Arcbay for smog shops — websites, done for you
The smog site that books the test — and remembers the next one.
Arcbay is our fully-managed booking & operations platform for local auto care — this is the smog-station edition. A custom booking site that turns a DMV renewal notice into an appointment, price-transparent pages that win the search, and a renewal reminder that brings the driver back in two years. Hand-built, and we run it for you.
- ✓ Book a smog check 24/7 from any phone
- ✓ Biennial “your smog is due” reminders
- ✓ Your whole day on one dashboard
- ● Built & managed in San Diego
- ● Hand-designed, never a template
- ● Fully managed — we run it for you
- ● You keep your data & domain
One system, two sides — they just work together.
01 — How it worksA driver books on your site. It shows up on your dashboard instantly — and Arcbay files the date to remind them in two years. Watch it run:
Book your smog check
STAR-certified · cars, trucks & hybrids · ~20 min
Today — pick a time
Today’s appointments
2 bookedSmog check · 10:00
● New — reminder set for 2028
Smog check · 11:00
approved
Smog + registration · 1:00
approved
🔔 New appointment — Smog check
Illustrative preview · see a live demo build at santeesmog.pages.dev
From apply to open in four steps.
02 — Process- 01
Apply
Tell us about your station — a couple minutes. No account, no commitment.
- 02
We design & build
We hand-design a storefront for your shop and wire up appointment booking, renewal reminders, and your dashboard. Bespoke — never a template.
- 03
Connect your domain
We point it at your domain (or get you one) and load your real services, prices, STAR status, and hours.
- 04
Go live
You get the keys: your site, your dashboard login, and a quick walkthrough. We stay on to support it.
We design every storefront by hand for your brand — that’s what makes it yours, and why there’s a short application instead of an instant sign-up.
Everything a modern smog station needs.
03 — Included-
Custom booking website
A hand-designed storefront where drivers book a smog check for a real open time — built for your shop, never a template.
-
Online appointments
Take appointments 24/7 so the driver with a DMV notice in hand can lock a time tonight instead of gambling on your wait.
-
Renewal reminders
The differentiator: a biennial “your smog is due again” text or email brings the customer back in two years — automatically. Most shops never follow up at all.
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STAR & DMV services
Show that you’re a STAR-certified station and which DMV-adjacent services you handle — registration help, out-of-state, diesel — right where drivers look.
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Price-transparent pages
Your real prices by vehicle and test type, up front. Drivers searching “smog check near me” compare on price — win the click before they call.
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Front-desk kiosk
An iPad check-in that greets customers by phone number and keeps the counter moving on a busy afternoon.
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Text & email reminders
An appointment reminder before they’re due and a “your car’s ready” note at pickup — fewer no-shows, less phone tag.
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Owner dashboard
Today’s appointments, walk-ins, and revenue on one screen — in smog-station terms, not generic software-speak.
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Online payments & reviews
Optional prepay or deposits via Stripe or Square, plus a one-tap Google review link after the test to win “smog check near me.”
Why smog stations are putting appointments online.
A smog check starts with a DMV renewal notice, not a whim. The driver has a deadline and wants it handled — so they search “smog check near me,” compare a few shops on price and wait, and go with whoever makes it easiest. An online appointment on your site is what “easiest” looks like: a time they can grab tonight, without calling to ask if there’s a line. The “no appointment necessary” sign still works — but booking turns your listing into a reason to choose you over the shop next door.
The bigger opportunity is the visit after this one. Smog is due every two years, and almost no station follows up — the customer just goes wherever’s convenient next time. Arcbay files the test date and sends a “your smog is due again” reminder when it comes around, so the customer you earned today comes back to you in 2028 instead of a competitor. That’s repeat revenue most shops leave on the table.
And the website itself earns the click. A fast, mobile-friendly smog shop website with your real prices, your STAR certification, your DMV services, and your hours is exactly what Google rewards — and it pairs with your Google Business Profile. We’re a San Diego software studio, and we build and run the whole thing for you: site, booking, reminders, and dashboard.
04 — Apply
Want a system like this for your station?
Tell us a bit about your shop and we’ll reach out to scope it. No account, no payment — just a conversation.
Questions
Do drivers really book smog checks online? +
Increasingly, yes. Smog is a chore triggered by a DMV renewal notice, and drivers want it done fast. When your listing offers a time they can grab from their phone, you capture the ones who’d otherwise drive to whichever shop answers first — or has the shorter line.
What are renewal reminders, and why do they matter? +
A smog check is due every two years in California. Arcbay remembers when each customer was last tested and automatically sends a “your smog is due again” text or email when the next one comes around — bringing them straight back to you. Almost no station does this, so it’s a genuine edge.
Do I build the website myself? +
No — that’s the point. We design and build a custom storefront for your station. You don’t touch HTML or templates; you get a finished site and a simple dashboard, and we run it.
Can I show that I’m a STAR station? +
Yes. Your STAR certification, the vehicle and test types you handle, and any DMV-adjacent services go front and center — exactly what a driver with a renewal notice is checking for.
How is this different from Wix, Squarespace, or a website builder? +
Builders hand you a blank template and leave booking and follow-up as clunky add-ons. We hand-design the whole system for a smog station — appointment booking, renewal reminders, price-transparent pages, and an owner dashboard — and manage it for you.
Will this help me show up on Google? +
A fast, mobile-friendly site with your real prices, services, hours, and location is what Google rewards, and it pairs with your Google Business Profile so drivers searching “smog check near me” find you. Ranking still takes reviews and time, but the foundation is right.
What does it cost? +
A one-time build plus a simple monthly platform fee — no hourly surprises. We’ll scope the exact number after you apply; it depends on your services and design.
Do you work with stations outside San Diego, and do I own my data? +
Yes on both. We’re a San Diego software studio, but Arcbay is fully managed and remote — we work with stations anywhere in the US. Your customers, appointments, and domain are yours; we build and host the software, you keep the relationship.