--- title: Failed a Smog Check in Reno? What Happens Next | Xpress Smog url: https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/failed-smog-check/ business: Xpress Smog Check Center (Located inside Xpress Oil & Lube Center) locations: Reno Northwest: 6100 Mae Anne Ave, Reno, NV 89523, (775) 787-1000, Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-4 pm, Sun closed; Reno South: 4993 Longley Ln, Reno, NV 89502, (775) 828-6996, Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-3 pm, Sun closed type: Nevada smog check (vehicle emissions inspection), drive in, no appointment --- Located inside Xpress Oil & Lube Center - Smog check at two Reno locations - Oil change in the same visit - No appointment needed [Xpress Oil & Lube](https://xpressoilandlube.com/) - [Home](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/) - [Smog checks](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/) - Failed a smog check # Failed a smog check A failed Nevada smog check means the vehicle has to be repaired and pass a second test before it can be registered. Keep the failed report: it explains why the car failed, allows a reduced-cost movement permit if the registration has expired, and starts the waiver process if repairs get expensive. 4.7 stars from 550 Google reviews of the two Reno Xpress Oil & Lube Centers - Keep the failed report It lists why the vehicle failed. You need it for repairs, a movement permit, a challenge test or a waiver. - Check the emissions warranty and recalls The DMV says some expensive emission parts are covered by federal law for up to 8 years or 80,000 miles; ask the dealer before you pay. - Choose who repairs it The DMV recommends a licensed 2G repair station for emissions repairs, and only 2G stations or the owner qualify for a Washoe waiver. - Keep every receipt Parts and labor tied to the failure on the first report are what count toward a waiver. - Drive before the retest After repairs or a battery disconnect, drive for up to a week in mixed conditions so the computer finishes its self-checks. - Retest Drive in for the second test. A pass goes to the DMV electronically. Failing is not the end of the road; it is the first document in a process the Nevada DMV has laid out step by step. The failed report tells you and your repair shop where to look. Here is the order of things, from the report in your hand to the retest. ## At a glance - Repair, then pass a retest, before the vehicle can be registered (Nevada DMV). - The failed report is a legal document with real uses; keep it. - Money spent on repairs before the first failed test does not count toward a waiver. - Some emission parts are covered by the federal emissions warranty for up to 8 years or 80,000 miles. ## What the failed report is good for The DMV calls a failed test a legal document that shows why your vehicle is failing. It does four things for you. It tells the repair shop what the test found. If your registration has expired, it allows a ten-day movement permit at a reduced cost. It entitles you to a challenge test at your local emissions lab. And it is the starting point of the waiver process if repairs become costly. The DMV adds a warning worth reading twice: money spent on repairs before the first failed test cannot count toward a waiver. Test first, then fix. ## Why cars fail On a 1996 or newer car or light truck, the OBD test reads the engine computer. In Nevada a lit check engine light is an automatic fail, even if the car seems to run fine. A device plugged into the diagnostic port, such as an insurance tracker, is also a required fail, so unplug it before the test. Vehicles from 1995 and earlier, and heavy-duty vehicles, take a tailpipe test that measures what comes out of the exhaust; they fail when carbon monoxide or hydrocarbon levels exceed the standard. ## Repair, then retest The rule is simple: if the vehicle fails the initial test, you must complete repairs and pass a second test to be eligible for registration. Who does the repairs matters later if the car keeps failing, so read the [repair and retest page](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/repair-and-retest/) before you choose a shop. After a repair, do not rush back the same afternoon. If the battery was disconnected or the codes were cleared, the car's computer needs time to rerun its self-checks, and a car tested too soon comes back not ready rather than passing. ## If the registration runs out meanwhile The DMV offers a ten-day movement permit for $1 if your registration expires while you are making repairs. You can request one online or at a DMV office. Driving on an expired registration otherwise risks late fees and citations. ## When repairs get expensive If the vehicle still fails after qualifying repairs, it may be eligible for a one-year waiver. In Washoe County the repairs must be done by a 2G licensed authorized station or by the registered owner, with at least $200 in qualifying receipts, according to the DMV. The [Washoe waiver page](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/smog-waiver/) has the full rules. ### Sources - [dmv.nv.gov/emission_obd.htm](https://dmv.nv.gov/emission_obd.htm) (Nevada DMV: uses of a failed test, movement permit, emissions warranty, repairs; read 10/19/26) - [dmv.nv.gov/emission.htm](https://dmv.nv.gov/emission.htm) (Nevada DMV: repair and retest, waiver requirements; read 10/19/26) - [dmv.nv.gov/regrenewal.htm](https://dmv.nv.gov/regrenewal.htm) (Nevada DMV: repairs before the first failed test do not count; read 10/19/26) ### Your location: Reno South - Call [(775) 828-6996](tel:+17758286996) Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-3 pm, Sun closed - Address 4993 Longley Ln, Reno, NV 89502 [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=4993+Longley+Ln%2C+Reno%2C+NV+89502&destination_place_id=ChIJc5xNCcI_mYARXjHn3y79iJw) ### What a customer said Reno South Friendly with timely service for my smog check. [All smog check reviews](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/reviews/) ### Related - [Repair and retest](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/repair-and-retest/) - [Smog waiver in Washoe County](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/smog-waiver/) - [After a failed test](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/faq/failed-test-questions/) - [After a failed test: a calm plan](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/guides/after-a-failed-test/) - [The federal emissions warranty: check it before you pay](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/guides/emissions-warranty/) Located inside Xpress Oil & Lube Center Both smog check locations sit inside an Xpress Oil & Lube Center, the locally owned Reno drive-in that has served this town since 1983. Drive in, no appointment; get your oil changed in the same visit. [About us](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/about/) ## Related situations [### Repair and retest Getting the repair done and coming back for the second test. Learn more](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/repair-and-retest/)[### Smog waiver in Washoe County When a car still fails after qualifying repairs. Learn more](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/smog-waiver/)[### Rejected: not ready to test Why a car can be turned away without failing. Learn more](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/not-ready-rejected/)[### Check engine light and your smog check Why a lit check engine light decides the test. Learn more](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/check-engine-light/) ## Failed a smog check: questions Still have a question? Call either Reno location or just drive in; there is no appointment to make. ### Can I just retest the next day? You can, but without a repair the result is likely the same, and right after a repair or battery disconnect the car may come back not ready. ### Does a failed test go on record with the DMV? Yes. Results go to the DMV electronically, pass or fail. That is what makes the failed report useful for a permit or a waiver. ### Is a not ready result a failure? No. The DMV says a rejected test is not the same as a failed one; the car just has not finished its self-checks. ### Where do I go for a challenge test? The DMV emissions lab in Reno, 9155 Double Diamond Pkwy, (775) 684-3580. ## Two Reno locations, inside Xpress Oil & Lube Center [Reno Northwest smog check](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/locations/reno-mae-anne/)[Reno South smog check](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/locations/reno-longley/)