Vehicle Mod Laws in Ohio

Replacing the exhaust system is legal in Ohio, 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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Ohio 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 Ohio. 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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The plate must be displayed in plain view and may not be covered by any material that obstructs its visibility. Frames are not mentioned and are lawful if non-obstructing.

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Ohio caps bumper heights at 22 inches for passenger cars and 24–31 inches for other vehicles by weight class.

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Ohio requires no cover, and its cap is five lamps rather than the four most states use — where a vehicle has auxiliary or spot lamps, or any front lamp over 300 candlepower, no more than five may be lit at one time on a highway.

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Ohio does restrict lowering: the body or chassis may not contact the ground, the fuel tank may not be exposed to collision damage, and the wheels may not rub the body.

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Underglow is legal in Ohio, including while driving, subject to color and flashing limits: No flashing, rotating, or oscillating lights, and auxiliary lamps are capped at 300 candlepower with aiming limits.

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Ohio has no fender-coverage or protrusion rule for passenger cars.

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Material along the top of the windshield is unregulated as long as it does not extend below the AS-1 line or 5 inches from the top, whichever is closer to the top. A printed banner can be legal in Ohio if it stays within the strip described above.

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Front side windows: minimum 50% VLT. Rear side and back windows: any darkness.

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