State Laws Regarding Common Car Modifications

To suit their lifestyle and passion, most car owners match their vehicle’s appearance to their personality. However, the modifications don’t just end with its appearance. There are car owners who alter many of the features of their car and take it to new heights. Sometimes they even add new features to it to make it look very contemporary and “cool”.

After-Market car modifications started gaining popularity when shows that feature companies that do car customization hit mainstream media. People started showing interest and made car modification a hobby. After-market parts means that the manufacturer of the car parts added to the vehicle is different from that of the actual car. Common after-market parts include air intake kits, car graphics kits, and chrome rims.

However, despite being in style, after-market car modifications may not be compatible with state laws. After-market parts are legal, but installing it to an automobile, especially one that is not from the same manufacturer, may violate laws and nullify the car’s warranty. States issue their own regulation since there are no federal government laws that exist regarding car modification.

What are some of the car modifications that may be unlawful on states?

Window Tinting

Almost every state has a different law regarding tinted window. Typically, the tint for the car’s driver side for those living in Midwest and East Coast should only range from 50 to 70 percent, which means a very light tint. Southern states could go less than 30 percent.

Exhaust

The legal decibel level of exhaust is at the maximum of 90db measured 5m from an exhaust that is at a 45 degree angle on deceleration from a particular RPM, and must comply with emissions standards. In Massachusetts, using exhaust-system to increase the car’s sound output is illegal. In most states, the police often judge whether the exhaust is louder compared to an ordinary model of the car.

Lighting

Some cars add lights underneath the car, but many states have regulated the allowable brightness or color of the modified light. Under body neon or LED lights are still legal since there are no particular laws regarding it. The lighting shouldn’t obstruct the front and rear headlights. Flashing lights, except indicators, are not allowed unless the vehicle is an emergency car or a car in hazardous condition. Blue lights are acceptable but not on emergency vehicles.

White lights should only be in front while the rear should only have red. Purple is used by the Department of Transport and therefore prohibited, while yellow should only be used as clearance markers.



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