Date
Huwebes, Hunyo 12, 2025
Effective July 1, the Air District is expanding the Vehicle Buy Back Program, which takes older, high-polluting vehicles off the road that would otherwise likely remain in operation. The program is increasing the incentive amount to $2,000 per vehicle and including vehicles that are model year 2000 and older.
The Vehicle Buy Back Program encourages owners of older, high-emission cars and small trucks to voluntarily retire their vehicles. Since older vehicles typically lack modern emission control systems, they disproportionately contribute to local air pollution.
New eligibility requirements for the Vehicle Buy Back Program effective July 1:
- Vehicle must be model year 2000 or older
- Vehicle must be currently registered as operable and drivable
- Vehicle must have been registered as operable in the Bay Area for the past 24 months
- Vehicles within 60 days of a required smog check must pass the smog check
The Vehicle Buy Back Program effectively reduces air pollutants including particulate matter and ozone precursors. Retiring these vehicles also significantly cuts greenhouse gas emissions, which helps combat climate change. Since its inception in 1996, the Air District’s Vehicle Buy Back Program has successfully retired over 95,000 vehicles, preventing millions of pounds of pollutants from entering the Bay Area’s atmosphere.
For more information about the Vehicle Buy Back Program, please visit www.baaqmd.gov/vbb.
View press release.
Last Updated: 6/12/2025