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Georgia - Need to know about laws restricting aftermarket modifications.

14K views 31 replies 17 participants last post by  Highperf15  
#1 ·
So I may be moving to Georgia from California and want to see what sort of position I'll be in with my modified Challenger.

What are the laws on things like superchargers and other aftermarket mods?

What are the smog/inspection requirements? (ie. inspection intervals and expectations)

What good performance shops are there in the Atlanta area? Will need some sort of support with issues.

You guys have any clubs going? Would like to see if I can get involved with any fellow challenger owners when I settle.


Thanks for any help!!

:guiness:
 
#3 ·
Yea I'm of the same idea but I don know some states are just as bad as CA... Wanna make sure GA isn't one of them and if it is I need to take the proper steps in finding cool inspectors and whatnot before I make the move.
 
#4 ·
PM PlumKrazy, He'll know the low down. I don't think you'll have any problems. You may want to check out Deep South Mopars as they have three chapters in GA.

I know that site is affiliated with the other (Z) forum, so take this down or edit if need be. Just saying you may want to check it out to see what the GA boys are doing.
 
#5 ·
I'm not too familiar with everything but here's what I do know...

You only have to get your car inspected if you live in the metro Atlanta area, these are the list of counties: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding or Rockdale County. More info at www.cleanairforce.com

I don't think there are any restrictions on aftermarket mods as long as your car passes emissions which should be much less strict than CA. (it's supposed to even if you aren't mandated to get inspected).
 
#7 ·
That had the inspection info which is cool because it seems like I'll only need to pass a one time inspection but I don't see any sort of list of restricted/regulated equipment. Need to figure out if I'll even pass an inspection heh...
 
#8 ·
The inspection in GA is annual for cars over 3 years old. As long as you have an emissions legal tune (with O2 sensors on, etc) and have cats you should be fine, the inspection is a simple plug into the OBD port and read diagnostic codes. There are some exceptions for hot rods which is defined as having a non-stock engine and you have to apply to be exempt for that, but you still have to have cats. So with an 09 you've got until your birthday in 2012 to get it figured out.
 
#10 ·
AFAIK, Correct. I just moved a few months ago from another county and had to get emissions done on an older truck I have to transfer the registration but not my 09 Challenger since it is still exempt. That could have just been since I was in the state already but I think the rule is the same coming from out of state.

I will have to get it tested this year when I renew for 2012, so I was off by a year in my earlier post.
 
#11 ·
Cool... So all I need to worry about is keeping the stock ecu, cats, and staying withing emission limits. I'm gonna assume that I'll need an inspection by the time I move there but it doesn't sound like it's gonna matter.

My biggest fear was visual inspections like we have in CA that would get something like a supercharger flagged if it doesn't have an EO number.
 
#12 ·
Nah were good on laws here.. If you had an import HA does have the 22 inch headlight law.. Headlights must remain no lower than 22 inches from level surface.. Smog laws are weak even intesting zones.. SEMA has us listed as a no limit law for decibels of exhaust emissions and for our cars its pretty much true.. The biggies here are for folks living in the ATL.. other than that were a free state and half the people here are not even running cats.
whats the area you are looking to reside in? hit me up again with a PM...
I drive mine a supercharged plum with MBRP no troubles and my 93 burb no cats and flowmasters..
 
#13 ·
Ohh is high quality 93 easily available in GA? I'm used to being stuck with CA grade 91 heh...

Thx for the input tho plum. Sounds like I won't be having any issues. I'll send you a pm when I k ow for sure if the move is gonna happen and what county.
 
#14 ·
It depends on where you live if you have to get it inspected or not. If you live in the general surrounding area of atlanta (roughly 30 mile radius) then yes. They will look under the car to see if cats are present and hook up to the ecu to check for codes, thats pretty much it. Mods dont matter as long as ecu isnt throwing any codes.
 
#15 ·
93 is pretty much everywhere in GA (At least it was when I lived up there) so you shouldn't have a problem.

Emissions are pretty easy up there, I didn't have cats on my Mustang while living up there - but I still fell into the new car 3 year window. I lived in Gwinnett so there was the sniffer test and depending on where you went a visual tetst as well. I moved to FL before I had to do the first test on that car.

Move to FL and you have absolutely no problem lol No emissions, no nothing lol

But really - GA is a cake walk compared to Cali.
 
#16 ·
GA is no problem.. As others have said Atlanta and immediate surrounding areas do have some testing, rest of the state has ZERO testing of any kind. You'll have no problem.

Mike
 
#18 ·
so i may be moving to georgia from california and want to see what sort of position i'll be in with my modified challenger.

What are the laws on things like superchargers and other aftermarket mods?

What are the smog/inspection requirements? (ie. Inspection intervals and expectations)

what good performance shops are there in the atlanta area? Will need some sort of support with issues.

You guys have any clubs going? Would like to see if i can get involved with any fellow challenger owners when i settle.


Thanks for any help!!

:guiness:
as long as you have what ga. Dot requires go for it, i have supercharger,22" wheels,louder than normal exhaust (corsa)ail lift front and back,arrington cam
 
#20 ·
Window tint is somethign they get people on from time to time. Many people I know around here go illegal and never get pulled over. Kind of a wrong place wrong time thing if you catch a cop that is bored and needs to write a ticket. I guess it's a county thing, as we have no inspection here, they did away with it probably 30 years ago. MY brother-in law's car is POS and they let it on the roads. In fact you probably won't believe some the cars you will see driving around.
 
#22 ·
I grew up in GA and moved to St Louis in 2007. No problems there. Also, if SpeedFactory (located just south of Atlanta) can build Challengers with 600HP then GA is a great place to be a car guy!
 
#25 ·
I had looked up the tint laws but cant remember if I was safe or not. I feel like the law was no less than 30% light coming through on the driver and passenger side windows and unlimited in the back. I don't remember if that's right though.

I have 35% on the sides and 15% in the rear.
 
#24 · (Edited)
The thing about the Metro Atlanta area is true.
Anything 96 and newer just gets an OBD2 scan for readiness, codes, and proper operation of the Check Engine light. They test the fuel cap for a good seal, and they're supposed to do a visual for the presence of a cat.
If you have trouble codes programmed out, the test will not detect that. (ssshhhhh.)
For this year, '09 and newer is exempt from testing.

For cars older than 96, they run a two speed dyno test, with a sniffer. Cars 25 years and older are exempt.

I wouldn't sweat the visual. I had my trailblazer smogged the other day, and they didn't even raise the hood.
I have a Fiero with a Cadillac V8, that passes regularly with flying colors. (Only time it ever failed was when an O2 sensor went south.)

Reader's Digest version... don't sweat it.
Edit - To clarify... It's just the Atlanta and metro area that has testing. Outside of the metro area, there is no testing of any kind.
 
#26 ·
you will be okay but for passenger cars it 35% regaurdless with a max reading og 32.5 due to the factory tint in some cars
 
#28 ·
Alabama has no emissions law and no inspection law but does have very strict lighting no red or blue lights visible ---and tinting laws. We have better football too!