North Dakota Lift Laws and Vehicle Equipment Laws

The North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) and the North Dakota Administrative Code (NDAC) explain the street legal laws for the state.

The maximum vehicle size in North Dakota is 102 inches wide, 14 feet tall, and 50 feet long for a single vehicle.

Tire size in North Dakota is limited to 44 inches tall for vehicles 7,000 pounds and under. All tires must be in safe operating condition, without any bulges or exposed cords. There is no listed minimum tire tread depth and it is unclear if tire grooving is permitted. Front tires must measure at least 60% of the tread width of the rear tires.

North Dakota's code requires that no part of the vehicle extends below the lowest poertion of the vehicles wheels other than the tires.

All vehicles in North Dakota must have functional brakes in safe condition. A secondary, mechanical, parking brake is required.

North Dakota laws require that modified vehicles have a steering wheel at least 13 inches in diameter that functions with no less than 2 turns and no more than 6 turns lock to lock. It is unlawful to modify the steering system on vehicles 7,000 pounds and under.

There is a maximum suspension lift limit of 4 inches for vehicles 7,000 pounds and under in North Dakota.

North Dakota does not have a vehicle frame height limit, however, vehicles 7,000 pounds and under must not have the lowest portion of the vehicle's body more than 42 inches above the roadway.

All cars and trucks in North Dakota are required to have bumpers. For vehicles 7,000 pounds and under, the maximum bumper height, measured to the bottom of the bumper, is 27 inches.

Modified vehicles (or "special motor vehicles") must have a bumper height between 14 and 22 inches. The bumper must be at least 4.5 inches tall.

North Dakota requires that vehicles which have been modified from stock have fenders on all four wheels. The fenders must cover the full tire tread width and coverage must be from at least 15 degrees in front to at least 75 degrees to the rear of the vertical centerline of the wheel.

In addition to headlights and tail lights, vehicles in North Dakota are allowed to have auxiliary lighting. A maximum of 4 front lights can be turned on while driving.

Windshields and windshield wipers are required by North Dakota's code.

In North Dakota, vehicles are required to be equipped with mufflers. It is unlawful to install any kind of exhaust cutout or bypass.

It is unclear whether or not North Dakota has any engine swap or engine performance modification rules.

North Dakota does not currently require emissions testing.