Cali questions

[Drew320]

Looks like Uncle Sam is sending me to California in a few months, which brings me to my dilemma: Drive my ‘81 320i the 2,500 miles from (North Carolina) and keep it, or sell the car and find something there to drive. I’m fairly confident my e21 can make the trip, however the longest non-stop journey I’ve done is about 1200 miles.
With the help of this forum of course, I could take apart and put back together this car, but as for the paperwork stuff, I’m at a complete loss.
I know California has the whole smog thing but I’m not too keen on the whole process for taking my NC car, registering for a California plate and somehow manage to pass smog.
What are the requirements for passing it? Is it possible to somehow get away with keeping my NC paperwork to avoid it altogether? It looks like I’ll be living in California for about two years.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/de...cts/militaryvr

I did come across this link while I was looking around. Would I have to drive to NC periodically to update registration/get it inspected?
Thanks all

[SoCalE21]

California smog is of course the toughest in the nation.
You need to have all smog equipment in place. Then pass a tailpipe emission test at idle and on a dyno.
If your 81 is stock, has all smog equip including a functional cat, and is in good tune, you should pass ok.
If you are moving here for 2 years, technically you are required to smog and register the car here, very quickly (like within 10 days or something crazy like that).
But if you are only going to be here temporarily (2 years), and you keep your NC drivers license, you’d likely not have any trouble. It’s taking a risk, though, because it’s technically not allowed.
(People do get busted for it sometimes, but on the other hand I know people who have driven in California for decades on out of state plates.)

- - - Updated - - -

Oh yeah, if NC requires a yearly inspection of the car to keep it registered in NC, that would be a problem.

The people I know do it on Oregon plates, Oregon has no inspections.

[Bimmerod]

I agree with SoCal, keep your current stuff if you can. Maintain your current NC driver's license/registration/address and never switch anything over to Cali. Not only is the smog a pain in the ass, the fees for registration/insurance are through the roof. I know plenty of people that have an Arizona plate & License in Cali and never have any problems. You need to make sure if you do get stopped for some reason that "You are just visiting Cali from NC" and you shouldn't have any problem.

If you can live with all that it would be the easiest. Try not to give Cali any more of your hard earned money cause they will just flush it anyways.

Bimmerod

[OLD MAN]

Not sure if you are active duty military - if so:

Nonresident Military Personnel Operating a Vehicle in California

Nonresident military personnel, and both military or civilian members of NATO who are not citizens of the United States are permitted to operate a vehicle in this state with valid license plates from either:

• the individual's home state or country or
• the state or country where the individual was regularly assigned and stationed when the license plates were issued, if the following requirements are met:
  
  1. The license plates displayed on the vehicle are valid plates issued by a foreign jurisdiction.
  2. The vehicle registration and license plates are issued to the military person or spouse of the military person.
  3. The vehicle registration and license plates are issued by the foreign jurisdiction where the military person was last regularly assigned and stationed for duty by military orders or a jurisdiction claimed by the nonresident military person as the permanent state of residence.
  4. If the vehicle is a motor vehicle, the owner or driver has insurance.
  
  

NOTE: Military orders do not include military orders for leave, for temporary duty, or for any other assignment of any nature requiring the military person's presence outside the foreign jurisdiction where the owner was regularly assigned and stationed for duty.
This section applies to all vehicles owned by the military person or spouse except any commercial vehicle used in any business manner wherein the military person or spouse receives compensation.

[E34 5er]

Just keep your car's registration in NC. This is the worst state in the country when it comes to the DMV- absolute horrendous. California actually operates like a separate government from the rest of the U.S, we even have something called CARB and have our own standards for smog checks that no other state has. The only cars exempt are 1975 and earlier model years for gasoline, 1998 and earlier for diesel models.

[Drew320]

Thanks for the info all,
I believe North Carolina does not require a physical inspection if the vehicle is over 35 years old. That being said, I may just get away with mailing a check over for registration renewal and having a family member from back home mail the stickers back to me.
I was really hoping to stay for the Vintage in Asheville, but I am curious to see what the crowd on the west coast has to offer.

What part of Cali? No worries I'm in the LA area and I have a guy who does fake smog's but only If you register your car here you will require one. Cali welcomes all legion members.

San Diego, I don’t know much about the area yet but I think the SoCal vintage isn’t too far away from there.

[OLD MAN]

I am 80 miles north up the I/15 and go to an Auto-x in San Diego now and then. Will let you know when I come down, JP is in the SD area as well as others.