Join the community and post your question. Use our Ask-A-Tech for free now! ASE experts standing by.

Forum > Out of State Vehicle > Question

Russian Lada - Can I register foreign car in California?

I am purchasing a car Lada (Russian make), which was purchased in Canada and then brought to US and registered in Michigan May 2010. It has valid Michigan registration and has Cat. Converter on it. The car is 1984 with 1.3L regular gas engine and I am not sure if it has all other components on it. Can you tell me if it's posible to register this car here in California and if it needs some smog equipment added if there are stations who might customize the car for that. Also, if it's impossible, can I put a more modern engine into it and have the smog passed this way?
Answer:

Your Lada may not meet California emissions requirements. Vehicles from other countries are less likely to meet U.S. specifications. Vehicles that were not built to meet U.S. specifications must be imported as gray-market vehicles. This can be extremely expensive and time consuming. If you are considering importing a foreign vehicle, you should review what the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has to say on this subject, as CBP controls what vehicles may be brought into the United States. Your intended vehicle must clear customs before it can be registered in any state. The costs for a laboratory to modify and certify the emissions and safety equipment on a gray-market vehicle are considerable. You may also wish to contact the California Air Resources Board for its brochure on gray-market vehicles. The ARB number to call is (800)242-4450. posted by SmogTips Support

Related questions and answers you might find useful:

How Do I Get a Smog Check Waiver? by Margaret

Do I Need a Smog Check This Year? by Joy

Mini Cooper DMV Registration Due in 5 Day Won't Pass Smog by anne

2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo with K&N Air Filter by David

1995 BMW M3 Gross Polluter High HC & NO @ 15MPH by Jared

View SmogTips.com in: Desktop / Mobile