trip. This guide shows how to combine them at the two Reno locations, what the Nevada DMV's advice means for the order of the work, and what to bring.

At a glance

• Reno Northwest (6100 Mae Anne Ave) and Reno South (4993 Longley Ln) are both located inside Xpress Oil & Lube Center.
• A full-service oil change with a multi-point maintenance check is available in the same bays, no appointment.
• Ask about renewing your registration in the same visit.
• A passing smog check is valid 90 days and goes to the DMV electronically.

Two services, one building

Xpress Smog Check Center is a sister business of Xpress Oil & Lube Center, and both of our locations are located inside an Xpress Oil & Lube Center. Reno Northwest is at 6100 Mae Anne Ave and Reno South is at 4993 Longley Ln, near the Reno-Tahoe airport and I-580. You drive in, and you do not need an appointment.

A full-service oil change with a multi-point maintenance check is available in the same bays. The smog check is its own service with its own result, and the oil change is separate, but you do not have to make a second trip to a different location to get both done.

Which comes first

The DMV does not rank the two, so nothing requires a particular order. There is one point worth knowing. The DMV's OBD page says a vehicle can be rejected as not ready after a battery change or after codes are cleared, because the computer needs time to finish its self-checks. An oil change does not involve either of those, so it is not a concern for the emissions test.

If you are also planning other work that disconnects the battery or clears codes, do that work first and give the car up to a week of mixed driving before the smog check. That is the DMV's advice, and our battery and recent repairs page explains it.

What the multi-point check is for

The multi-point maintenance check that comes with a full-service oil change is a look at the vehicle's general condition. It is useful ahead of a smog check for a reason the DMV gives in its own advice: a small problem found early is cheaper to deal with than a large one found later. A loose gas cap, for example, is a common cause when the check engine light comes on, according to the DMV.

The check is a maintenance service. It is not a substitute for the emissions test, and it does not change what the smog check result will be. If the check engine light is on, the DMV still says to get tested anyway, since a failed test is a legal document that starts the waiver process if repairs become costly.

Renewing your registration in the same visit

Many people want to renew the registration while they are already at the service center. The DMV allows an emission station that offers renewal to charge up to $10 for it, and its renewal page describes the process: you renew while getting the smog check, the vehicle record is updated instantly, and the decal and certificate are mailed to you. Bring your renewal notice, and expect separate receipts for the smog check and the DMV renewal.

Ask about renewing your registration in the same visit. See the renewal guide for the whole sequence, including the online and kiosk options if you would rather handle it that way.

What to bring and what to remove

Bring the renewal notice if you have one, and your registration. Take any insurance tracker or monitoring device out of the diagnostic port first, since the DMV says technicians are required to fail a vehicle with a device plugged in. Our what to bring page has the full list.

Diesel, motorhome or large truck owners should call the service center before they bring the vehicle. Reno Northwest is at (775) 787-1000 and Reno South is at (775) 828-6996.

Choosing a location

Reno Northwest is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm. Reno South is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday from 8 am to 3 pm. Both are closed Sundays. Our which service center page helps with the choice, and the locations page has directions.