Vehicle Mod Laws in Maine

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

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Maine treats an exhaust at or below 95 decibels, measured under SAE J1169, as compliant — a statutory safe harbor for vehicles other than motorcycles. Cutouts and bypasses are banned separately.

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Smoked or tinted film on headlights and taillights is illegal in Maine. Headlights must emit white light and taillights must show red at the required visibility distance, and tint that dims or discolors them violates those requirements.

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License plate frames are legal in Maine as long as nothing required stays hidden. The plate — including its numbers, letters, and words — must be plainly visible and legible at all times, which protects the state name too.

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Maine sets both a floor and a ceiling on frame-end height: a minimum of 10 inches, and weight-tiered maximums from 24 inches front and 26 rear up to 32 and 34 inches on the heaviest class.

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Maine requires no cover, but it does require lights off: any light mounted higher than the center of the main headlights may not be illuminated while operating on a public way — which covers most roof and bumper-top bars. Two front fog lights, amber or white, are permitted.

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Maine sets a genuine 10-inch minimum frame height (or the original height if the vehicle was built lower), alongside GVWR-tiered maximums.

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Underglow may not be used on public roads in Maine. Under-vehicle lighting may not be used on any public way — it is limited to shows and exhibitions. Auxiliary lights otherwise must be steady-burning, white or amber to the front, amber to the side, and amber or red to the rear.

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Maine has no tire-protrusion limit or fender-coverage mandate for passenger cars.

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

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Front side windows: minimum 35% VLT. Rear side and back windows: any darkness.

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