                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

ALTERATION OF SUSPENSION SYSTEM; BUMPER HEIGHT LIMITS; RAISING BODY ABOVE FRAME
RAIL (§ 46.2-1063)

No person shall drive on a public highway any motor vehicle registered as a
passenger motor vehicle if it has been modified by alteration of its altitude
from the ground to the extent that its bumpers, measured to any point on the
lower edge of the main horizontal bumper bar, exclusive of any bumper guards,
are not within the range of fourteen inches to twenty-two inches above the
ground.
		No vehicle shall be modified to cause the vehicle body or chassis to come in
contact with the ground, expose the fuel tank to damage from collision, or cause
the wheels to come in contact with the body under normal operation. No part of
the original suspension system of a motor vehicle shall be disconnected to
defeat the safe operation of its suspension system. However, nothing contained
in this section shall prevent the installation of heavy duty equipment,
including shock absorbers and overload springs. Nothing contained in this
section shall prohibit the driving on a public highway of a motor vehicle with
normal wear to the suspension system if such normal wear does not adversely
affect the control of the vehicle.
		No person shall drive on a public highway any motor vehicle registered as a
truck if it has been modified by alteration of its altitude from the ground to
the extent that its bumpers, measured to any point on the lower edge of the main
horizontal bumper bar, exclusive of any bumper guards, do not fall within the
limits specified herein for its gross vehicle weight rating category. The front
bumper height of trucks whose gross vehicle weight ratings are 4,500 pounds or
less shall be no less than 14 inches and no more than 28 inches, and their rear
bumper height shall be no less than 14 inches and no more than 28 inches. The
front bumper height of trucks whose gross vehicle weight ratings are 4,501
pounds to 7,500 pounds shall be no less than 14 inches and no more than 29
inches, and their rear bumper height shall be no less than 14 inches and no more
than 30 inches. The front bumper height of trucks whose gross vehicle weight
ratings are 7,501 pounds to 15,000 pounds shall be no less than 14 inches and no
more than 30 inches, and their rear bumper height shall be no less than 14
inches and no more than 31 inches. Bumper height limitations contained in this
paragraph shall not apply to trucks with gross vehicle weight ratings in excess
of 15,000 pounds. For the purpose of this section, &#8220;truck&#8221; includes
pickup and panel trucks, and &#8220;gross vehicle weight ratings&#8221; means
manufacturer&#8217;s gross vehicle weight ratings established for that vehicle
as indicated by a number, plate, sticker, decal, or other device affixed to the
vehicle by its manufacturer.
		In the absence of bumpers, and in cases where bumper heights have been
lowered, height measurements under the foregoing provisions of this section
shall be made to the bottom of the frame rail. However, if bumper heights have
been raised, height measurements under the foregoing provisions of this section
shall be made to the bottom of the main horizontal bumper bar.
		No vehicle shall be operated on a public highway if it has been modified by
any means so as to raise its body more than three inches, in addition to any
manufacturer&#8217;s spacers and bushings, above the vehicle&#8217;s frame rail
or manufacturer&#8217;s attachment points on the frame rail.
		No passenger car or pickup or panel truck shall be operated on a public
highway if the suspension, frame, or chassis has been modified by any means so
as to cause the height of the front bumper to be four or more inches greater
than the height of the rear bumper.
		This section shall not apply to specially designed or modified motor vehicles
when driven off the public highways in races and similar events. Such motor
vehicles may be lawfully towed on the highways of the Commonwealth.

HISTORY: 1973, c. 498, § 46.1-282.1; 1978, c. 605; 1980, c. 342; 1986, c. 570;
1989, c. 727; 1991, c. 688; 1992, c. 864; 1993, c. 73; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c.
269; 2022, c. 31.