Vehicle Mod Laws in North Dakota

Replacing the exhaust system is legal in North Dakota, 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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North Dakota sets no statewide decibel limit for passenger cars. A muffler in good working order is required, exhaust may not produce excessive or unusual noise, and cutouts or bypasses are prohibited.

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Smoked or tinted film on headlights and taillights is illegal in North Dakota. 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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Frames are legal if nothing is obscured. Each plate must be mounted so it clearly displays both the assigned number and the state name, and the annual tab must be displayed.

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North Dakota caps body height at 42 inches measured from level ground to the cargo-area floor, and bumper height at 27 inches measured to the highest point on the bottom of the bumper.

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North Dakota requires no cover but bars lighting any auxiliary driving lamp mounted below 16 or above 42 inches while on a highway — which covers most roof-mounted bars.

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North Dakota has no statute limiting how low a vehicle may be. General equipment rules — headlamp height, working lighting, nothing dragging on the road — still apply.

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Underglow is legal in North Dakota, including while driving, subject to color and flashing limits: No red or green visible from the front and no flashing.

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North Dakota has no fender requirement for stock vehicles, but constructed, reconstructed, or modified vehicles must have fenders covering the entire tire tread width from 15 degrees forward to 75 degrees rearward of the wheel centerline, and the tire may never contact the body, fender, or chassis.

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No sign, poster, or non-transparent material may obstruct the driver's clear view, and windshield material must pass at least 70% light — except that non-reflective sunscreening above the AS-1 line or within the top 5 inches is exempt. Because the material must be transparent, a printed or opaque banner is not legal in North Dakota — 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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