One thing you
should be aware of: All states that base their laws on headlights
and taillights take their measurements from the center of the lamp
to the terra firma.
Alabama
There aren't codes
dealing specifically with the suspension components; rather, you'll
have to base your modifications on the reflectors. They can't be
more than 60 inches above the ground.
Alaska
Alaska is another
state that bases its laws on lights, and in this case it's the
distance from the headlights and taillights to the ground, which is
54 inches max and 24 minimum front and rear. One note: This state
requires mudflaps.
Arizona
It's all about
mudflaps. The rear fender's splashguards can't be more than 8
inches from the ground and must be wide enough, of course, to
actually cover the full tread of the tires. However, 1/4-ton or
lighter pickups are exempt, unless you've increased the OE bumper
height. So, in other words, lift it, and you're stuck following the
mudflap rules. Leave your pickup stock, and you can skip the
flaps. Also keep in mind that empty or loaded, your truck can't be
taller than 13 feet 6 inches.
Arkansas
There's no law
governing suspension upgrades, but there is a statute that restricts
the height of headlights. They can't be lower than 24 inches or
higher than 54 inches from the ground. However, the overall height
restriction is 13 feet 6 inches without permit, thereby limiting all
those dreams you just had.
California
What you can do is
dependent on the GVWR. If your truck's is 4,500 pounds, the maximum
frame height is
27 inches. If the
GVWR is 4,501 to 7,500 pounds, it's 30 inches, and for 7,501 - to
10,000-pounders, it's
31 inches. Also
keep in mind that the lowest portion of the body floor can't be more
than 5 inches above the top of the frame.
Colorado
No altering from
the OE design is allowed. Psych!! It's not allowed unless you
follow the rules: Headlights can't be more than 44 inches high,
while taillights reach their legal limit at 72 inches.
Connecticut
Modifying the
factory bumper height is OK, as long as you keep it at 30 inches
from the ground, or lift the vehicle no more than 4 inches.
Delaware
Short and sweet,
without legal-eagle mumbo-jumbo: Don't let more than 30 inches get
between the ground and the bottom of the bumper.
District of
Columbia
The headlamps on
every motor vehicle (and that means your motorcycle too if you've
got one) must stay below 54 inches, and taillamps must not be higher
than 72 inches. The low for the front is 24, and for the rear 15.
But we would hope you'd be altering your truck in the other
direction.
Florida
If your truck's net
weight is less than 2,000 pounds, the max bumper height is 24 inches
front and 26 inches rear. If it's more 2,000 but less than 3,000,
it's 27 front and 29 rear. And if it hits the scales between 3,000
and 5,000 pounds, it's 28 and 30 inches.
Georgia
If you modify the
OE bumper more than 2 inches above (or below, for that matter) the
manufacturer's spec, don't be surprised if you're cited.
Hawaii
Hawaii also
determines what's OK based on the GVWR. If your truck is 4,500
pounds or less, the front and rear bumpers' maximum height is 29
inches. If you're looking at 4,501 to 7,500 pounds, it's 33 inches
for both. And 7,501 to 10,000 pounds? Don't make it higher than 35
inches at either end. Also be aware that the allowable distance
between the body and the frame rail tops off at 3 inches.
Idaho
Lift laws here
depend on the GVWR. 4,500 pounds or less, the front bumper can be up
to 24 inches and the rear 26 inches. For 4,501 to 7,500 pounds,
it's 27 inches in front and 29 out back, and for 7,501 to 10,000
pounds, it's 28 and 30 inches. Interestingly enough, 4x4s and
dual-wheel trucks with a 10,000-pound or lighter GVWR can have
30inch-tall bumpers up front and 31 in back.
Illinois
You can't lift the
body from the chassis more than 3 inches. In terms of bumper
height, a 4,500-pound GVWR or less and your front bumper can't go
higher than 24 inches, and the rear must be no more than 26 inches.
GVWRs between 4,501 and 7,500 mean 27 inches at the front and 29 at
the rear. Finally, if your truck is between 7,501 and 9,000, the
allowable altering is 28 and 30 inches.
Indiana
Simply put, that
bumper needs to stay within 3 inches of the factory height. Keep
those headlights at 54 inches while you're at it.
Iowa
We've been told
that Iowa has repealed requirements concerning lifted 4x4s. For
now, that means the general height, weight, and width requirements
that apply to all other vehicles in the state apply to your
four-by. Translation: The height cannot exceed 13 feet 6 inches,
and the width can't go beyond 8 feet.
Kansas
There aren't laws
specifically about the suspension, but rather about headlight,
taillamp, and reflectors. Headlights should be no higher than 54
inches (no lower than 24 inches), and the taillamps can't reach
higher than 72 inches (or below 15). Reflectors must be present
front and rear (out back they can be incorporated into the light or
stand alone) and can't be higher than 60 inches or lower than 15.
Kentucky
Currently, there
are no restrictions in terms of bumper height. The Kentucky General
Assembly has addressed the issue before but, lo and behold, no one
could agree on anything. Just keep it at what most mortals would
call safe.
Louisiana
It's a headlight
state. No matter what kind of motor vehicle you drive, the lights
can't be higher than 54 inches. Alter the suspension however you
deem fit, as long as the lights are up to code. FYI, foglights
can't be higher than 30 inches from the ground.
Maine
Headlights: Don't
even think about going higher than 54 inches. However, keep in mind
that the original suspension cannot be "disconnected", but don't let
that stop you from bolting on heavy-duty shocks and overload
springs. Other need-to-knows: Don't remove or disconnect the ABS,
and the tires can be only two sizes larger than the manufacturer's
recommendation. Spring-shackle extensions are also a no-no.
Maryland
No trucks or
multipurpose vehicles with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less can be
taller than 28 inches. A truck beyond 10,000 pounds-but not more
than 18,000 pounds-can go beyond 30 inches (you Excursion owners
just made it into that first grouping under the wire). Lift more
than those 30, and you'll be ticketed and/or given a Safety
Equipment Repair Order (SERO) to fix the violation.
Massachusetts
Get out your
calculator: The maximum allowable mechanical lift (as well as what's
acceptable in terms of bigger rubber) can be determined by this
formula:
Maximum Lift =
Wheelbase x Wheel Track
2200
For example, if you
did that formula and came up with 2 inches, then a 2-inch lift and a
2-inch increase in tire size is allowable, equaling a total lift of
4 inches over stock.
Michigan
Lift blocks between
the front axle and springs, or lift blocks that exceed 4 inches in
height between the rear axle and springs, are not allowed. Shackle
replacements cannot exceed the OE length by more than 2 inches, and
ixnay on the coil-spring spacers. In terms of acceptable height,
less than 4,501 GVWR, and your frame height cannot exceed 24 inches,
and the bumper height can't go beyond 26 inches. For GVWRs between
4,501 and 7,500, those numbers are 24 and 28 inches. For 7,501- to
10,000-pound vehicles, keep the height at 26 and 30 inches.
Minnesota
The maximum legal
height for bumpers is 25 inches from the bottom of the bumper to the
ground. If you attach something to the bumper to make it conform to
the legal height, it must be just as strong as the factory bumper or
meet SAE standards. Simply bolting on pieces of wood or metal isn't
gonna cut it, folks. If you slap on a lift kit, you might actually
be required to register your truck as a "reconstructed" vehicle, and
that would mean you'll have to pay an additional road-use tax and
need an inspection where a new VIN would be applied.
Mississippi
No vehicle can be
modified in any way that will put it over the state's 8-inch
total-lift limit, and the maximum suspension lift front and rear is
6 inches (so make sure your big tires won't be over the limit if you
raise the suspension that much).
Missouri
Here's another
state that uses the GVWR as the bumper-height guideline. For
vehicles 4,500 pounds and under, the front bumper can't be taller
than 24 inches and the rear must see no more than 26 inches. For
4,501 to 7,500 pounds, it's 27 inches front and 29 rear, and for
7,501 to 9,000 pounds, it's 28 and 30 inches.
Montana
.
No laws here, but
your truck will need to meet the lighting requirement, which is that
headlights are no higher than 72 inches or lower than 15 inches.
Nebraska
There aren't any
specific laws concerning lift kits, but mudflaps get all the
attention. They must block the entire width of the tires.
Nevada
We'll cut to the
chase: The bumper height, be it front or rear, cannot go beyond 24
inches.
New Hampshire
No vehicle's height
(and we're talking loaded too) may be taller than 13 feet 6 inches.
Don't change the height or alter the bumper in any way that would
make it farther than 20 inches from the ground.
New Jersey
You can raise the
suspension only 4 inches above stock height. Go any higher and your
truck becomes classified as a "High Rise" and it must undergo a
stability.test at a state facility.
New Mexico
The restrictions
this state has are that headlamps can't be higher than 54 inches,
and taillamps can't be higher than 72 inches. However, it's
no-holds-barred on the type of Iift used.
New York
AII 1990-and-newer
commercial vehicles and trucks can't go crazy and get that bumper
above 24 inches from the ground. Also keep in mind that headlights
must not be more than 54 inches above the cement, and taillights
can't be higher than 72 inches. Turn-signal lights can't exceed 83
inches.
North
Carolina
Don't even think
about going higher than 6 inches from the factory height-unless, of
course, you get a written OK from the Commissioner of Motor
Vehicles. You don't need a permission slip if yours is a
multipurpose ride atop a truck chassis that sees some dirt.
North Dakota
A height of 14
feet, loaded or unloaded, is the limit. Keep in mind that if your
tires poke out from the body, you're best advised to stick on fender
flares to keep the police at bay.
Ohio
This state keeps an
eye on the GVWR for bumper height. For 4,500 pounds and under, 24
inches is the max at the front, 26 at the rear, and 4,501 to 7,500
is 27 to 29. For 7,501 to 10,000, it's 28 and 31 inches. If the
body or truck-bed height is altered, the difference in height
between the body floor and/or the bed floor to the top of the
framerail can be no more than 4 inches.
Oklahoma
Before you pick out
that lift kit, keep in mind that headlights can be no more than 54
inches from the ground, and the taillights' can't exceed 72 inches.
Oregon
Oregon doesn't have
a maximum bumper-height law, but headlights can be only 54 inches
from the center of the headlight to the asphalt. Also, the maximum
height of a vehicle, with anything on top or loaded, is 14 feet.
Pennsylvania
Be aware that
increasing the wheel track by using spacers or similar doodads
thicker than 1/4 inch is a very bad move. On medium and heavy-duty
trucks, the rear bumper must be within 30 inches of the ground when
the truck is unloaded.
Rhode Island
For all vehicles
with a 10,000-pound GVWR or less, you can raise the chassis or body
no more than 4 inches from the OE height.
South
Carolina
You can't modify
either up or down by more than 6 inches from the original height.
South Dakota
There aren't
regulations for the suspension, per se, but the taillights can be no
higher than 72 inches.
Tennessee
There can be no
more than 4 inches between the body floor and the top of the frame.
The distance between the bumper and the ground is 24 inches for
GVWRs of 4.500 and less; 26 inches for 4,501 to 7,500; and 28 inches
for 7,501 to 10,000.
Texas
Laws concern
lighting but not bumper height or even lift blocks. The headlamps
must be mounted between 24 and 54 inches from the ground, the
taillamps between 15 and 72, and the foglamps between 12 and 30.
Utah
After being told
it's a "mathematical nightmare" to figure out by one local trooper,
we got the scoop from another trooper: If your vehicle's wheelbase
is 100 inches or less, the most you can lift can be determined by:
Maximum Lift =
Wheelbase x
Wheel Track
2200
For 4x4 wheelbases
beyond 100 inches, you can lift a total of 8 inches, butyou'll have
to remember your new tires do that equation (so if you lift
4-inches, you can go up in tire size that much too).
Vermont
For trucks and
multipurpose vehicles, the allowable bumper-height increase for
front bumpers and rear bumpers depends on the GVWR. For 4,500
pounds and under, it's 24 inches front and 26 inches rear. For
4,501 to 7,500, it's 27 and 29, and for 7,501 to 10,000, it's 28 and
31.
Virginia
Don't even think
about driving on these highways if there are more than 28 inches
between the bumpers and the road if your truck falls in the
4,500-pound GVWR rating. For 4,501 to 7,500 pounds, the front
bumper must stay lower than 29 inches and the rear 30 inches; for
7,501 and 15,000 pounds, it's 30 at the front and 31 at the rear.
Washington
You can lift your
truck in Washington without fear, as long as the kit is manufactured
by an aftermarket company and is designed for your make and model of
truck, as well as installed the right way. You know this already,
right? Right?! Body lifts can't use more than a 3-inch spacer and
are not allowed to raise the body more than 4 inches above the frame
after all the components are installed.
West Virginia
The most space you
can have between the body and the frame is 3 inches, while the
acceptable gap between the bumpers and the ground is 31 inches for a
10,000-pound GVWR or less. More weight than that, you're free and
clear.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin law says
that vehicles with up to an 8,000-pound GVWR can be pushed 5 inches
above the OE height, and the tires can be increased by up to 4
inches in radius over the factory size, equaling an acceptable
9-inch lift.
Wyoming
There are no
official statutory guidelines for bumper height, frame height, rear
blocks, or shackle lifts-all laws referring to these alterations say
vehicles must simply be in "safe" working condition.