This isn't just a California problem. Back in 1995 when Oklahoma still had inspections I took my RX-7 for inspection. I was missing the corrugated aluminum heat riser flex-tube between my exhaust and air cleaner. The guy failed me and swore up and down that was going to make my car run dirty. Shady stuff like that is how our inspections got elminated. We're fortunate that we don't have the population density of LA. I remember what their smog used to look like.The California smog laws have less to do with clean air... it was always some little missing part like an air injection tube into the center of the catalysts despite it having newer 3 way cats that did not require it or other such non sense detail like one of his cats was 1" too far down the pipe.
This. Bureaucrats aren't heartless, they just can't see what you're up to and every time somebody makes them look like chumps the politicians try to eliminate their jobs. They err on the side of heavy-handedness. They usually have boring jobs, but if they can facilitate something cool a lot of them will help you just because it's interesting. Be mildly cheerful when you talk with them. If you meet them face-to-face be sure and greet them with a smile and a handshake. Don't ask them how to get around rules, ask them how you can do it right. You might get that stickler who wants twenty forms filled out in triplicate. Do the work, he might be using that for a filter to see who's serious.If you have a specific question you should call the Bureau of Automotive Repair and insist they pass your question on to the referee that will be checking you vehicle. I never had an issue with him calling me back. Some of the stuff is a straight up judgement call that only he gets to make so only get his take.
Years ago I bought a Crown Vic without a title. I discovered the actual title holder was local, but elderly and invalid. I was in contact with the OK DPS several times while I worked to get the title. The owner couldn't find the title, so I wrote up a bill of sale, and his caregiver was a real pain to work through. She didn't want to deal with me, but finally got it signed. I knew the notary personally, and she knew that I was dealing with a signer who was invalid, so I brought her the bill of sale and she notarized it. I contacted the OK DPS again so they knew what was going on. Finally I got everything together and went to the tag agency. I had missed one digit in the VIN, and the guy refused to deal with me. I told him to call OK DPS and gave him a name to ask for. He knew the person at the DPS, called, and they told him to push it on through because I'd been upfront the whole time. Bam! I got the title.
Never underestimate the power of being friendly and proactive.