Yeah, the shops here are licensed too, but I don't think that the government really clamps down on it too much,....

Ah, and the joy of 1 country, 51 governments. I *think* I remember Washington inspecting my brand-new GTI when I moved here in 1988, but then they completely ignored it for the next 13 years save for biannual emissions tests (mandatory in *some* counties). The wheels could have fallen off... I think the only real "safety inspections" here are when the State Patrol pulls over a heap with missing headlights...