Smog check for Hidden Valley, Reno

Hidden Valley is a residential area on the southeast side of Reno, not far from the airport. The Census does not publish a figure for the neighborhood itself, so the numbers below come from ZIP 89502, which Hidden Valley shares with the rest of southeast Reno. They describe the ZIP, not Hidden Valley alone.

At a glance

• Hidden Valley is in Reno, which the Nevada DMV lists in the Washoe testing area.
• About 8 minutes to Reno South and 16 minutes to Reno Northwest (OpenStreetMap routing).
• Census figures here are for the shared ZIP 89502, not for the neighborhood alone.
• No appointment; a result stays valid for 90 days.

A short drive to Longley Lane

Reno South is about 2.9 miles and 8 minutes from Hidden Valley, close enough that the trip fits into a lunch hour. Reno Northwest is about 16 minutes, so the second location is more of a convenience for days that start or end on the west side.

If you have not been to Longley Lane, it is near the Reno-Tahoe airport and I-580, at 4993 Longley Ln, inside Xpress Oil & Lube Center.

What the ZIP 89502 figures say

For ZIP 89502 as a whole, the Census Bureau counts 46,691 people and 19,348 households, with 31,242 vehicles available, or 1.61 per household. About half of households have two or more vehicles, the median age is 34.6 and the mean commute is 18.6 minutes. About 61 percent of workers drive alone.

We cite these as the ZIP's numbers because Hidden Valley is only part of that ZIP. Your own household may look different, so treat them as a sketch of the surrounding area.

Reading your renewal notice

Your renewal notice from the DMV tells you whether a smog check is required. For most Hidden Valley cars it will be, since a vehicle needs one if it is gasoline powered, model year 1968 or newer, and past its first three registrations. The renewal notice page explains the wording.

Hybrids are exempt for five model years and tested in the sixth. Electric vehicles are exempt. The hybrid and electric page goes into detail.

Bring the paperwork, skip the call

You do not need to book. Drive in during open hours with your registration or renewal notice, and make sure no tracker or dongle is in the OBD port. The service center answers questions at (775) 828-6996.

After a pass, many drivers renew on the spot or online. The DMV allows an emission station that offers renewal to charge up to $10 for the service, and the station keeps separate receipts for the smog check and the renewal.