We’ve said it on this website many times before, but one of the earliest and most important modifications you can make to your Jeep is installing a lift kit. It’s right there in our name, LiftedJeeps.com! Lifting your ride has a multitude of purposes, from enhancing your off-road capabilities to improving its overall aesthetics, but it’s also a rite of passage for many Jeep enthusiasts. But that doesn’t mean everybody in the country agrees with our lifestyle. In fact, there are some pretty ridiculous laws out there when it comes to lifting and modifying your vehicle. So, while lifting your Jeep isn’t necessarily illegal, today we’re going to highlight 10 of the most absurd state restrictions on Jeep modifications, so make sure to pay attention if you live in one of these states.
1 & 2. Massachusetts & Utah: Bring Your Calculator
Do you remember back in school thinking to yourself “when am I ever going to use this math in my real life?” Well, if you live in Massachusetts or Utah, you better know some basic math if you’d like to figure out whether or not your Jeep is legal. This state law gives you a convoluted formula that you must calculate to determine what that maximum lift for your vehicle is, then make sure your Jeep doesn’t surpass it to maintain its legality. So, what’s the equation? Maximum Lift = (Wheelbase x Wheel Track) ÷ 2200
3. North Carolina: Permission Slip for Big Lifts
Speaking of your school days, do you also recall having to convince your parents or guardians to sign a permission slip for you to go do something fun and exciting? Well, if you live in North Carolina, you might want to get ready to experience that all over again. Except this time, you’re going to need to seek out written approval from the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to lift your Jeep higher than six inches. It was probably a lot easier to get your mom to let you go bowling with the class than it’ll be to convince a bureaucrat to let you have a little more height under your Jeep than everybody else.
4. Minnesota: No Wooden Bumper Mods Allowed
If you live in Minnesota, you have to make sure that the bottom of your bumper is no more than 25 inches higher than the ground. Now, you might be thinking to yourself, “I’ll just tack something on that helps it conform to the legal height,” but think a little harder… because unfortunately the law doesn’t end there. You can certainly attach something to the bumper to make sure you’re under the legal height, but that attachment needs to meet SAE standards. And if it doesn’t? You’ll have to register your Jeep as a reconstructed vehicle, leading to additional costs, inspections and even a new VIN number.
5. Michigan: No Coil-Spring Spacers for You
The state of Michigan has a slew of ridiculous laws, but chief among them is an outright ban on coil-spring spacers. You just… you can’t use them, for some reason? Coil-spring spacers are one of the more affordable and common modifications Jeep enthusiasts can choose, which makes this a real bummer and a very confusing choice from Michigan lawmakers.
6. Maine: Two Tire Sizes and Done
Were you hoping to equip your Jeep with 35” mud-terrain tires to complete your custom build? Think again, because unfortunately for residents of Maine, 35” is far more than just two sizes larger than the manufacturer’s recommendation. This is just one of a few ridiculous laws in the state, but they really limit you to choosing only tires that are no more than two sizes larger.
7. New Jersey: High-Rise Drama
If you want to equip your Jeep with a big lift kit in New Jersey, don’t worry you can choose whatever height you want! However, choose wisely, because if the height you choose is more than four inches, you’re going to have to jump through some hoops. Any lift higher than that changes the classification of your Jeep to that of a “High Rise,” which means you’ll have to bring your vehicle over to a state facility to undergo a stability test. We appreciate their concern for your safety, but this certainly seems like some unnecessary over-regulation at its finest.
8. Mississippi: Total Lift Limit of 8 Inches
Down in Mississippi, your vehicle cannot exceed a total vehicle lift of eight inches — including your tires. While this isn’t the worst law in the country, it’s still a crushing rule for those residents dreaming of taking their rig even higher up.
9. Connecticut: 30 Inches, That’s It
Similarly to Minnesota, Connecticut put a restriction on the height at which your bumper can rest, this time being no more than 30 inches from the bottom of the bumper to the ground. While this is slightly better than the previous state, it’s accompanied by a limit of lifting the vehicle no more than four inches. This is incredibly stifling for hardcore off-roaders!
10. California: The 5-Inch Rule
That brings us to our final entry, looking at the famously strict state of California. The Golden State is notorious for its automotive industry restrictions, but this one is really something — especially considering all of the incredible off-roading you could be doing throughout the state. Unfortunately, the body floor of your vehicle cannot sit more than five inches above the frame.
