U.S. Lift Laws

Listed in alphabetical order by state
Information gathered 11/2000.

Check with state and local laws before performing modifications to your vehicle.

ALABAMA
The centerline of the headlights must be no lower than 24" and no higher than 54".  The reflectors can not be above 60 inches above the ground...

ALASKA
Alaska also bases its laws on lights... They must be no more than 54 inches off the ground and no less then 24 inches from the ground... Mudflaps are also required...

ARIZONA
More mudflaps... The rear fenders mudflaps/splashguards must be within  8 inches of the ground or less and cover the entire tread of the tire... 3/4 ton and lighter trucks are exempt unless you have altered the bumper  height... Your truck also can not be taller than 13 feet 6 inches at no time, loaded or unloaded...

ARKANSAS
No susp. laws but light laws... No lower than 24 inches and no higher than 54  inches... Your truck also has a total height loaded or unloaded of 13 feet 6 inches law...

CALIFORNIA
Your limitation depends on GVWR... 4500lbs or less carries a 27 inch maximum  frame height, 4501-7500lbs carries a 30 inch maximum frame height, and 7501-10,000 is limited to 31 inches at the frame... Also the lowest part of the body can not be but 5 inches above the top of the frame...

COLORADO
Headlights can not be above 44 inches while tail lights can not exceed 72 inches...

CONNECTICUT
Bumper height has to remain below 30 inches or lift remain 4 inches or less...

DELAWARE
30 inches between your bumper and the ground or less...

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Headlights must stay below 54 inches and tail lights below 72 inches... They must  be above 24 inches front and 15 inches rear...

FLORIDA
If your trucks net weight is under 2000 lbs. max. bumper height is limited to 24  inches front, 26 inches rear... If your truck weighs more than 2000lbs. but less  than 3000lbs. it's 27in. front, 29in. rear... If it's between 3000lbs. and 5000lbs.
it's 28in. front and 30in. rear...

GEORGIA
Stock bumper height has to stay within 2 inches from stock in either direction...

HAWAII
If your truck weighs 4500lbs or less front and/or rear bumper height is limited to  29 inches... If yours weighs 4501-7500lbs. then its 33 inches max. for both... If yours weighs 7501-10,000lbs. your limited to 35 inches from the ground... The maximum allowable distance between the body and framerail is limited to 3 inches...

IDAHO
4500 lbs. or less is limited to 24in. front and 26in. rear bumper height... 4501-7500lbs  is limited to 27in. front and 29in. rear... 7501-10,000lbs is limited to 28in. front and 30in. rear... An interesting point is that 4x4s and dualies 10,000lbs and lighter can have 30in. front bumpers and 31in. bumpers in the rear...

ILLINOIS
A 3in. body-lift is the maximum... As for bumpers, 4500lb. or less will get you 24in front  and 26in. rear... 4501-7500lbs. will get you 27in. front and 29in. rear... 7501-9,000lbs. will let you go 28in. front and 30in. rear...

INDIANA
IC 9-19-4
Chapter 4. Bumpers

IC 9-19-4-1
Sec. 1. When operated upon a highway, a motor vehicle registered as a passenger car that was originally equipped with bumpers as standard equipment must be so equipped. The bumper height may not vary more than three (3) inches from the original manufactured bumper height for the vehicle. As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.7.

IC 9-19-4-2
Sec. 2. When operated upon a highway, a motor vehicle registered as a truck with a declared gross weight of not more than eleven thousand (11,000) pounds must be equipped with bumpers of substantial construction on the extreme front and the extreme rear of the vehicle. The height of the front and rear bumpers may not exceed thirty (30) inches when measured from level pavement to the bottom of the bumper. As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.7.

IOWA
13 feet 6 inches total loaded or unloaded height maximum... Width can not be over 8  feet wide...

KANSAS
Headlights must be no more than 54in. high and no less than 24in. high... Tail lamps  must be under 72in. but above 15in... Reflectors must be present front and rear, they can be incorporated into the lights but can not be higher than 60in. or lower than 15in...

KENTUCKY
No bumper laws... Just keep it safe...

LOUISIANA
Headlight can't be above 54 inches... Also fog lights can not be above 30 inches...

MAINE
Headlights can not be above 54 inches... Stock suspension can not be disconnected but  shocks and overload springs are permitted... Don't disconnect the ABS either... Tires can only be two sizes bigger than stock... Shackle lifts are also not allowed...

MARYLAND
10,000lbs or less bumpers are required to be 28in. or less... 10,001-18,000 is limited to only 30 inches...

MASSACHUSETTS
Maximum lift including tires can be figured out by using this formula... Wheelbase  multiplied Wheel Track, divided by 2200...

MICHIGAN
Front lift blocks are not allowed... Rear lift blocks are not allowed taller than 4 inches... Shackle lifts can anly be 2 inches longer than stock...

4500lbs and less need the frame height to be 24 inches or less and the bumper height to be 26in. or less...

4501-7500lbs has the same frame height as 4500lbs or less but raises the bumper height to 28 inches...
7501-10,000 will limit you to 26 inches at the frame and 30 inches at the bumpers...

MINNESOTA
Maximum bumper height from the ground to the bottom of the bumper is 25 inches... If you fabricate something in place or connected to the stock bumper it must be strong or stronger than the stock bumper... You may also need to apply for a "reconstructed vehicle" inspection where a new VIN number will be issued if you go too far with the lift...

MISSISSIPPI
8 inch total lift is the law... Maximum susp. lift is set at 6 inches for the front... 

MISSOURI
4500lbs. or less front bumper must be 24 inches or less while the rear is limited to 26 inches... 4501-7500lbs. will get you 27 inches front and 29 inches rear... 7501-9,000lbs. will limit you  to 28 inches front and 30 rear...

MONTANA
Headlights can be no taller than 72 inches or no lower than 15 inches...Montana requires mudflaps if the rear bumper of you vehicle is over 20" from the ground. The mudflap must cover the entire width of the tire and extent down to at least 20" from the ground.

This means if the bottom of you bumper is 21" from the ground, you only need a 1" mudflap to get it down to 20".

NEBRASKA
No specific laws but mudflaps get attention, they must cover the entire tread of the tire...

NEVADA
Bumper height is limited to 24 inches front and rear...

NEW HAMPSHIRE
No vehicle height may be above 13 feet 6 inches... Bumpers are limited to 20 inches from  the ground...

NEW JERSEY
Susp. lifts are limited to 4 inches... Any higher and your truck becomes classified as "High Rise" and will require a stability test at a state facility...

NEW MEXICO
Headlamps can not be higher than 54 inches and tail lamps can be no higher than 72 inches  from the ground...

NEW YORK
90 and newer commercial vehicles and trucks are limited to a 24 inch bumper height maximum... Headlights are limited to 54 inches front and tail lights limited to 72 inches from the ground... Turn signals are also limited to 83 inches...

NORTH CAROLINA
6 inches from the factory unless you get a written consent from the commissioner of motor vehicles... However you do not need one if your truck is a multipurpose vehicle that is on a truck frame and sees some dirt...

NORTH DAKOTA
Total height can not exceed 14 feet tall... Fender flares to cover the wider tires are also required...

OHIO
4500lbs. or less restricts bumper height to 24 inches front, 26 inches rear... 4501-7500lbs limits you to 27 front and 29 rear... 7501-10,000lbs. gets you 28 front and 31 rear...Body-lifts are limited to 4 inches from stock...

OKLAHOMA
Headlights are limited to 54 inches and tail lights to 72 inches from the ground...

OREGON
Headlights are restricted to 54 inches, measured from the center of the light to the ground...Maximum height is limited to 14 feet including anything mounted on top...
 

PENNSYLVANIA
Wheel spacers wider than 1/4 inch are not permitted... Rear bumper height is limited to 30 inches on medium and heavy duty trucks...

RHODE ISLAND
10,000lbs. or less is limited to 4 inches total lift...

SOUTH CAROLINA
6 inches up or down is the limit...

SOUTH DAKOTA
Tail lights must be 72 inches or lower...

TENNESSEE
4 inch body- lift maximum... 4500lbs. or less gets you 24 inches of bumper height... 4501-7500lbs equals 26 inches and 7501-10,000lbs. will let you get 28 inches...

TEXAS
Headlights must be between 24 and 54 inches from the ground... Tail lights must be between 15 and 72 inches... Fog lights must be 12 to 30 inches...

UTAH
Get out your calculator... If your vehicle is 100 inches or less use the following formula to  find your limit... Wheelbase divided by Wheel track multiplide by 2200... Anything over 100 inches you can lift it a total of 8 inches...

VERMONT
4500 or less requires your front bumper to be 24 inches or less and your rear to be 26in. or  less... 4501-7500 will get you 27 front and 29 rear... 7501-10,000 allows you 28 inches and 31 inches...

VIRGINIA
4500 and less strictly requires 28 inches or less on both bumpers... 4501-7500 allows 29 inches front and 30 inches rear... 7501-15,000 is limited to 30 inches front and 31 inches at the rear...but there are differing rules for trucks (having a separate bed) and those attached such as Blazers, Jeeps, Broncos and other station wagons...

WASHINGTON
You can lift your truck as long as it is with a manufactured kit from the aftermarket and is installed properly... Body-lifts are to be 3 inch or less..

WEST VIRGINIA
Body-lifts are required to be 3in. or less... 10,000lbs. or less and the bumpers are to be 31 inches or less from the ground...

WISCONSIN
8000lbs. or less and you can raise your vehicle 5 inches... Tires can be increased 4 inches in radius from factory sizes... 9 inches total lift added together...

WYOMING
As long as your rig is safe its legal...

It's best to know the laws in your state as well as those you plan to travel in... I have found out that most of the cops pulling 4x4 vehicles over in most states do not know their own exact laws... They tend to just abuse your ego a bit, and then let you go with a warning because of this fact... With this in mind, check the laws, know your information, then when pulled over  kindly inform them of the exact law after he has said his words of wisdom (just before departing) This may prevent him from pulling over the next 4x4 after you...

Last Modified: 7-13-05 JCH