CAR Practice Test

The Certified Automotive Recycler (CAR) program is run by the Automotive Recyclers Association for ARA member facilities. This page gives you free practice sets on dismantling, hazardous materials, OSHA safety, titles, inventory and compliance records. It also summarizes how the annual CAR Record and audit work, so you know what to study before your audit.

CAR Exam at a Glance

What changed for CAR in 2026

• Oct 27, 2026: Delivery changed to Annual physical audit (previously Annual physical audit of the facility (no written exam)).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Eligibility changed to ARA membership and CAR tracking record (previously Starts by ordering a CAR tracking record (new and renewing applicants)).^[2]
• Oct 27, 2026: Renewal changed to Annual renewal with new CAR Record and audit (previously Renewed every year with a new CAR Record and audit).^[1]

What the CAR is and how it works

According to Automotive Recyclers Association, “To Participate in the CAR Program and/or purchase a certification record, you must also be an ARA Member.”^[2]

CAR is the Certified Automotive Recycler program from the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA). Going by the official site, it does not work like a typical multiple-choice exam. Compliance is documented in a CAR Record, and the findings of a physical audit, conducted each year, are recorded in that record.

Eligibility. To take part in the CAR program or buy a certification record, you must also be an ARA member. Membership comes first, then the CAR tracking record.

Validity and renewal. Certification is valid for 1 year. A new CAR Record is required each year. It serves as the official tool used to document compliance, guide preparation, and support the annual audit process. Renewal therefore means a new record and a new audit.

Deadline. The ARA states that 2026 is a Professional Audit year. The audit must be complete and the CAR record submitted by December 31, 2026.

What we could not verify. We have no confirmed fees, scoring rules, passing standards, time limits, retake rules or official content outline. Rules for recyclers also vary by state and by facility, so check details at certification.a-r-a.org or with the ARA directly. The practice sets below are study aids written with AI tools. They are not real exam questions and do not replace the official CAR Record.

Worked examples: how to reason through CAR questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom), Safety Data Sheets must be accessible to employees:

1. At all times during each work shift
2. Only during scheduled safety meetings
3. Upon written request submitted 24 hours in advance
4. Once per calendar year

Answer: A. At all times during each work shift

Explanation:

The correct answer is that Safety Data Sheets must be accessible at all times during each work shift. Under the Hazard Communication Standard, employees need to be able to reach an SDS when they work with a chemical, without asking permission first.

Showing them only at scheduled safety meetings is wrong because a hazard can come up at any moment on the shop floor. Requiring a written request submitted 24 hours in advance is wrong because it puts a barrier between a worker and safety information. Making them available once per calendar year is wrong because it is far too infrequent to be useful.

Rule to remember: SDSs must be readily available in the work area during every shift, with no delay and no paperwork to get to them.

Example 2

Question: Under most US state laws, who is responsible for notifying the DMV when a vehicle is acquired for dismantling?

1. The previous registered owner
2. The insurance company that insured the vehicle
3. The towing company that transported the vehicle
4. The automotive recycler

Answer: D. The automotive recycler

Explanation:

The correct answer is the automotive recycler. The business that takes a vehicle in for dismantling is the party that holds the vehicle and the paperwork, so most state laws put the duty to notify the DMV on the recycler.

The previous registered owner is wrong because they may sign over the title, but the notice duty does not stay with them after the sale. The insurance company is wrong because it handles the claim, not the state vehicle record. The towing company is wrong because it only moves the vehicle and has no role in title records.

Rule to remember: whoever acquires a vehicle for dismantling owns the notification and title steps. Procedures differ by state, so confirm the exact process with your own state DMV.

Example 3

Question: Which document must accompany hazardous waste when it leaves an automotive recycling facility for off-site disposal?

1. Bill of lading
2. Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest
3. Material Safety Data Sheet
4. EPA Form 8700-12

Answer: B. Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest

Explanation:

The correct answer is the Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest. It travels with the waste and tracks it from the generator, which here is the recycling facility, through transport to the disposal site.

A bill of lading is wrong because it is a general shipping record and does not track hazardous waste through each handoff. A Material Safety Data Sheet is wrong because it describes the hazards of a product for people who handle it, not a specific shipment. EPA Form 8700-12 is wrong because it is a different EPA form, used to notify the agency about a site as a handler of waste, not to follow a load out the door.

Rule to remember: when hazardous waste leaves the facility, the manifest goes with it.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official material, because the CAR Record is the tool the ARA says documents compliance and guides preparation. Read it first and note which sections apply to your facility. Then use our practice sets to find the gaps.

1. Begin with workplace safety and OSHA and fluid and hazardous waste management, since these rules are specific and easy to mix up.
2. Move to vehicle dismantling procedures and electric and hybrid vehicle processing.
3. Cover the paperwork side with compliance plans and documentation and vehicle acquisition and title processing.
4. Finish with inventory and parts cataloging and recycled parts quality assurance.

After each set, write down every question you missed and look up the rule in the official material or your state agency. Where a rule differs by state, record your state's version. Repeat the weak sets until the reasons make sense, then do a walk-through of your facility against the CAR Record before the audit.

Sources & last verified

1. Automotive Recyclers Association — validity, renewal, delivery (official source). “A new CAR Record is required each year and serves as the official tool used to document compliance, guide preparation, and support the annual audit…” Verified Oct 27, 2026.
2. link.araemail.net — eligibility, registration deadline (official source). “To Participate in the CAR Program and/or purchase a certification record, you must also be an ARA Member.” Verified Oct 27, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.