So, lets say, for the sake of arguement, that I buy another impractical car that I want to avoid smogging. Who is to say that I can not register it to my parents house in central Illinois, far from the smog nazis. Can I not rent a room at their house, call it a second home? And BTW, what is the real dope on "antique" plates? If it is >25y.o., do you really get out of smogging?
Yes and yes. I have been told that the Chicago MSA and East St. Louis are the only parts of the state that test for smog. Registering the car in central Illinois will get out of the Illinois smog test. Vehicles with antique plates are not smog tested but they are theoretically limited to 2,500 miles per year as well as other use restrictions. The other benefit is that the registration is good for five years so you don't have to pay the state every year for a new sticker.
You can go to the smog places and they have an excemption sheet that you can fill out. However, you must be able to attach a sheet from your insurance company stating that the car is a limited use vehicle driven less than 2500 miles per year. I've done this for the past several years for my toy.
