Complete Guide to Vehicle Modification Laws in Nebraska
Nebraska's vehicle code covers everything from how low you can lower your truck to how dark you can tint your windows. Whether you're building an off-road rig, swapping in an aftermarket exhaust, or just want to add some underglow, it pays to know exactly what the statutes allow before you start wrenching. The figures in this guide were verified against primary statute text (August 2026), so you can treat the numbers below as accurate to the current law. Let's break it down category by category.
Light Bars & LED Lighting
Status: Conditional
Nebraska allows auxiliary driving lights, but there are specific placement and aiming rules to follow. You may run a maximum of 2 auxiliary driving lights, and they must be mounted 12-42 in off the ground. Aiming matters too: non-exempt devices over 25 candlepower must be aimed so that no beam strikes the road beyond 50 ft. No cover is required over these lights. Because the aiming standard is unusually strict compared to other states, make sure your light bar is properly adjusted before hitting the road.
Check the full light bars & LED lighting laws for exact placement and aiming requirements. This rule falls under Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 60-6,225, 60-6,219.
Lift Kits
Status: Legal
Good news for the truck and off-road crowd: Nebraska has no statewide lift, frame-height, or bumper-height limit. You can lift your vehicle as high as you like, so long as you stay under the overall vehicle height cap of 14 feet 6 inches. Keep in mind that general equipment rules — like headlamp height and working lighting — still apply once your lift is installed.
See the lift kit laws for the full text, governed by Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,289.
Exhaust Noise
Status: Conditional
Nebraska does not set a statewide decibel limit for passenger cars. Instead, the law requires a muffler in good working order, prohibits excessive or unusual noise, and bans cutouts or bypasses entirely. Since there's no numeric decibel cap, enforcement comes down to whether your setup sounds "excessive or unusual" to an officer.
More detail is available on the exhaust noise laws page. This falls under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,286.
Underglow
Status: Conditional
Underglow lighting is legal in Nebraska, and it's even allowed while driving — but only within strict color and behavior limits. There must be no flashing or rotating, no red or green visible from the front, and the rear light is limited to red, yellow, or amber. Practically speaking, the exceptions note that red or blue underglow is off-limits since those colors are reserved for emergency vehicles, flashing or oscillating underglow is prohibited, and these lights shouldn't be visible while the vehicle is in motion on public roads.
Full details are on the underglow laws page, under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,230.
Headlight & Taillight Tint
Status: Illegal
Smoked or tinted film over your headlights and taillights is illegal in Nebraska. Film is not permitted on these lights at all — headlights must emit white light and taillights must show red at the required visibility distance. The exceptions note that no coating, covering, or other material may impair the required light output or change the color of light emitted from headlights.
Learn more on the headlight & taillight tint laws page. This is enforced under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,219, with penalties under § 60-6,222.
License Plate Frames
Status: Conditional
License plate frames are allowed in Nebraska as long as they don't obscure anything. All letters, numbers, printing, writing, and other identification marks on the plate must remain clear, distinct, and plainly visible. The statute doesn't affirmatively permit plate covers — it forbids modifying the plate's design, color, or appearance while displayed. The exceptions clarify that frames and covers are fine provided they don't obscure any portion of the plate numbers, letters, or validation stickers.
Check the license plate frame laws page for specifics, under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-399.
Window Tint
Status: Conditional
Nebraska's tint law sets a minimum of 35% VLT for front side windows, and a minimum of 20% VLT for both rear side windows and the back window.
For SUVs, trucks, and vans, the front side windows must still meet the 35% VLT minimum, but MPV, van, and bus windows behind the driver are exempt from the rear-window minimums.
Full percentages and rules are on the window tint laws page, under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,257.
Lowering
Status: Legal
If you're chasing a slammed look, Nebraska has no statute limiting how low a vehicle may be dropped. That said, general equipment rules still apply — proper headlamp height, working lighting, and nothing dragging on the road are all still required regardless of ride height.
See the lowering laws page for more.
Aftermarket Exhaust
Status: Conditional
Swapping your exhaust system is legal in Nebraska. A muffler in good working order is required, and cutouts or bypasses are prohibited. There is no statutory "no louder than stock" rule — instead, the standard is that the exhaust must not produce excessive or unusual noise. Note also that removing a catalytic converter remains prohibited under federal law.
More on the aftermarket exhaust laws page, under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,286.
Window Banners
Status: Conditional
Nebraska treats window banners as a form of sunscreening, and the rules are strict. Sunscreening must be clear and transparent below the AS-1 line, and it may not be red, yellow, or amber above it. Nebraska defines the AS-1 line as the AS-1 mark or a line 5 inches below the top, whichever is closer to the top. Because the material must be transparent, a printed or opaque banner is not legal in Nebraska — only a clear tint band is allowed, and a windshield strip is permitted under these terms.
Full details on the window banner laws page, under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,257.
Wheel & Tire Protrusion
Status: Conditional
Nebraska requires fenders, covers, flaps, or splash aprons that minimize rear spray on vehicles purchased after January 1, 1956, unless the body itself already accomplishes this. There is no numeric protrusion limit written into the statute, so the focus is entirely on spray control rather than how far your wheels or tires stick out.
See the wheel & tire protrusion laws page, under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,283.
Every modification above links to its full law page with exact limits, statute citations, and exceptions — or browse every Nebraska mod law in one place, free.
This guide is for informational purposes only. Data is AI-extracted from public statutes and may contain errors. Always verify with local authorities.