Mike, I don't know.

But I think the situation is clearer, albeit less favorable if you add the following element to your scenario - the Cali. officer learns that your car is registered in a state that also requires CARB certification. In that case, it appears the Cali. officer could stand to reason that the car is illegal both in Cali and its home state.

 

Ok, I just had to look it up. A U.S. Supreme Court decision states that NJ Auto laws apply to nonresident cars (242 U.S. 160):

The New Jersey Automobile Law of 1908 (P. L. 1908, p. 613) provides in substance that no person, whether a resident or nonresident of the state, shall drive an automobile upon a public highway unless he shall have been licensed so to do and the automobile shall have been registered under the statute; and also that a nonresident owner shall appoint the secretary of state his attorney upon whom process may be served 'in any action or legal proceeding caused by the operation of his registered motor vehicle within this state against such owner.'

 

i say we just invest in a couple of Dunkin Donut decals and plaster them over
our cars. when the cops see them they'll think we're sponsored by them and
close their eyes to our transgressions.

 

the problem there is that a Cali officer doesn't have jurisdiction to enforce law from another state. it's the same as if there is a police pursuit across state line. an officer has to obtain permission from the other state to continue the pursuit because he no longer has jurisdiction. if officers could cite for violations from any state they would basically have universal or federal jurisdiction... as with the FBI.

here is another scenario. say you are driving with an expired inspection sticker from your registered state and travel into a state that does not require inspection. can the officer in the state that doesn't require inspection decide to write you a violation because he knows in your home state inspection sticker is old? i would say not. when i was in chicago i was pulled for speeding but not cited for my expired inspection sticker. because my car was registered in VA.

if that were the case no one would be able to travel out of state because each state has different laws and allowances. people would have to basically modify their cars just to cross state lines.