California SB-112 is law, cheaper fix-it tickets are back for modified exhaust violations

Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill SB-112 into law which means fix-it tickets for exhaust law violations are back, an option Assembly Bill-1824 took away.

California car enthusiasts rejoice, according to SEMA’s action network, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill SB-112 into law earlier last Friday which reverses AB-1824, that exhaust law bill that took away Fix-It tickets to begin with.

Here’s the TL;DR

If you are pulled over for a modified exhaust, you can now get a cheaper fix-it ticket where you “fix” your exhaust, get your ticket signed off, appear in court, pay a $25 dismissal fee, and you’re done.

Before, police slapped you with a $197 fine, no ifs, and, or buts.

That’s all you need to know, periodt. You can stop reading now.

What does SB-112 say?

According to SB-112 section 10,

This bill would delete a violation of the noise requirements related to mufflers and exhaust systems from the list of disqualifying conditions, thereby making a person who is arrested for one of these offenses eligible to execute the notice described above, except if the violation consists of modifying the exhaust system of a motorcycle in a manner that will cause it to exceed noise limits. The bill would update the noise level testing standards described above to reflect a more recent standard.

In layman’s terms,

 SEMA-supported legislation (SB 112) that immediately restores “fix-it” tickets for cars suspected of violating the state’s exhaust noise limit and allows car owners 30 days to correct violations. SB 112 amends a 2018 law which removed this ability, and which generated significant concern within the specialty automotive aftermarket industry and enthusiast community. 

What happens now if I get a ticket for a loud exhaust?

Still don’t get it?

You get pulled over; you get a ticket for modified exhaust, a correctable violation. When you get pulled over a police officer can slap you with a fine or make your ticket a cheaper “Fix-it ticket”

If your ticket is a “Fix-it ticket” your “Notice to Appear” should have the “yes” box checked below “Correctable Violation.”

Correct the violation within 30 days, get a police officer to sign off your ticket, bring that signed off portion to court along with a small dismissal fee,( usually $25 or less) and you’re done.

If you do NOT correct the violation, a bench warrant is issued for your arrest, you can get jail time the next time you’re pulled over, and the price of your modified exhaust ticket just went up because now you have to get bail, hire an attorney etc.

If police stiff you with a fine, you pay the fine. You can find the list of fines on the master list here. Ctrl+F 27150, the California Vehicle code that has to do with exhausts. Minimum fines for exhaust violations are automatically $197.

You can contest that fine by going to your nearest ref center, getting a certificate of compliance, and presenting that in court, dismissing your fine. You don’t have to pay the fine but you had to travel to some obscure ref center, and then back to court.

Say you live in Hollister, you’d have to drive 45 mins to a Ref center in Monterey and back.

See why Fix-It tickets are preferable over a much larger fine?

You can read more about Fix-It tickets here.

What’s the short version of how we got here?

• Aug 2018- AB-1824 passes removing exhaust law
• Jan 2019- Video showing someone getting $1,000 ticket goes viral, people freak out they’ll get a $1,000 fine for their Buddy Club Spec 2.
• Jan 2019- Change.org petition now with 300,000 signatures starts. Gains traction on social media.
• Feb 2019- AB 390 reversing AB-1824 passes and stalls in Transporation committee.
• Sept 2019- SB 112 ammended to include AB 390 stuff. SB-112 passes, fix-it tickets pass.

Keep your interest in the California legislative process!

When Gov. Newsome signed SB-112 into law, he just didn’t sign one bill that day, Newsom signed 56 other pieces of legislation.

My point is, in the grand scheme of things, the exhaust law we fought to change was part of a larger California legislative process, a process many of us first learned in fifth grade, forgot, and were re-introduced to again thanks to the threat of $1,000 tickets.

Hopefully, you keep your interest in the legislative process, are motivated to vote, and feel a little more empowered to enact change beyond what’s underneath our cars.