Sources reviewed October 9, 2026
Your first year
Request line items for hardware, cable, activation, service period, shipping and applicable tax. Check whether hardware is owned, rented or subject to return.
Your ongoing service
Check renewal price, required test frequency, retests, connectivity, support and cancellation. An annual commitment billed monthly is different from a month-to-month plan.
A mobile or shop appointment
Compare the test price with travel, minimum vehicle count, return visits and the time needed to arrange the appointment. A lower per-test rate can be a good fit for some operations.
The government fee
Keep the CARB annual compliance fee separate from the provider’s service charge unless explicitly included. Use CARB’s current fee information rather than an old amount on a comparison page.
A simple comparison
Remote first year = hardware + setup + annual service + extras. Appointment-based year = number of chargeable tests × test price + travel + chargeable retests. Use your actual quotes; no universal saving is guaranteed.