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Virginia Ride Height & Lift Laws (2026)

Info: Virginia caps bumper height at 14-22 in on cars, and up to 28-31 in on trucks by weight class.

InfoVerified Jun 19, 2026

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Virginia caps bumper height at 14-22 in on cars, and up to 28-31 in on trucks by weight class. The body can be raised no more than 3 in, and the front bumper can't sit 4 in or more above the rear (Virginia's "squatted truck" ban). (Va. Code 46.2-1063.)

Official source: law.lis.virginia.gov →

General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.

Ride Height & Lift in states bordering Virginia

The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.

District of ColumbiaInfo
No bumper/frame ride-height or lift limit; rule only requires front/rear bumpers be installed — DCMR Title 18 §733 (Bumpers and Fenders).
Verified Jun 19, 2026 · Source: dcrules.elaws.us · Full District of Columbia rule →
KentuckyInfo
No Kentucky statute sets a bumper-height or suspension-lift limit. The general size limit applies: a truck, trailer, manufactured home or vehicle may not exceed 11 1/2 feet in height or 96 inches in width, including any part of the body or load, on highways other than those the secretary of transportation designates for larger dimensions under KRS 189.222. (KRS 189.221(1).)
Verified Jul 28, 2026 · Source: apps.legislature.ky.gov · Full Kentucky rule →
MarylandInfo
At Maryland safety inspection, bumper height can't exceed 20 in on a passenger car or 28 in on a light truck or multipurpose vehicle, and you can't add bumper extensions to pass after a lift. (COMAR 11.14.02.07.)
Verified Jun 19, 2026 · Source: regs.maryland.gov · Full Maryland rule →
North CarolinaInfo
North Carolina bans the "Carolina Squat": you can't alter the suspension, frame, or chassis so the front fender sits 4 in or more above the rear. (N.C. Gen. Stat. 20-135.4(d).)
Verified Jun 19, 2026 · Source: ncleg.gov · Full North Carolina rule →
TennesseeInfo
Tennessee limits how high a modified vehicle may sit: a passenger vehicle other than a four-wheel-drive recreational vehicle that has been modified by altering its altitude may not have its bumpers more than 22 inches above the ground. …
Verified Jul 30, 2026 · Source: capitol.tn.gov · Full Tennessee rule →
West VirginiaInfo
For vehicles up to 10,000 lb, West Virginia requires bumpers to sit 6-31 in off the ground, prohibits front lift blocks, and limits a body lift to 3 in over the factory spacer. (W. Va. Code 17C-15-48.)
Verified Jun 19, 2026 · Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · Full West Virginia rule →

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