1. (2) Vehicles powered by diesel fuel are not required to conduct testing to demonstrate compliance with the refueling emission standards set forth above, provided that:

   1. (A) The manufacturer can attest that the vehicle meets the 0.20 grams/gallon refueling emission standard; and

   2. (B) The certification requirement described in paragraph (A) is provided in writing and applies for the full useful life of the vehicle, as defined in section 2112.

      In addition to the above provisions, the ARB reserves the authority to require testing to enforce compliance and to prevent noncompliance with the refueling emission standard.

      Vehicles certified to the refueling emission standard under this provision shall not be counted in the phase-in sales percentage compliance determinations.

2. (3) Through model year 2014, the manufacturer shall adhere to the following phase-in schedule, as determined by projected vehicle sales throughout the United States, with the exception of small volume manufacturers.

   1. (A) Prior to the 2001 model year, small volume manufacturers are defined for purposes of this section as any vehicle manufacturer with California actual sales less than or equal to 3000 new vehicles per model year based on the average number of vehicles sold by the manufacturer in the previous three consecutive years.
   2. (B) Small volume manufacturers of passenger cars, as defined in subsection (a)(3)(A), are exempt from the implementation schedule in subsection (a)(3) for model year 1998 and 1999. For small volume manufacturers of passenger cars, the standards of subsection (a)(1), and the associated test procedures, shall not apply until model year 2000, when 100 percent compliance with the standards of this section is required. Small volume manufacturers of light-duty trucks and medium-duty vehicles are not exempt from the implementation schedule in subsection (a)(3).

   ORVR Model Year Phase-In Schedule

   Class of Vehicle

   40% Fleet

   80% Fleet

   100% Fleet

   Passenger Cars

   1998

   1999

   2000

   Light-Duty Trucks

   2001

   2002

   2003

   0-6,000 lbs. GVWR

   Light-Duty Trucks/

   2004

   2005

   2006

   Medium-Duty Vehicles (6,001-8,500 lbs. GVWR)

3. (4) All vehicles subject to the refueling emission standards in section 1978(a)(1) shall demonstrate compliance except incomplete vehicles that are certified as incomplete vehicles for the purposes of evaporative emissions testing as set forth in the “California Evaporative Emission Standards and Test Procedures for 2001 and Subsequent Model Motor Vehicles,” incorporated by reference in section 1976.
4. (5) Carry-Over of 2014 Model Year Families: 2014 model year motor vehicles certified to the refueling emission standards of section 1978(a)(1) may carry over to the 2015 through 2018 model years and be considered compliant.

5. (b) Test Procedures.

   The test procedures for determining compliance with standards applicable to 1998 through 2000 gasoline, alcohol, diesel, and hybrid electric passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles are set forth in the “California Refueling Emission Standards and Test Procedures for 1998-2000 Model Year Motor Vehicles,” as amended August 5, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference. The test procedures for determining compliance with standards applicable to 2001 and subsequent gasoline, alcohol, diesel, and hybrid electric passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles are set forth in the “California Refueling Emission Standards and Test Procedures for 2001 and Subsequent Model Motor Vehicles,” adopted August 5, 1999, and last amended August 25, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Unless and until a court of competent jurisdiction issues a final ruling that H.J. Res. 88 (119th Congress) and H.J. Res. 89 (119th Congress) are invalid or that the waivers U.S. EPA granted California on January 6, 2025, 90 Federal Register 642 and 90 Federal Register 643, are in effect, regulated parties may choose to follow either this section 1978 or section 1978.0.1.

However, if a court of competent jurisdiction issues a final ruling that H.J. Res. 88 (119th Congress) and H.J. Res. 89 (119th Congress) are invalid or that the waivers U.S. EPA granted California on January 6, 2025, 90 Federal Register 642 and 90 Federal Register 643, are in effect, the regulated parties are subject to the requirements of this section 1978 to the extent consistent with the court's final ruling. Notice of the court's ruling will be posted on CARB's website, https://arb.ca.gov.

(a)(1) Vehicle refueling emissions for 1998 and subsequent model gasoline-fueled, alcohol-fueled, diesel-fueled, liquefied petroleum gas-fueled, fuel-flexible, and hybrid electric passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating less than 8501 pounds, 2015 and subsequent model gasoline-fueled, alcohol-fueled, diesel-fueled, liquefied petroleum gas-fueled, fuel-flexible, and hybrid electric medium-duty vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating between 8,501 and 14,000 pounds, and 2022 and subsequent model gasoline-fueled, alcohol-fueled, diesel-fueled, liquefied petroleum gas-fueled, fuel-flexible, and hybrid electric heavy-duty vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 14,000 pounds shall not exceed the following standards. Natural gas-fueled vehicles are exempt from meeting these refueling standards, but the refueling receptacles on natural gas-fueled vehicles must comply with the receptacle provisions of the American National Standards Institute Standard for Compressed Natural Gas Vehicle Fueling Connection Devices, ANSI NGV1-2006, which is incorporated herein by reference. The standards apply equally to certification and in-use vehicles.

Hydrocarbons (for gasoline-fueled, diesel-fueled, and hybrid electric vehicles): 0.20 grams per gallon of fuel dispensed.

Organic Material Hydrocarbon Equivalent (for alcohol-fueled, fuel-flexible, and hybrid electric vehicles): 0.20 grams per gallon of fuel dispensed. Hydrocarbons (for liquefied petroleum gas-fueled vehicles): 0.15 gram per gallon of fuel dispensed.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 39500, 39600, 39601, 39667, 43013, 43018, 43101, 43104, 43105 and 43106, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Sections 39002, 39003, 39500, 39667, 43000, 43009.5, 43013, 43018, 43101, 43101.5, 43102, 43104, 43105, 43106, 43204 and 43205, Health and Safety Code.

History

1. New section filed 6-19-96; operative 6-19-96 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(d) (Register 96, No. 25).

2. Change without regulatory effect restoring inadvertently omitted subsections (a)(3)(A) and (a)(3)(B) filed 4-28-97 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 97, No. 18).

3. Amendment of subsections (a)(2)(B), (a)(3)-(a)(3)(B) and (b) filed 10-28-99; operative 11-27-99 (Register 99, No. 44).

4. Amendment of subsections (a)(1) and (b) 11-4-2003; operative 12-4-2003 (Register 2003, No. 45).

5. Amendment of incorporated document California Refueling Emission Standards and Test Procedures for 2001 and Subsequent Model Motor Vehicles and amendment of subsection (b) filed 1-18-2007; operative 2-17-2007 (Register 2007, No. 3).

6. Amendment of subsection (b) and amendment of Note filed 12-5-2007; operative 1-4-2008 (Register 2007, No. 49).

7. Amendment of subsection (b) filed 1-14-2010; operative 2-13-2010 (Register 2010, No. 3).

8. Amendment of subsection (b) and amendment of Note filed 11-8-2010; operative 12-8-2010 (Register 2010, No. 46).

9. Amendment of subsections (a)(1) and (a)(3), new subsections (a)(4)-(5) and amendment of subsection (b) filed 8-7-2012; operative 8-7-2012 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2012, No. 32).

10. Amendment of subsections (a)(1)-(a)(2)(A), (a)(4) and (b) filed 10-8-2015; operative 10-8-2015 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2015, No. 41).

11. Amendment subsection (b) filed 11-30-2022; operative 11-30-2022 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2022, No. 48).

12. New first and second paragraphs filed 10-2-2025 as an emergency; operative 10-2-2025 (Register 2025, No. 40). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 4-1-2026 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

13. New first and second paragraphs refiled 3-26-2026 as an emergency; operative 4-1-2026 (Register 2026, No. 13). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 6-30-2026 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.