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North Carolina Ride Height & Lift Laws (2026)

Info: 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.

InfoVerified Jun 19, 2026

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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).)

Official source: ncleg.gov →

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

Ride Height & Lift in states bordering North Carolina

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

GeorgiaInfo
Rewritten July 1, 2024 (S.B. 352 / Act 611): the old ±2-inch-from-factory rule was repealed. …
Verified Jul 26, 2026 · Source: legis.ga.gov · Full Georgia rule →
South CarolinaInfo
South Carolina bans the "Carolina Squat": it's illegal if the front or rear fender is raised or lowered 4 in or more above the other. Cars are also capped at a 6 in raise or drop. (S.C. Code §56-5-4445.)
Verified Jun 19, 2026 · Source: scstatehouse.gov · Full South 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 →
VirginiaInfo
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.)
Verified Jun 19, 2026 · Source: law.lis.virginia.gov · Full Virginia rule →

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