Complete Guide to Vehicle Modification Laws in Maine

Maine has specific statutes governing everything from ride height to window tint, and enforcement is tied directly to state motor vehicle code and inspection rules. The figures in this guide were verified against primary statute text (August 2026), so you can use it as a reliable starting point before making changes to your vehicle. Below, we break down each major modification category, what's allowed, what's restricted, and what will get you flagged at inspection.

Lowering

Status: Conditional

Maine allows lowering your vehicle, but there's a genuine floor on how low you can go. The state requires a minimum frame height of 10 inches, or the original height if the vehicle was built lower than that from the factory. Maine also applies GVWR-tiered maximum height rules alongside this minimum, meaning both extremes — too low and too high — are regulated. Check the full lowering laws page for details on how this interacts with maximum height tiers.

This is governed under 29-A M.R.S. § 1920.

Lift Kits

Status: Conditional

Lift kits are legal in Maine, but frame-end height is tightly regulated on both ends. The minimum frame-end height is 10 inches, and maximums scale with the vehicle's weight class:

• Up to 4,500 lb: 24 in front / 26 in rear
• 4,501–7,500 lb: 28 in front / 30 in rear
• 7,501–10,000 lb: 30 in front / 32 in rear
• 10,001–11,500 lb: 31 in front / 33 in rear
• 11,501–13,000 lb: 32 in front / 34 in rear

Body lift spacers are capped at 3 inches maximum. These limits are enforced at inspection under Motor Vehicle Inspection Rules § 170.1(10)(J), with the underlying statute at 29-A M.R.S. § 1920. Before installing a kit, check the lift kit laws page to make sure your build fits within your vehicle's weight tier.

Wheel & Tire Protrusion

Status: Legal

Maine imposes no tire-protrusion limit and no fender-coverage mandate for passenger cars. This gives enthusiasts more flexibility with wheel and tire setups than many other states. See the wheel and tire protrusion laws page for reference, though there's little restriction to worry about here. This falls under 29-A M.R.S. § 1953.

Underglow

Status: Conditional

Underglow is a common point of confusion, but Maine's rule is clear: it's prohibited on public roads. Under-vehicle lighting is limited to shows and exhibitions, and is allowed only while parked on private property — never while driving on a public way.

Additional restrictions apply to auxiliary lighting generally:

• Underglow lights cannot be red or blue
• Lights cannot flash or strobe
• Lights cannot be visible while driving on public roads
• Only white and amber colors are generally permitted for auxiliary lighting

This is codified under 29-A M.R.S. § 1909-B. If you're installing underglow for shows only, review the underglow laws page for the full picture.

Light Bars & LED Lighting

Status: Conditional

Maine doesn't require a cover for light bars, but it does require them to be off while driving on public roads if mounted higher than the center of your main headlights — a rule that effectively covers most roof-mounted and bumper-top light bars.

Fog lights are separately permitted: two front fog lights, amber or white, aimed so rays do not shine more than 2 feet above the road at 30 feet. No cover is required for any of these lights. This is governed by 29-A M.R.S. § 1909-A — see the light bar laws page for more.

Headlight & Taillight Tint

Status: Illegal

Smoked or tinted film on headlights and taillights is illegal in Maine. No film is permitted on either lighting component. Headlights must emit white light and taillights must show red, and any tint that dims or discolors that output violates the requirement.

Maine law specifically prohibits any covering, coating, or other material that reduces or alters the light output of headlights or taillights. This falls under 29-A M.R.S. §§ 1904 and 1905. Full details are on the headlight and taillight tint laws page.

License Plate Frames

Status: Conditional

Plate frames themselves are legal, but the plate — including all numbers, letters, words, and the state name — must remain plainly visible and legible at all times. Covers are banned if they obscure any part of the plate.

Specifically exempted/allowed: frames are permitted as long as they don't cover or obscure the license plate number, state name, or validation stickers/tags. This is under 29-A M.R.S. § 452 — see the license plate frame laws page.

Exhaust Noise

Status: Conditional

Maine sets a statutory safe harbor: an exhaust measuring 95 decibels or below, tested under the SAE J1169 standard, is compliant. This safe harbor applies to motor vehicles other than motorcycles.

Separately, exhaust cutouts and bypasses are banned. This is addressed under 29-A M.R.S. § 1912(6)(A), with cutouts covered by § 1912(2). Visit the exhaust noise laws page for more.

Window Banners

Status: Conditional

Sun-screening or tinting is allowed above the AS-1 line, or along a 5-inch strip at the top on windshields that have no AS-1 line. Because this material must be transparent, a printed or opaque banner is not legal in Maine — only a clear tint band is permitted in that zone.

This falls under 29-A M.R.S. § 1916. Check the window banner laws page before adding any windshield graphics.

Window Tint

Status: Conditional

Maine's tint law splits requirements by window position:

• Front side windows: minimum 35% VLT
• Rear side windows: any darkness allowed
• Back window: any darkness allowed

This is governed under 29-A M.R.S. § 1916 — the same statute covering window banners. See the window tint laws page for the complete rules.

Aftermarket Exhaust

Status: Conditional

Replacing your exhaust system is legal in Maine, but a muffler in good working order is required, and cutouts or bypasses are prohibited. There's no statutory "no louder than stock" rule; instead, the standard is that the exhaust must not produce excessive or unusual noise.

Key points:

• Exhaust systems must not exceed noise levels considered unreasonable or disturbing
• Mufflers must be in good working order and cannot be modified to amplify noise
• Catalytic converters are required on vehicles originally equipped with them, and removal is prohibited under federal law

This is covered under 29-A M.R.S. § 1912. Full details are on the aftermarket exhaust laws page.

Every modification above links to its full law page with exact limits, statute citations, and exceptions — or browse every Maine mod law in one place, free.

Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only. Data is AI-extracted from public statutes and may contain errors. Always verify with local authorities.