STAR is California's higher-standard certification for smog check stations. Every listing on this site shows a ★ STAR Certified badge when it applies, but the badge only matters to you if your specific vehicle is required to use one.
The Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) holds STAR stations to stricter equipment, training, and performance standards than a standard licensed station. The program exists because a small share of higher-polluting vehicles account for a disproportionate share of statewide vehicle emissions, and BAR wanted a tier of stations proven to test those vehicles accurately rather than rubber-stamp them.
Your DMV registration renewal notice will say explicitly if your vehicle must be tested at a STAR station. If it doesn't say so, any licensed station — STAR or not — can perform your test. Vehicles are typically directed to STAR stations based on emissions history or being flagged as a higher-polluting vehicle type, not by owner choice.
Use the STAR-only filter on any city page or search result, or look for the ★ STAR Certified badge on individual listings. STAR stations can also test vehicles that aren't required to use one, so if you'd simply prefer the higher-standard tier, you're free to choose one either way.
STAR certification and repair capability are two separate things — a station can be STAR certified and also do repairs, STAR certified and test-only, or a regular (non-STAR) station that does either. See our guide on test-only vs. test-and-repair stations for that distinction.