Does California Air Resources Board warehouse and maintain every aftermarket automotive part it approves

1. CARB’s role is regulatory evaluation and documentation, not product storage

The California Air Resources Board evaluates add‑on and modified parts through engineering review and testing and, when satisfied they do not increase emissions, issues an exemption called an Executive Order that legally permits sale and use in California ^{[1] [2]}. CARB’s public materials describe procedures to obtain or modify exemptions, workshops and monthly meetings about the aftermarket parts program, and verification systems for EO numbers used by smog check stations — all administrative and technical functions consistent with recordkeeping rather than warehousing physical parts ^{[6] [1]}.

2. CARB maintains databases and lookup tools to track approvals

CARB explicitly says it has developed databases to store and retrieve information on approved aftermarket catalytic converters and provides searchable EO listings for other aftermarket categories, enabling regulators and consumers to confirm whether a component has been approved ^{[3] [1]}. The agency’s Aftermarket Parts Database and related “select a type of part” pages are described as tools to check compliance with anti‑tampering rules and to verify EO numbers at smog stations, which is evidence of an information management role ^{[7] [8] [1]}.

3. Manufacturers remain responsible for part production, labeling and proving compliance

CARB’s materials direct manufacturers to apply for a VC 27156 exemption and submit required documentation electronically through CARB’s eFILE system and describe forms and procedural updates; manufacturers are the ones who submit test data and, in practice, supply parts to market with EO markings, stickers or tags referenced by third‑party guides ^{[2] [4] [5]}. CARB’s outreach emphasizes that applicants provide the technical evidence CARB uses to reach its determinations, which implies the parts themselves are produced and maintained by industry rather than the agency ^{[4] [2]}.

4. No source indicates CARB warehouses every approved part; available evidence shows CARB stores approval records

None of the CARB pages in the provided reporting state that the agency maintains an inventory or warehouses physical aftermarket components; instead, the documentation repeatedly references engineering evaluations, Executive Orders, databases, and manufacturer responsibilities ^{[1] [3] [2]}. CARB’s public statements about streamlining the exemption process and developing databases ^{[4] [3]} further corroborate an information‑centric mission rather than custodial storage.

5. Why the distinction matters—and where misunderstandings come from

Enthusiasts and vendors sometimes conflate CARB approval with a physical “seal of custody,” which can lead to the mistaken belief that CARB inspects and stores every approved unit; CARB’s requirement that EO numbers be displayed on parts and verified at smog checks, plus industry guides about EO tags, likely fuels that impression ^{[1] [5]}. At the same time, CARB’s cooperation with manufacturers to develop searchable databases for categories like catalytic converters shows an interest in traceability and enforcement through records rather than by holding parts, an approach aligned with regulatory agencies that rely on testing, documentation and marketplace compliance ^{[3] [4]}.

6. Limitations and remaining questions

The available CARB pages document databases, EO issuance, and manufacturer obligations but do not detail every enforcement mechanism or whether CARB ever retains sample units for testing, so reporting cannot categorically rule out isolated instances where CARB might store a sample for lab verification; the sources supplied do not describe a routine program of warehousing approved aftermarket inventory ^{[3] [4] [1]}.