--- title: Smog Check Rejected as Not Ready: What It Means url: https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/not-ready-rejected/ 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/) - Rejected: not ready to test # Rejected: not ready to test A rejected or not ready result means the car's computer has not finished its self-checks, usually because the battery was recently disconnected or trouble codes were cleared. It is not a failure and needs no repair: drive up to a week in mixed city and highway driving, then come back for the test. 4.7 stars from 550 Google reviews of the two Reno Xpress Oil & Lube Centers The Nevada DMV is emphatic about this one: a rejected test is not the same as a failed test. It is the OBD system saying it does not have enough information yet. Here is why it happens, how to avoid it, and what to do if it happens to you. ## At a glance - Not ready is not a fail; no repairs are needed (Nevada DMV). - Common causes: a new or disconnected battery, or trouble codes cleared with a scanner. - Fix: drive up to one week under varying conditions, city and highway. - The DMV emissions lab can check readiness for free, no appointment, before 4:30 pm. ## What the computer is waiting for Every 1996 and newer car runs a set of self-checks on its emission systems as you drive. Technicians call them readiness monitors. Some finish in a few minutes; others need a particular mix of cold starts, steady highway cruising and stop-and-go before they complete. The OBD smog test looks to see that enough of them have finished. If they have not, the test cannot judge the car, and the result is rejected. ## Why it happens The DMV names the usual suspects: the battery was recently disconnected or replaced, or the codes were cleared. Either one wipes the computer's memory and resets the monitors to unfinished. The DMV also warns that using a scanner to erase trouble codes right before a test results in an automatic rejection, because clearing codes erases what the inspector needs to see. That is why the DMV's advice after a repair or a battery replacement is not to rush to get tested. Even if the check engine light is off, the system may show rejected. ## How to get ready Drive the vehicle for up to one week under varying conditions, city and highway, then return for the test. A normal week of commuting and errands usually does it. There is nothing to repair and nothing to buy. ## The free readiness check If you want to know before you come back, the DMV says your local emission lab can check whether the vehicle is ready to be tested at no cost. No appointment is needed, but arrive before 4:30 p.m. The Reno lab is at 9155 Double Diamond Pkwy, (775) 684-3580. ## When the deadline is close If the registration is about to expire while you are driving the monitors back to ready, the DMV offers a movement permit so you can stay legal on the road. It is one more reason the DMV recommends testing early: a not ready result with plenty of time left is a non-event. ## Avoiding it next year If the battery dies or gets replaced in the weeks before your renewal, plan the test for a week or so later. The same goes for any repair that clears codes. Testing early in the 90-day window gives you room to drive the monitors back to ready without the deadline pressing. And never clear the check engine light with a code reader just before the test. The DMV treats that as an automatic rejection, and the light will come back anyway if the fault is still there. ### Sources - [dmv.nv.gov/emission_obd.htm](https://dmv.nv.gov/emission_obd.htm) (Nevada DMV OBD page: rejected vs failed, readiness drive, free readiness check; read 10/19/26) - [dmv.nv.gov/emission.htm](https://dmv.nv.gov/emission.htm) (Nevada DMV: after repairs or battery replacement; 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 Came in got my car smogged and registered, quick and easy!! Guys were super friendly!! Will be back next year. [All smog check reviews](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/reviews/) ### Related - [Not ready and rejected results](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/faq/not-ready-questions/) - [After a battery change or a repair](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/faq/battery-and-recent-repairs/) - [Readiness monitors, in plain English](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/guides/readiness-monitors/) - [How the OBD smog test works](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/obd-test/) - [Repair and retest](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/repair-and-retest/) 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 [### Failed a smog check What the failed report means and the steps that follow. Learn more](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/failed-smog-check/)[### 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/)[### 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/) ## Rejected: not ready to test: questions Still have a question? Call either Reno location or just drive in; there is no appointment to make. ### Do I pay for a rejected test? Each station sets its own policy on test fees. Ask the location before the test if you think your car may not be ready. ### I replaced my battery yesterday. Should I come in? The DMV says not to test right after a battery change. Drive for up to a week first. ### Can the light be off and the car still not ready? Yes. The DMV notes the system may show rejected even when the light is off, after repairs or a battery replacement. ### Does a rejected test count as a failure for a waiver? No. Only a failed test starts the waiver process. ## 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/)