TECHNICALLY, when you get a ref ticket, itll say right on the ticket that the vehicle needs to be immediately removed off the roads. So short of an impound (the cop is either a **** or you have crazy smog-illegal mods), the cop will tell you to immediately head home and park the car and not drive it. most cops will let you drive it home though as long as the infraction isnt severe and you werent driving like an asshole.

This is what the sticker looks like on the ticket when you get a ref ticket (i got this a couple months ago)

I rember that sticker. I made my appointment and being a smart a$$, I asked, "how am I supposed to get there if I'm not allowed to drive it." They told me to have it towed to the ref. LOL I did no such thing!!! Since my car wasn't regstered in CA I could still drive it anyway. I never had any issues in the numerous other times I was stopped. I just payed the ticket. I couldn't ever register that car here anyway.

This was about a year before I moved here.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0vbPTuvCzs"]Hyper4mance2k's RX-7 on the dyno - YouTube[/ame]

So, is receiving the citation pretty much and $800-1000 fee. Or is it when you take it in and they see that its illegal. I'm confused lol. :eyebulge:

• CA registered - you would need to smog on/after the 6th year of production. So the earliest date you would need to smog is June 2018 since most people got their cars starting June 2012.
• Not CA registered - you don't need to smog but you may still get a ticket. Smog schedule based on whatever state the car is registered in.
• Smog will be an issue if you have a CEL or if the header fails the visual inspection. Since the header is without a cat, you will also fail the tailpipe test.

-alex

citation/ticket fine depends on the exact violation you get marked for, but it can be anywhere from $500-ish to over $1k.

going to the ref station has its own fee of about $100-200 for the inspection and sign-off.

these are two separate fees. the actual fine amount can be disputed in court if you choose to (or can if you do get ref sign off).

Do they ever give you trouble for modified exhausts or is it only with headers, cat deletes? Usually it's everything before the cat unless it's over the dB level.

mine was for a catback exhaust. stock everything else on my engine. but then again, i got unlucky and ran into a d*ck cop. most cops have been pretty chill tho *knock on wood*

I have a shop where we do smog and I am a certified smog tech.

We do a visual inspection on everything and if a part like headers or intake is A/F we check for a CARB label if there is none we have to fail the car. Anything after the cat that is replaced doesnt matter for example having cat back exhaust would bother.

As far as emissions we dont do dyno testing anymore on 2000 and newer cars. So its visual and odb2 testing. If you have a tune you will most likely fail also.

Also cars dont get smogged for the first 6 years when bought brand new unless the car comes from out of state then it must get inspected.

I think I have more then enough information now concerning the subject. Thanks everyone for your input.