[quote=moneymaker]I would rather pay this $20-$25 fee than go have my 4 year old vehicle smogged for $60-$80 and waste my time as well as the time of the technician at the smog station. Is there a choice? Or is this a yearly fee where it ends up costing the same either way? Smogging my 2015 VW Passat is on my agenda today, fees due to DMV $370.[/quote]

There are some zip codes that do not have a biannual smog check. The implications of having a po box in those zip codes are left as an exercise for the reader.