The STAR program was the first major restructuring to the emissions control testing industry since the BAR-97 program. The purpose of the STAR program is to improve the quality of emissions testing and reduce the amount of fraud in the program. Each year, a large number of vehicles are directed to STAR certified smog shops. Information about directed vehicles can be found at the bar https://www.bar.ca.gov/Consumer/Q&As_Directed_Vehicles.html. If your shop is not STAR certified, it can't test any of these "directed" vehicles. A shop without a STAR rating will have a hard time competing against STAR certified locations because a STAR certified location can test all vehicles while a non STAR certified location can only test vehicles that have not been specifically directed to a STAR location. It takes 3 months from application to get a STAR rating. In most cases, when you purchase a smog shop, it will lose it's STAR rating with the transfer of ownership. The bottom line is that you should get your STAR certification and do everything you can to keep it. You keep your STAR certification by maintaining your locations STAR score.
A STAR score is a statistical calculation of your shops test results AND your shop technicians test results as compared to state wide averages. The quality of the employees is one of the the most important factors in the success of your business. Hiring quality technicians makes this factor even more important because if you hire a technician with a bad STAR score you lower your stations STAR rating. If your interested in purchasing a shop be sure to check these items
Many people in the smog shop industry don't like the STAR program. If you ask the BAR what is the best way to maintain your STAR score they will say run an honest and quality smog shop. One of the ways your shops STAR score is lowered is by your technician failing to perform a quality smog check. How does the BAR know. They send out inspectors who pose as smog customer and watch your technician execute the smog test.
Another way the BAR calculates your shops and technicians score is by state wide averages for the pass fail rates for vehicle types. As the BAR records your test they are categories into groups called cut offs. If your pass/fail ratio is enough outside the averages for the state you could lose your certification.
Finally, be aware that when a shop changes ownership it loses its' STAR certification. It takes 3 month from application for a STAR certification to become STAR certified. It is likely during this period that the location will be slow and have to turn away customers that are directed vehicles. But, if the shop is owned by a corporation it does not lose the STAR rating. This is because the new owner can acquire the corporation and technically the ownership of the shop does not change.
The BAR has very detailed information on the STAR program and the terms used regarding your shops STAR score. The BAR calls this your STAR Report Card and you can find all the terms at this link http://smogcheck.ca.gov/Industry/STAR_Program/Report_Card_Terms.html.