Does Your Car Modifications Meet the Law?
So you paid thousands of dollars to modify your car, but is it something that’s LEGALLY allowed to be done? Maybe you should have found that out before…..Anyways, it’s a good thing you came across this blog cause I will be talking about a few laws pertaining to auto modifications in Ontario as well as a few other countries (and a state) around the world. So, let’s get legal!
Auto Modification Laws in Ontario
Ahhh the lovely province that some of us call home, we lived here for so long but do we really know the laws? I mean specifically auto laws – they keep changing, yes, but they are important to know especially if you want to make modifications to your car! If you read through my blog post (Car Modifications) I mentioned the legal limit in Ontario for tinting windows – 30%. But there are so many other laws that people are ignoring or overlooking just because they want to look “cool”. Well you what’s cool? A car that looks nice AND has legal modifications done to it.
Mufflers
If I got paid $10 for every time I heard someone coming BEFORE I saw them (because of their mufflers) I would be RICH!!! People think its cool, their friends think its cool, pedestrians? Yeah no we don’t think it’s cool….like AT ALL..I don’t want to hear you coming from miles down the road and then have you PASS me with the SAME LEVEL OF SOUND coming from your muffler. But anyways enough ranting (for now), let’s see how legal it really is in Ontario. FYI it’s not, but if you’re still wondering why, it’s because MUFFLERS are supposed to MUFFLE sound….yeah pretty self explanatory…Oh yeah! and the fine? $220 so good luck if you still decide to do it and try to get around the law.
Underglow Lights
What are they? Well, they are also known as ground effects lighting and are installed under the vehicles. They contain high levels of neon gas (which produces a red colouring) and are designed in two different ways – long and short tubes. Once combined with other gases, mercury, carbon dioxide, phosphorus, and helium, for example, different colours will be produced. In Ontario specifically, the laws are similar to those in Alberta, where underglow neon lights have yet to be legalized. The only light colour allowed in Ontario is green, although experts would argue that no colour should be legal. It may be rare to receive a ticket for underglow lights but that doesn’t mean you should hop on the bandwagon of everyone else that has them.
If car modifications don’t meet the Highway Traffic Act, fines range from between $25-$85 with the most extreme cases resulting in having the cars towed away and the license plates seized.
Auto Modifications Laws Around the World
United States – Florida
Window Tinting – In Florida, the legal limit of light reflecting through varies for each window in the car:
- Front side window – Must allow greater than 28% of light to pass through
- Back and back side windows – Must allow more than 15% of light to pass through
- Reflective tints (back and front side windows) – Can’t be more than 25% reflective
- Sticker certifying legal tint levels must be on the driver door jamb – provided by DMV
- Non-reflective tint is permitted on windshield above the AS-1 line provided by the vehicle manufacturer
Frame and suspension – There are no specific height or suspension lift limits in Florida on vehicles however, the bumper height should not exceed the following bumper height specifications as per the Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings (GVWR)**:
Vehicles:
- Under 2,000 GVRW – Max front bumper height: 24 inches, max back bumper: 26 inches
- Between 2,000- 2,999 GVRW – Max front bumper height: 27 inches, max rear bumper: 29 inches
- Between 3,000-5,000 GVRW – Max front bumper height: 28 inches, max rear bumper: 30 inches
**The Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings (GVWR) is essentially the maximum total safe weight of the vehicle, including the curb weight (the weight of the vehicle when empty) plus the weight of any additional things – passengers, fuel, accessories, cargo, and the tongue weight of a tow trailer.**
Lithuania
In Lithuania the laws are so much looser than in comparison to the other countries and states mentioned. As long as you have a racing passport for your car, you are allowed to make it 20 percent more powerful than stock model. Despite the name, you can still drive it on public roads with one condition – you would have to install a roll cage – essentially it protects the driver, keeping everything in the driver cockpit as is, including in the event of an accident. The biggest flaw here though is that it is nearly impossible to really tell if a car is 20% more powerful than the stock model. For this reason, many people are deterred from applying for a passport – as glorious on the surface as it may sound – plus its super expensive!
France
It may come as a surprise to many to learn that France is totally against people making modifications to their car. A motion was passed December 6, 2016 that prohibited modifications from being done on cars (also known as tuning), whether its an aesthetic or performance enhancing modification.
As of January 1, 2018 no more neon lights, body kits, or other engine reprogramming was allowed to be done and if caught with it, the police or technical inspectorate would immobilize the vehicle. This was all in an attempt to promote road safety and curb road related causes of death from occurring. Also, as of January 1, 2018, drivers were cautioned to remove any signs of alterations from their vehicle or the vehicle would be immobilized. People who refused to comply with the law were given a fine € 1,500 ($2215.75 CDN!). Most people think it’s over the top but what do you think?
Turns out my car modifications are illegal – What do I do now???
Well there really isn’t anything you can do now…this is why you should do your research BEFORE. However, you can talk to your car insurance broker and ask around for advice keeping in my mind all the laws around car modifications for your next car!
Did You Know?: Depending on the financing terms agreed upon by you and the car company you can make modifications to a car you bought through financing?
To learn more please visit: https://www.holtsauto.com/simoniz/news/what-car-customisations-and-modifications-can-you-legally-make/
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