Tire Inflation Requirement

Archived: 01/14/2022

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) enforces regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles operating inefficiently with under inflated tires. These regulations apply to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds (lbs.) or less. Automotive service providers performing or offering to perform automotive maintenance or repair services in the state must:

  • Check and inflate vehicle tires to the manufacturer recommended tire pressure rating, with air or nitrogen as appropriate, using a tire pressure gauge with a total permissible error of no more than plus/minus two lbs. per square inch, when performing maintenance or repair;
  • Indicate on the vehicle service invoice that a tire inflation service was completed and specify the resulting pressure measurements;
  • Have access to a tire inflation reference published within the last three years; and
  • Keep a copy of the service invoice for at least three years and make the invoice available to ARB or an authorized representative upon request.
For more information, see the ARB Tire Inflation Regulation website. (Reference California Code of Regulations Title 17, Section 95550)

Jurisdiction: California

Type: Laws and Regulations

Enacted: May 1, 2010

Technologies: Fuel Economy / Efficiency

See all California Laws and Incentives.