I've searched but am still a bit confused.

Long story short, I'm moving to Boston with my 2000 Audi a4 b5 1.8t ATW
Before I go I planned on chipping / test pipe / exhaust. I live in Florida now so we don't have emission testing.

Could someone explain to me what I'll need to look for now, possibly recommend something?

 

I'm really not sure what you are "looking for". Just google if emissions testing happens in Boston. A test pipe will never be legal anywhere you go and will fail emmissions/probably regular inspection (I got away with it by convincing the mechanic german cars are weird and the test pipe actually was a cat, lol).

If your looking for a chip/test pipe/exhaust, then there are tons of options. Apr or Giac for a k03 chip; RAI,ecs, etc. for test pipe; and either a custom exhaust or one of the million available.

 

On a post OBDII car (later than 96) in Mass all they do is hook the test machine up to the OBD port and read the flags set in the ECM. If the check engine light is not being told to be on by the ECM, you pass the emmissions part. If the chip is somehow just holding the check engine lamp off, but the issue still exists in the ECM (say like a missing O2 sensor) then you fail. You still get the equipment safety checks, and they are suppossed to inspect for the presence of emmission devices (EGR valve, CAT etc.), and the fuel tank fill restrictor, but I've yet to see someone actually do that if the scanner passes the car. They do not stick a probe in the tail pipe of OBDII cars, they only do that for 95's back to either 89, or 90's this year (back 25 years). Anything older than 25 years just gets the safety inspection (lights, ball joints, tires, wipers, horn etc.).

 

This is perfect, thank you!