How to read a CARB EO sticker
The small label that comes with a smog-legal part is how a Smog Check inspector ties the part to its Executive Order.
What the label must show
CARB's Procedures for Exemption of Add-On and Modified Part(s) for On-Road Vehicles/Engines (adopted June 29, 2021, Section VIII) say the maker must ship each exempted part with a product information label that contains only:
- one product name exactly as listed on the Executive Order,
- the EO number in the format "CARB D-XXX",
- the manufacturer's name and contact information,
- optionally, one kind of number: reference numbers, device numbers or kit part numbers.
The label must be at least 12-point type and durable for the life of the vehicle, and the instructions must warn in bold that the label is needed for Smog Check inspection. If the install changes hoses, belts or tune-up specifications, the label (or a second label) must describe those changes.
Where it goes
Under the hood, somewhere readily visible to the average person. On motorcycles it goes near the tune-up label.
Reading the number
Aftermarket part orders are numbered D-company-sequence. The middle number is the company code (for example 269 is K&N Engineering and 550 is aFe), and the last number counts that company's orders. A newer order often adds model years or part numbers to an earlier product, so the same part can appear in more than one EO.
How the inspector uses it
CARB says every EO part or modification has an assigned number that can be verified by Smog Check stations, BAR Referee stations or CARB. A Smog Check includes a visual inspection of the emission control system, so an unlabeled aftermarket part can be questioned. See when to go to the Smog Check Referee.
Questions
Where is the CARB EO sticker?
CARB's exemption procedures require the label to go in an under-hood location that is readily visible (near the tune-up label on motorcycles). Many intake makers put it on the air box or intake tube; check the installation instructions that came with the part.
What does "CARB D-269-110" mean?
It is the Executive Order number. "D" is the series for add-on and modified parts, 269 identifies the company that holds the order (269 is K&N Engineering), and 110 is that company's order sequence number.
I lost the EO sticker. What now?
The label exists so the Smog Check inspector can match the part to its EO. Contact the part maker for a replacement label and keep a copy of the EO PDF with the car. If a station still cannot verify the part, the Smog Check Referee inspects modified vehicles.
The sticker number is not on this site. Is the part illegal?
Not necessarily. We list only EOs whose vehicle tables we could read with certainty. Type the number in the search box: if we know the EO exists, we link its PDF on CARB's site.
Sources (checked 2026-11-11): CARB, Procedures for Exemption of Add-On and Modified Parts, Sections VIII–IX; CARB, Aftermarket, Performance, and Add-on Parts; BAR, Smog Check. Company codes from the EOs themselves.