Connecticut registration experience with an out of state (NY) Cobra

[UKjohnnycobra]

I started building my Cobra in the UK. I finished the build in 2006 and registerd the car in NY where I was living at the time. I commented on this forum that I was surprised that the NY "safety inspection" was really little more than a check for stolen parts and that all other points of compliance (lights, windshield wipers, seatbelts etc) are self certified. I wrote about my NY experience on this forum. My car was finally titled in NY as a "2006 Custom", but because the engine was a 1968, it was not required to be subjected to any emission inspections.

When I was offered a relocation to Connecticut a year later I was pleased to hear that CT has now waived emission inspections for "composite vehicles". However, they have a fairly rigorous set of specification and equipment compliance issues (including proof of ownership of the components) and at that time there was only one composite inspection station in the state, in Wethersfield just south of Hartford. "You don't need an appointment" the lady on the phone said. "Just show up". My car had a NY VIN and a NY engine number and I had a box full of receipts from the UK so I had a feeling I was in for a world of hurt when I showed up for the inspection.

At the inspection, the first reaction from the cops was to ask why I had driven there instead of bringing the car on a flat bed, as the law required. I replied that the car was registered in NY and was insured and so was legally entitled to be driven on CT roads. They had no problem with that. What was clear however was that although they were familiar with inspecting "first registration" composite vehicles they hadn't come across an out of state registration before. Although I had all my CT "composite registration" documents and all my receipts and photographs that the CT website said I needed, they did not look at them. They took my NY title as proof of ownership, asked me what type of car it is ( I said "composite"), they gave me my approval forms, confirming the cars status as a composite, and sent me off to pick up my registration and plates. The whole process took about 45 minutes.

When my title arrived through the mail however the make of car was noted as "2006 Custom", obviously transcribed directly from the NY title rather than the CT registration application. I wondered if this still meant the car was classed as a composite. I went on line and checked and discovered that a 2006 custom is not a composite and is required to pass an emisson test. My car would never pass in a million years.

I contacted the CT DMV website and explained the situation. The very same day I received an answer telling me to go to my local DMV and they would correct the problem. So I did. The receptionist called a manager over, I explained the issue and handed over my registration and title. Five minutes later, she came back with a new registration certificate showing the car as a COMP and emissions compliant. My new title would arrive in the mail she said but in the meantime she had made me copies of the old title and the old registration, just in case i should need them. Brilliant.

The take away of the story is when registering your out of state custom vehicle in CT, make sure they capture it as a composite (if thats what you want) at the time of registration. Also, as an aside, all the DMV people I met during this process were very helpful.