The California Ban On Gas Cars — What You Need To Know In 2026
This is about new car sales — not taking existing gas cars off the road.
California’s “gas car ban” is a rule to end sales of new gasoline-only passenger cars and light trucks by 2035.
In 2035, automakers must meet a 100% “zero-emission vehicle” (ZEV) sales requirement.
It does not ban owning, driving, or selling used gas cars. Common question: Are gas cars banned in California? No — you can still own and drive gas cars, and used gas cars can still be bought and sold.
In This Article
- California’s gas car ban overview
- When are gas cars banned in California? (Timeline to 2035)
- Is California’s gas car ban blocked in 2026?
- Incentives in California promoting electric vehicle adoption
- Other states following California’s lead
- Why is there a gas car ban in California?
- FAQ: California ban on gas cars
- Gasoline Superuser approach note
CA "Gas Car Ban" Status In 2026
- 2020: Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-79-20 directed the state toward 100% new ZEV sales by 2035 (and explicitly notes this is about new sales, not existing cars).
- 2022: CARB (California Air Resources Board) adopted Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) — and described it as a “first-in-the-nation” rule mapping a path to 2035.
- December 2024: EPA granted California a Clean Air Act waiver of preemption for ACC II (the notice of decision was later published in the Federal Register on January 6, 2025).
- March 6, 2025: The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a legal decision stating these waiver notices are not “rules” under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) — which is part of the dispute that followed.
- June 12, 2025: President Trump signed a CRA joint resolution that purports to disapprove/nullify the ACC II waiver notice. California and other states sued; the case remains active in federal court (see the procedural history in the Climate Litigation Database’s “California v. United States” collection).
California’s "Gas Car Ban" Overview
California made history as the first U.S. state to map out the phase-out of the sale of new gas cars by 2035. A number of states and the District of Columbia have followed California’s lead in taking proactive steps to phase out gasoline, demonstrating a growing movement across the US to switch from gasoline to cleaner, cheaper alternatives. These states are joining the growing list of countries with diesel and gasoline phaseouts for vehicles.
People search “California ban on gas cars” and “California gas car ban” as shorthand — but the policy is really a new-vehicle sales standard. ACC II sets California’s standards for how quickly automakers must shift new sales toward zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) over time.
In 2020, Executive Order N-79-20 from Governor Newsom called for all new passenger vehicles sold in California to be zero emissions by 2035.
In 2022, California's Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulations were passed to cut climate and air pollution by requiring that an increasing percentage of all new cars sold are electric each year. ACC II spurred more electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with a goal also to lower electric vehicle prices, and increase selection by requiring all automakers to compete to sell their brand of electric vehicles.
In 2035, the rule reaches a 100% ZEV requirement for new sales — with CARB allowing automakers to meet up to 20% of that requirement with plug-in hybrids that have at least 50 miles of all-electric range.
CARB (California Air Resources Board) summarizes this in its ACC II adoption release.
When Are Gas Cars Banned In California? (Timeline To 2035)
ACC II ramps up starting with model year 2026 and tightens each year. Key milestones commonly cited by CARB include:
- 2026 model year: 35% of new sales must be ZEVs.
- 2030 model year: 68% of new sales must be ZEVs.
- 2035 model year: 100% of new sales must be ZEVs — with limited plug-in hybrid allowance (CARB says automakers may meet up to 20% of the requirement with qualifying PHEVs).
Here is a chart with the timeline for the ban on new gas vehicle sales in California:
It’s also worth saying clearly: ACC II does not ban owning gas cars, driving gas cars, or buying/selling used gas cars. CARB explicitly notes the rule affects new vehicle sales and does not impact existing vehicles on the road.
For the latest program details and compliance categories, refer to CARB’s official Advanced Clean Cars II program page.
Is California’s "Gas Car Ban" Blocked In 2026?
The short version: ACC II is adopted California policy, but whether California (and other “Section 177” states) can implement it as written depends on how the federal waiver dispute plays out.
- EPA granted a waiver of preemption for ACC II in December 2024 (see EPA’s waiver announcement and the Federal Register notice).
- Congress then passed a CRA resolution that purports to disapprove/nullify that waiver notice (see the enacted resolution text: H.J.Res. 88).
- GAO issued a legal decision stating these waiver notices are not CRA “rules” (see GAO’s March 6, 2025 decision), and California and other states filed suit challenging the CRA disapprovals (see case status and filings in California v. United States).
Incentives In California Promoting Electric Vehicle Adoption
State and local governments in California offer incentives to replace fossil fuel cars with EVs. Learn more about EV incentives in California.
ACC II also includes warranty requirements for EVs.
- EVs must be warranted to maintain at least 80% of range for 10 years or 150,000 miles by model year 2030 (phased in from 70% for model years 2026–2029).
- Battery packs must be warranted to maintain 75% of their energy for 8 years or 100,000 miles by model year 2031 (phased in from 70% for model years 2026–2030).
- Powertrain components must also be warranted for at least 3 years or 50,000 miles.
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Other States Following California’s Lead
Under the Clean Air Act, other states can choose to adopt California’s vehicle standards. CARB maintains an updated list and dashboard of states that have adopted California vehicle standards.
CARB also noted that California plus the states that had adopted ACC II at the time represented about 40% of the nation’s new car market (see CARB’s ACC II adoption release).
Learn more about other states with gasoline car bans and phaseouts.
United States Gasoline Phaseout Map
Why Is There A Gas Car Ban In California?
Reducing Air Pollution in California
CARB designed ACC II to cut pollution from light-duty vehicles over time — and projected the rule would reduce smog-causing pollution from new light-duty vehicles by about 25% by 2037 .
California continues to have some of the worst air quality in the country, with multiple metro areas ranking among the most ozone-polluted in the U.S.
According to a recent "State of the Air" report, nine in ten Californians live with polluted air.
At the time legislation was passed, vehicle emissions accounted for about 80% of smog-causing air pollution in California.
Reducing Carbon Emissions In California
California is committed to making the switch from gasoline to ecleaner fuels to help meet its goal of reducing carbon emissions.
The transportation sector in California is the biggest source of carbon emissions at 38% of total emissions. At the time the legislation was passed, light-duty vehicles like passenger cars and trucks made up about 70% of the greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector in California.
Gasoline Superuser Approach Note
New vehicle sales are only a small share of all vehicles on the road in any given year. Even if new sales shift quickly, many older gas cars will remain on the road for years.
To cut gasoline use faster, we must help the drivers using the most gasoline (“Gasoline Superusers”) switch to EVs as soon as possible. Coltura’s research estimates Gasoline Superusers use roughly one-third of all gasoline across U.S. light-duty vehicles — often because they must commute long distances between affordable housing and jobs.
Learn more about Coltura’s gasoline superuser approach.
Update: AB 2401 (2024) was vetoed. If you want to learn about the policy idea and why it mattered for equity-focused EV adoption, see CARB’s page: AB 2401 (vetoed) — background and veto message.
FAQ: California Ban On Gas Cars
Are gas cars banned in California?
No. California’s policy targets new vehicle sales over time — it does not ban owning or driving existing gas cars, and it does not stop the sale of used gas cars. CARB explicitly notes the rule affects new sales and does not impact existing vehicles (see the ACC II adoption release).
When are gas cars banned in California?
“Banned” is shorthand — the rule ramps up ZEV sales requirements starting with model year 2026 and reaches a 100% ZEV requirement by model year 2035. CARB summarizes the milestones (35% in 2026, 68% in 2030, 100% in 2035) in its ACC II release.
Is California banning gas cars in 2030?
Not outright. By model year 2030, CARB’s benchmark is 68% of new sales meeting the ZEV requirement — meaning gas-only new cars can still be sold, but they must be a shrinking share of the market under the rule’s schedule.
Can you buy a gas car in California after 2035?
You can still buy and sell used gas cars after 2035. The 2035 standard applies to new vehicle sales — and even then, CARB allows a limited share of the requirement to be met with qualifying plug-in hybrids (see the 2035 summary in CARB’s ACC II adoption announcement).
What cars are banned in California (is it all cars)?
The rule is focused on new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in California. It does not apply to every vehicle category, and it does not make existing vehicles illegal to own or drive. For official scope and definitions, see CARB’s ACC II program page.
Is California’s gas car ban blocked?
ACC II is adopted California policy, but implementation/enforcement depends on the federal waiver dispute. EPA granted a waiver in December 2024 (see EPA’s announcement and the Federal Register notice), then a CRA resolution sought to nullify it (see H.J.Res. 88). Litigation is ongoing (see California v. United States), and GAO has said the waiver notices are not CRA “rules” (see GAO’s decision).
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