Encinitas Smog Center on 2nd Street has operated as a STAR-certified Test Only station since its 1999 founding, running California Bureau of Automotive Repair emissions inspections just west of the I-5 Encinitas Boulevard offramp. Vehicles that fail the initial test receive a complimentary retest after the owner completes corrective work at a repair-licensed facility such as Complete Car Care Encinitas, which holds the separate Test and Repair authorization needed for emissions-related mechanical corrections. The STAR designation qualifies the station to process DMV-directed vehicles — cars the state flags for mandatory testing at a certified facility rather than any general smog station. Electronic certificates transmit directly to the DMV upon passing, and drivers who need simultaneous VIN verification or registration paperwork can coordinate through CJT Insurance, Vehicle Registration, VIN Verification for a consolidated compliance workflow. The station's BAR-grade dynamometer and five-gas analyzer measure hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen oxide concentrations against model-year-specific California tailpipe standards.