West Virginia Lift Laws and Vehicle Equipment Laws
West Virginia does not have a suspension lift limit, however, bumper height is restricted to 31 inches and there is a body lift height limit of 3 inches. As long as these laws are obeyed, suspension lift kits, aftermarket wheels and tires, performance shocks, aftermarket bumpers, and grille guards can be installed.
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Code |
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West Virginia's street legal laws are covered by the West Virginia Code (WVC). |
WVC Ch. 17C
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Dimensions |
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Vehicle size in West Virginia is restricted to a maximum width of 96 inches (102 inches for RVs), a maximum height of 13 feet 6 inches, and a maximum single vehicle length of 45 feet. |
WVC 17C-17-2
WVC 17C-17-4
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Tires |
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All tires on vehicles driven in West Virginia must be without any bulges or exposed cords. There is no listed a minimum tire tread depth requirement. Tire grooving is not listed in the code. |
WVC 17C-15-37
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Wheels |
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West Virginia's code does not have any regulations on wheels. |
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Brakes |
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West Virginia requires that cars and trucks have brakes on all four wheels capable of stopping the vehicle from a speed of 20 mph within 30 feet. A secondary, mechanical, parking brake is also required. |
WVC 17C-15-31
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Steering |
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Steering systems are not covered in West Virginia's code. |
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Suspension |
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There are currently no suspension lift limits or suspension modification restrictions listed in West Virginia's laws other than front lift blocks being prohibited. |
WVC 17C-15-48
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Frame |
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West Virginia requires that the floor of a vehicle's body be no more than 3 inches above the frame. |
WVC 17C-15-48
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Bumpers |
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In West Virginia, vehicles under 10,000 lbs GVWR have a maximum bumper height of 31 inches. If bumpers are removed, there is a maximum frame height of 31 inches. If a vehicle came equipped with bumpers then it must have bumpers that are at least 3 inches tall.
( Measured to the bottom of the bumper. )
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WVC 17C-15-48
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Fenders |
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It is not clear if West Virginia requires fenders or mud flaps. |
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Lights |
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In addition to headlights and tail lights, vehicles in West Virginia are allowed to be equipped with additional lighting. The maximum number of lights that can be turned on at the front of a vehicle while driving is 4. Roof mounted off-road lights are allowed as long as the lights are covered while the vehicle is driven on the street.
Light |
Number |
Min. Height |
Max. Height |
Headlights |
2 min. |
24 inches |
44 inches |
Tail lights |
1 min. |
20 inches |
60 inches |
Spot lights |
1 max. |
n/a |
n/a |
Fog lights |
2 max. |
12 inches |
30 inches |
Aux. passing lights |
1 max. |
24 inches |
42 inches |
Aux. driving lights |
1 max. |
16 inches |
42 inches |
( Measured to the center of the light. )
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WVC 17C-15-4
WVC 17C-15-5
WVC 17C-15-17
WVC 17C-15-25
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Windows |
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The laws in Virginia require that all vehicles with windshields be equipped with windshield wipers, however, it is not clear if windshields are required. |
WVC 17C-15-36
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Exhaust |
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In West Virginia, vehicles are required to be equipped with mufflers and they cannot have any kind of exhaust cutout or bypass. |
WVC 17C-15-34
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Engine |
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West Virginia's code does not reference engine modifications. |
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Emissions |
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West Virginia does not currently require emissions testing. |
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Washington Street Legal Laws 