This is a warning, and is based on my own experiences as well as conversations with CARB, CA DMV, CA BAR, the EPA, several JDM importers, and a reading of sections 44202 and 44210 of the California Health and Safety Code. I am not a lawyer.
The out-of-state title exemption apparently no longer exists. Even if you have a valid out-of-state title, and even if the title is over a year old, unless you provide the Toyota Letter (impossible) or a Certificate of Conformity for your vehicle from the EPA (according to the EPA rep I spoke with they "don't issue those for non-U.S. vehicles") the DMV will "suspense" your application for title and send it to Sacramento, where it will be be flagged for CARB compliance. Once it is flagged your VIN remains in their system.
The CA DMV's website listed the one-year out-of-state title exemption for non-USDM vehicles as of 8-30-17. Today, if you go to their page, the exemption has been removed. Do not try to register a non-USDM diesel in CA unless A) it is a 1979 model year or older, with the original motor with no modifications AT ALL, or B) you have the time (several months) and financial resources ($8k-$10k) to spend in order to bring it into CARB compliance. Attempting to register your rig under the one-year exemption will very likely not work. To those who have had luck getting their rigs reg'd and titled, I salute you.
To anyone from Cal DMV or CARB who reads this, your regulations governing the registration and titling of non-USDM vehicles are deeply and critically flawed, and have absolutely nothing to do with environmental protection. The notion that my JDM 2.4L turbo-diesel with EGR is more harmful than a '64 Imperial or '66 Chevelle or Model T or any other CARB-exempt 9-mpg boat with no emissions controls is pure, unadulterated garbage, and from a holistic standpoint is demonstrably false.
The out-of-state title exemption apparently no longer exists. Even if you have a valid out-of-state title, and even if the title is over a year old, unless you provide the Toyota Letter (impossible) or a Certificate of Conformity for your vehicle from the EPA (according to the EPA rep I spoke with they "don't issue those for non-U.S. vehicles") the DMV will "suspense" your application for title and send it to Sacramento, where it will be be flagged for CARB compliance. Once it is flagged your VIN remains in their system.
The CA DMV's website listed the one-year out-of-state title exemption for non-USDM vehicles as of 8-30-17. Today, if you go to their page, the exemption has been removed. Do not try to register a non-USDM diesel in CA unless A) it is a 1979 model year or older, with the original motor with no modifications AT ALL, or B) you have the time (several months) and financial resources ($8k-$10k) to spend in order to bring it into CARB compliance. Attempting to register your rig under the one-year exemption will very likely not work. To those who have had luck getting their rigs reg'd and titled, I salute you.
To anyone from Cal DMV or CARB who reads this, your regulations governing the registration and titling of non-USDM vehicles are deeply and critically flawed, and have absolutely nothing to do with environmental protection. The notion that my JDM 2.4L turbo-diesel with EGR is more harmful than a '64 Imperial or '66 Chevelle or Model T or any other CARB-exempt 9-mpg boat with no emissions controls is pure, unadulterated garbage, and from a holistic standpoint is demonstrably false.
