Well thats a tricky one. State law is very clear on all safety inspections AND emissions inspections (emissions inspection is determined by county, For instance watauga county where we are is a non emissions county) any safety component, exhaust or emission component that was on the vehicle when it was manufactured is required to be on the vehicle if it's to be passed. Here's the tricky part, It's up to the discretion of the inspection tech to pass or fail you, so while he may not fail you for a LED burnt out in a strip of 50 LED's, he can be fined for doing so. It's not a very fair system. In most cases it only hurts the techs and shops. In 2010 they began the switch to a system that requires all diesels in emission counties to be inspected as a emission vehicle, but I'm not sure that it's in effect yet. The old law skirted the subject with GRVW limits and such but thats changing.However, removing ANY emission related component is a direct violation of federal law, but they seem to have troubles placing the blame so charges are rarely brought, But if an environmentalist that knew the law called you in, you could be in for some serious trouble.

Last thing to think about is luckily many LEO's have yet to "enforce" the topic in our area, maybe it's their not educated on the subject, maybe their just nice. But DMV officers (SHP and DMV are one in the same with separate officers and vehicles) has been writing tickets and from what I've heard will continue writing tickets for removed or improper exhaust or emission equipment. There's been some debate to if they have jurisdiction over light duty truck, honestly I'm not sure but they are tax enforcement on fuel so they'll have plenty of probable cause to pull any diesel truck.

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Under emission equipment in this file you'll see that EVEN under safety inspection all components are required to be in place (which sucks because in NC no inspection = no tag, no registration)
On top of that you'll see all vehicles regardless of emission status must pass a MIL or OBDII test, as well as a complete work up. Now with that said none of this would matter but enforcement in the inspection area has stepped up to three or four "bait" cars (now their using diesel trucks too) through an inspection station a month if not more. There constantly sending out fines, and none of this was really enforced till 3 years ago. The law is very vague and is one of the main reasons, although I'm a licensed inspector, that we dont do inspections. The law, being such broad in nature leaves alot on the inspection tech, and if he's not **** about every inspection he could face some serious consequences. Luckily it's somewhat like a three strike rule, but shop owners still have huge fines to pay, while the tech is just suspended from inspections.



http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/vehicle_ser...nforcement.pdf

Safety/OBD inspections currently are required in 48 counties: Alamance, Brunswick, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Carteret, Catawba, Chatham, Cleveland, Craven, Cumberland, Davidson, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Granville, Guilford, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Johnston, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Onslow, Orange, Pitt, Randolph, Robeson, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Wake, Wayne, Wilkes, Wilson and Union.

Also notice here that there's no mention of the 2010 changes in regard to the diesels, However early last year , they changed the terminology from "Gasoline-operated vehicles" to "gasoline-operated cars AND Light duty trucks." NC has always been sketchy on this subject. Just be cautious!

North Carolina is fighting ozone-forming emissions from gasoline-operated cars and light duty trucks. Since 2002, licensed inspection stations have been required to use a more effective method for testing the air pollution controls on cars and trucks. It requires them to conduct inspections using the vehicle’s on-board diagnostic (OBD) system, computerized equipment installed on all new vehicles since 1996. The cost of a Safety/Emissions inspection is $30. Though they are still required to obtain a safety inspection, diesel-operated vehicles are exempt from the annual emissions inspection.

 

Pretty sure this has been posted on this board before, but...
California Caught In Lie About Diesel Emissions

 

I remember seeing an episode on one of the car shows where they had a hot rod with an electronic exhaust valve to switch between a legal exhaust system and a straight pipe for racing. Just a thought if I worked it would be awesome.

 

I called and talked to a local to me diesel shop in MN. He told me he could be fined 15k if caught doing deletes on pickup trucks. Don't know how it could go back to the shop; he wouldn't have nothing to do with it even if I signed a waiver. Guess it could be some serious ****.

 

Depends on if he just sold it ya or installed it.