VA residents (Mikelly and others), emissions/modifications laws in VA?

[Guest bastaad525]

as I've mentioned already... I'm gonna be making a big move here very soon, from CA out to VA.

 

My wife just asked me in the most offhand way the other day about this and it struck me that I had never even considered it. Not owning a HybridZ anymore smog issues weren't really on my mind... though now, owning the SRT-4 with a few mods and possibly plans for more, and of course, aspiring to own another Hybrid Z some time in the future... I guess it would be a good idea to find out how the emissions and modification laws work out in my soon-to-be new home.

 

 

Well... knowing that we do have some owners of Hybrid Z's out in VA, that is good news at least... but I guess now my concerns of course are more with the SRT. I hope and believe that no state could possibly be as strict as here in Socal...

 

So can you guys fill me in? what all laws/rules do I have to worry about in VA, both for older cars, and also for my current new one?

[Trevor]

You're moving to Hampton, right? You'll have an annual saftey inspection but no emissions inspection.

 

"Gasoline-powered passenger or property carrying vehicles with a model year that is less than 25 model years old before January 1 of the current calendar year and with a manufacturer's designated gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less which are registered in the following localities:

Counties of: Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, and Stafford

Cities of: Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park"

 

got it here:

http://www.deq.state.va.us/mobile/mobfaq.html

[boodlefoof]

I looked into this a number of years ago when doing some modifications on my '68 Camaro.

 

If you get antique plates, you don't even need the annual safety inspection anymore. But you're not allowed to drive further than a 500 mile radius from your home (I think it was 500 miles...).

 

If I remember right, even without the emissions inspection though, if your car came with catalytic converters, you can't eliminate them.

[Mikelly]

County by county... Most counties don't do emissions testing right now, and as far as HybridZs go, in Va. you can get antique tags and drive the car anytime for pleasure within 250 miles of your residence, which means pretty much any state border... You can't use it as primary transportation, but you can drive it most days as long as it isn't your "daily" driver. You aren't required to buy a county sticker, or get state inspections with an antique tag. The car must be 25 years old to qualify.

 

Mike

[Synlubes]

County by county... Most counties don't do emissions testing right now' date=' and as far as HybridZs go, in Va. you can get antique tags and drive the car anytime for pleasure within 250 miles of your residence, which means pretty much any state border... You can't use it as primary transportation, but you can drive it most days as long as it isn't your "daily" driver. You aren't required to buy a county sticker, or get state inspections with an antique tag. The car must be 25 years old to qualify.

 

Mike[/quote']

 

Not to mention the same insurance coverage will be about a 3rd less with the car registered as an antique.

[savageskaterkid]

He was reffering to not having a Z anymore. As far as I know, some cops will say you cannot lower anything, others don't care. You "cannot" have a modified exhaust, but most don't car as long as you don't rev it at every stoplight. And I think that basicly it, some countys have emissions, but I hear there alot easier then Cali. Most cops are slack here about modifications. I've actually been told its legal to have Nitrous hooked up in the car and even use it on the streets as long as you don't use it to speed-County sherrif told me its legal in virginia. ABSOLUTLY no neon lights though.

 

PS. As far as I remember, if your car came w/o cats, it doesn't need them, even if you swap in a motor that came with cats.

[Guest bastaad525]

sweet thanks for the info guys.

 

 

This was out of curiosity both as it pertains to my current SRT-4, which if I keep it will get some mods in the near future (nothing major, catback exhaust, mopar lowering springs only about 1" drop). But also, for the future when and if I do end up getting another Z. Right now it is a definite WHEN as I've loved Z's and owned Z's nearly half my life and feel almost naked without one!

 

Frickin fantastic that they have the 25 year rolling window for registering as an 'antique' and no problem keeping it within 250 miles of my house

 

thanks again for all the info guys.

[Mikelly]

Actually, No. Nitros is not legal. It isn't legal to be hooked up at all. If they catch you with the bottle hooked up, or the line in such a manor that you can reach back from the driver's seat with a wrench and connect it, you can get big fines and they can impound your car.

 

This actually happened to one of the guys I know in the area and his $700 nitros kit cost him about $1500.

 

Nitros = Illegal big time in Va.

 

Mike

[AK-Z]

I have no idea about VA emissions but I've read that the cat thing is a federal law, but only applies to the engine. So a engine swap from one with out it (most federal model) wouldn'r need it, but it is supposedly illegal to do a swap with an engine older than the car, but with these cars I don't think anyone cares.

[savageskaterkid]

hmmmm, well, I guess that cop was trying to get people to do it so they could right more tickets, lol. o well.

[2ManyZs]

I read on another car forum a short time ago that there is now a bill in the VA House being considered that will put even more restrictions on the use of Vintage tags....one of them being a mileage limit of no more than 50 miles from your residence. Plus possible State Inspections again......

 

http://www.ffcobra.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/ubb/get_topic/f/19/t/001742.html

 

Don't know when they were expected to vote on this, the way they have been whining on the news about extending the session, it may not have been voted on yet....

[2ManyZs]

Oops, spoke too soon, HB 288 didn't go thru, at least not in this session.

It's been carried over to 2007 though....

 

http://www.hagerty.com/NewsManager/templates/template_adv.aspx?articleid=893&zoneid=3

[savageskaterkid]

not bothering me, my car is gonna be a daily driver. So I have to get it registered and inspected anyways.

[Guest bastaad525]

heh well at least this is one way in which VA apparently is no better than CA... in CA they are constantly trying to peel back the little exceptions for older vehicles too. As of now no car '75 or older must be put thru emissions testing... but I know every year someone is trying to get that taken back back down.

 

So... good to know I can look forward to the same kinda scares pretty much yearly if and when I do finally get another old Z once I am out in VA.

 

By the way this will likely be my last or one of my last posts as a CA resident much of our stuff is packed and we have 8-10 days before we hit the road.

 

my level of stress these past weeks has hit a new all time high

[Tim240z]

Bon Voyage!