CA DMV LEGAL RULES
For those who love like cars and motorcycles like we do, customizing and racing are a way of life. Some dedicated performance enthusiasts, however, are putting their cars, their buddies and their lives on the line by street racing. Street racing is illegal!
The CHP won't hesitate to take street racers to court. ( good overtime money for them) IRR crew have seen a lot of deaths from auto and bike racing in the Bay Area streets. 7th street in Oakland area I can count about 4 good deaths.
IRR says Take it to the track pay the track time fee its a lot cheaper than a ticket, jail time and your car getting towed.
A first conviction on a street racing violation means:
* Minimum county jail sentence of 24 hours and maximum of 90 days.
* Vehicle probably impounded for at least 30 days.
* Owner responsible for vehicle's towing and storage charges ($1,000 or more).
* If owner fails to pay, vehicle could be sold at a lien sale.
* Anyone who aids or abets a street race also faces a maximum 90-day jail sentence. Watching the races or the folks doing the stunts on bikes on public streets could cost you. Instead, take your car to a National Hot Rod Association-sanctioned track or drag strip (sears point), where you can race safely under optimum conditions and don't have to run from the cops or worried about someone shooting off their guns.
Visit and subscribe to our youtube channel for our new CA DMV Legal rules video series.
CA DMV LAWS an interview with a police officer part #1 covering equipment violations
https://youtu.be/LjNXTBQkW_Y
MOST COMMON ILLEGAL EQUIPMENT CITED BY THE CHP AND TRAFFIC OFFICERS.
- LOUD CAR STEREO: Illegal if heard more than 50 feet from the vehicle (27007 VC). **
- LACK OF FRONT AND REAR DMV-ISSUED LICENSE PLATES (5200 VC) **
- RADAR JAMMERS: Radar detectors are legal, but jammers, or any device which interferes with radar signals, are illegal (28150 VC).
- LOWERED FRAME (or any other part) that is lower than the lowest point of the wheel rim (24008 VC).
- AIR RIDES:
Air and hydraulic suspension systems that are operated unsafely or with the vehicle lower than allowed (24002, 24008 VC). - TINTED WINDOWS:
Tinting the front side windows and the windshield (except for a narrow band at the top of the windshield). Windows behind the driver's head may be tinted. If rear window is tinted, right-side mirror is required (26708 VC). ** - LACK OF WHITE REAR LICENSE PLATE LIGHT (24601 VC). It must illuminate the license plate, not project light behind the vehicle.
- MISSING FRONT AND/OR REAR BUMPERS (28071 VC).
- ILLEGAL ENGINE MODIFICATIONS: Most are illegal due to smog (27156 VC).
See Air Resources Board web site http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/devices/amquery.php for more information and a list of aftermarket parts that are legal. This site covers the most common engine modifications shown listed below for cars, trucks, and motorcycles.
* Air Cleaner Modification - modifications to the air cleaner and/or its housing.
* Air Filter/Intake Modification - open element air filters, modifications to the air flow intake tract, heat risers/preheat ducts.
* Engine Modification/Engine Change - kits that include multiple engine modifications such as new cylinder heads and camshafts, or boring and stroking; engine changes using an engine certified for another late model vehicle application, with additional engine modifications .
* Exhaust System/Exhaust Modification - exhaust manifold, exhaust headers, exhaust pipes, crossover pipes, etc.
* Fuel Line Modification - devices designed to attach to or be inserted in the fuel line..
* Fuel System Modification - fuel filters, gas caps, pressure regulators.
* Intake/Exhaust System - a kit that includes both intake and exhaust components.
California Vehicle Code Section 27156 prohibits modifications that increase motor vehicle emissions.
There are four groups of After-market parts sold in California.
1. Replacement parts
2. Legal Add-on or Modified Parts
3. Competition or Racing use only Parts (There are exemptions for uncontrolled vehicles)
4. Catalytic Converters
Uncontrolled vehicles may have any after-market add-on or modified part installed as long as the vehicle can still meet the tailpipe emission standards for the year of the vehicle. Uncontrolled vehicles must retain any original or retrofit crankcase control (PCV) devices and NOx device required for the year of the vehicle. The following vehicles are considered uncontrolled vehicles:
* 1965 and Older : U.S. Manufactured California Certified Vehicles
* 1967 and Older: U.S. Manufactured Federally Certified Vehicles
* 1967 and Older: Foreign Manufactured Vehicles
You can call 1 800 242-4450 before adding modifications to be on the good side of the law. The worst thing is to be pulled over by a well-trained CHP officer, who will pop your hood, and cite you for every illegal modification you have made.
BLUE AND YELLOW HEADLIGHTS:
Blue lights most talked about modifications that have been asked about for over 10 years.
The answer is no, no, and NO! Headlights must be white.
No Blue or Red lights to the front!
Blue and Yellow lights are illegal (24011 VC). Look for the DOT symbol on the bulb and package.
HEADLIGHTS BRIGHTER OR HIGHER WATTAGE than those from the factory. You may be able to see better, but the lights are illegal falls under the sub sections under (24011 VC).
TAIL LIGHTS OTHER THAN RED: (24600 VC)
ILLEGAL BRAKE LIGHTS: Brake lights on vehicles newer than 1979 must be red (24603 VC). (Vehicles older than 1979 may be red or yellow.)
LACK OF REAR REFLECTORS: Two red reflectors are required on the rear of cars and trucks (24607 VC).
INCORRECT COLOR OF TURN SIGNAL: It must be white or yellow to the front, red or yellow to the rear (24953 VC).
RED LIGHTS TO THE FRONT: They are illegal except on emergency vehicles (24003 VC). This is one way to get pulled over very quick!
Tail lights that incorporate a bulb with a red tint or coating. In general, custom tail lights that incorporate a clear outer shell and red inner lens are legal (24011 VC). If they don't incorporate reflectors, they must be added to the vehicle (24607 VC).
* 24607 VC
Every vehicle subject to registration under this code shall at all times be equipped with red reflectors mounted on the rear as follows:
(a) Every vehicle shall be equipped with at least one reflector so maintained as to be plainly visible at night from all distances within 100 to 350 feet from the vehicle when directly in front of the lawful upper headlamp beams.
* TAIL LIGHTS THAT ARE TOO DIM, washed out or show yellow, white or other colors (24600 VC). Ugly anyway
This section should apply to the tinted tail lamps covers. The tinted covers that covers the red break lights.
24600 (e) VC :
Tail lamps shall be red in color and shall be plainly visible from all distances within 500 feet to the rear except that tail-lamps on vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1969, shall be plainly visible from all distances within 1,000 feet to the rear.
Plus think of safety during the daytime hard to see the brake lights. At night when the car is parked on a dark street its hard to keep from getting hit.
ILLEGAL COLOR OF SIDE MARKER LIGHTS: If present, must be yellow in the front and red in the rear (25106, 24003 VC).
* DRIVING WITH JUST PARKING LIGHTS ON: (24800 VC). Vehicles that have factory-installed automatic daytime running lights must meet federal requirements and are legal.
ILLEGAL DECORATIVE LIGHTS (24003 VC). All flashing decorative lights are illegal (25250 VC).
ILLEGAL WINDSHIELD WASHER NOZZLE LIGHTS. Only white or yellow are allowed. (25106 VC, 24003 VC). All those folks with the ugly blue ones will get cited one day soon.
LIGHTS ATTACHED TO TIRE VALVES (24003, 25250 VC). Tire flys etc Damn it CHP got me on this one. My Bike had too much bling bing and the blue lights were cool. Getting pulled over sucked.
* LIGHTED LICENSE PLATE FRAMES (unless red) (24003 VC).
ILLEGAL LIGHTS, whether or not they are operating. It is illegal just to have them on the vehicle (24003 VC).
* EXCESSIVELY NOISY EXHAUST SYSTEMS AND MUFFLERS (27150, 27151 VC). Many after market exhaust systems and parts are illegal. Look for parts that meet California law. If it doesn't say it meets the law, it probably doesn't. Exhaust systems which meet smog requirements but are still too loud. Exhaust equipment that states it is, "Legal in all 50 states," refers to smog, not noise.
Note: The law (27150.2 VC) does not require law enforcement to use sound level meters to test for excessive noise. Citation is based on officer's judgment. Cited violators may have testing done at smog referee stations or may be directed by the court to have testing done. Vehicles in violation must be brought into compliance. A fine may also be imposed.
California stock muffler MOTORCYCLE bill signed into law by Schwarzenegger
California Senate Bill SB435 signed into law by California governor, affects all motorcycles and after market exhausts manufactured for these motorcycles after January 01, 2013 (thanks to those loud A#$#$ choppers, Harley Davidson's, and Ducati's)
California Senate Bill SB435, also known as the "Motorcycle Anti-Tampering Act", has been signed into law by California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. This law now gives police officers the right to cite motorcyclists riding in California for non-stock exhaust system violations under the California Vehicle Code. The new law makes use of a seldom-enforced 27-year-old federal regulation that prohibits the replacement of the stock exhaust with any unit not officially approved by the EPA. Ever since 1983, every stock motorcycle system is required to have the EPA approval and federal noise regulation wording stamped somewhere on its outer surface that certifies compliance.
Under this new law, motorcyclists pulled over for other infractions can also be cited for having a non-stock exhaust system (or an illegally modified stock exhaust) on their bike. The first violation could result in a fine of $50-$100 if the exhaust is not returned to stock; subsequent violations will results in fines of $100-$250. Part of the new law states that any motorcycle exceeding the federal 80dB sound limit will also be in violation; however, police have no standardized tool nor procedure for actually measuring sound levels in the field, and enforcement will most likely be based upon whether the system has the EPA stamp readily visible (granted, if the exhaust is abnormally loud, most jurisdictions will back the officer's opinion that the exhaust noise is excessive, which can fall under the same federal statute). The law technically only affects 2013 and later model motorcycles and aftermarket parts manufactured for those motorcycles.
Contact the nearest CHP office for any questions or interpretations and review the CA DMV books. More detailed information is also available in CHP publications CHP 885 (Passenger Car Equipment), CHP 888 (Motorcycle Equipment) and CHP 892 (Special Construction Vehicles). They may be obtained from your local CHP office.
The violations with asterisks (*) are the common violations police officers uses for traffic stops.
Should be recalled list :
The Primewell Valera Sport AS low profile tires should be recalled. Very dangerous tires. We had a fairly new tire lower inner sidewall give out while on the freeway causing the tire to come apart. What a mess! The tire was only 8 months old and it still looks brand new with a lot of thread left. Check your tires for recalls. Primewell will not admit fault in this tire model but they already have one tire recall for the touring II series.
