JonJon said:
I believe if the car is older than 25 years or something they're exempt from emission testing. So the cops -can't- do anything about them even if they wanted to. Newer cars though, it depends on your local laws.
Different from state to state, and even different from county to county in the same state. I live in Kentucky, and there are at least two areas in the state that have Cali-style emissions inspections - Campbell, Kenton, and Boone Counties in Northern KY, and Jefferson County near Louisville. Everywhere else in the state there is no inspection, and pretty much nothing to keep you from doing whatever you want. However, where I live, we have emissions Nazis that inspect to make sure all of the equipment is in place, then stick a sniffer up the tailpipe to make sure you're not too dirty.
It kind of sucks, because the above-mentioned areas are fairly-heavily industrialized, and there are major Interstates through our area (I71, I75, I64, I65) with lots of uninspected traffic. Also, they make you have anything newer than 1965 inspected, right up to brand-new-off-the-lot.
The citizens are pretty much up in arms against the inspections, especially since studies have been done that show that it is not nearly as beneficial to the environment as the EPA folks promised. But now we can't get rid of it, because Federal Highway Funds will be withheld if we stop the inspections!
If the Governor had any cojones, he'd tell the Feds "OK, keep your money. But you better get your own Federal road crews to fix the interstates and plow 'em in the winter, because my folks will do the state roads first! What's that? You don't have and Federal Highway Maintenance workers? Too bad - shoulda thought of that before you kept my money!"
Sorry - This issue kind of gets under my skin. Rant Mode Off!
