No, California Isn't Banning Classic Cars - At Least Not Yet

In August 2023, a survey commissioned by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) sparked concerns among some classic car enthusiasts in the state. Addressed to owners of certain vehicles made in 1978 or earlier, it was carried out in an effort to update data on older models in the state.

There was nothing unusual about the survey itself, which consisted of a few relatively basic questions. The problem was that some connected it to a 2020 draft report from CARB that argued the state government should "provide explicit authority to local jurisdictions to create zero-emission zones." It also didn't help that some media outlets sensationalized the matter, making it seem as though the Golden State was inches away from banning classic car ownership as such.

To those familiar with California's clean energy goals, none of this came as a surprise. After all, California's zero-emission targets are among the most ambitious in the world. And no, the state government is not banning classic cars anytime soon. Here's what's really happening.

Though the speculation surrounding CARB's survey caused quite a bit of panic, the real reasons behind it were actually pretty tame. In a statement supplied to the online automotive marketplace Hemmings, CARB explained that the survey was part of a routine vehicle fleet data update, and emphasized that it had "nothing to do with vehicle 'bans.'"

"The fleet model that CARB has maintained for decades is nothing more than an accounting of all emission contributions from motor vehicles, and has many data inputs," CARB told Hemmings, "from DMV registration data and fuel sales volume to actual vehicle test results from our laboratory. In this case, the information requested is to more accurately determine the fuel evaporative emissions contributions of pre-1978 vehicles."

The agency added that the concerns about the initiative to establish zero-emission zones were overblown as well, being that cities around the world have implemented similar policies. Naturally, any such policy would affect all vehicles with internal combustion engines, and not just classic cars.

California plans to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035. The key word here is "new" — ownership of gasoline-powered cars would still be allowed, and it would remain legal to purchase a used car with an internal combustion engine. In fact, the policy would not prevent someone from buying a gas-powered car in another state and bringing it into California. By that same logic, classic cars would be unaffected. Whether this effort will survive federal policy shifts under future administrations remains to be seen. In any case, proponents of the ban and the state government will have to fight some tough legal battles to achieve their goals. 

It could be that CARB's comprehensive Scoping Plan is adding to the confusion about the status of classic cares in California. Released in 2022, the Scoping Plan aims to help California achieve net zero carbon pollution by 2045. According to the agency, it would cut air pollution by 71%, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85%, and drop gas consumption by 94%. Although it enjoys the support of California Governor Gavin Newsom, among others, it has been dismissed as unrealistic by critics.