Car modifications come in all shapes and forms, from aesthetic tweaks to performance enhancements. However, if you are planning to modify your own car, are you sure that the changes you make will be legal on the road?
As a leading modified car insurance company, we have seen all types of modifications, from wheel upgrades to outrageous modifications, such as campervans with rocket engines.
Although not as strict as other countries, the UK still has relatively stringent regulations, and below are the most common illegal car modifications.
1. Front Tinted Windows
Tinted windows can provide privacy and reduce glare from the sun, but there are strict limits on how dark the tints can be with regard to the front of your car. According to UK law:
- The front windscreen must let at least 75% of light through.
- The front side windows must let at least 70% of light through.
Tinting beyond these limits is illegal and can result in fines, penalty points, or even a vehicle defect rectification notice, requiring the driver to correct the tint and prove compliance with the law.
2. Illegal Number Plates
Number plates must comply with strict regulations concerning font, spacing, and reflective material. However, with the rise of 3D and 4D number plates, there has been a huge rise in fancy fonts, altered spacing, and coloured or reflective backgrounds that are illegal. If your car has a non-compliant number plate, it can lead to a fine and the vehicle failing its MOT test.
3. Non-Approved Lighting
Whether you’ve installed different colour bulbs to your headlights or overly bright HID (High-Intensity Discharge) lamps, both are illegal car modifications. Your headlights must emit a largely white or yellow light and can’t be too powerful to the point that you blind other motorists.
4. Suspension That’s Too Low
Achieving the perfect lowered stance can take hours of fettling, but it’s illegal to lower it so much that it doesn’t provide adequate clearance between the tyre and bodywork.
If you want to achieve the lowest possible stance, we advise installing an air ride suspension instead because you can raise it while driving and slam it to the ground once parked (i.e. at a show).
5. Incorrect Wheel Fitment
Wheels that rub on your arches (similar to a suspension that’s too low) and wheels with a low offset that causes them to stick out are both illegal. In addition to the wheel itself, you must also refrain from tyre modifications such as stretched tyes as it can affect your car’s handling.
6. Exhaust Modifications
While a modified exhaust can enhance a car’s performance and produce a distinctive sound, excessively loud exhausts are illegal. The law states that exhaust systems and silencers must not be altered to increase noise levels, and of course, you can’t alter it to the point that it shoots flames out of the exhaust tips.
7. Adblue, DPF & Other Emission Device Removal
To meet the latest emissions standards, cars have become far more complex with the inclusion of emissions devices such as Adblue Systems and DPFs. When these devices go wrong (i.e. faulty Nox Sensors or blocked DPFs), they can become expensive to fix. Therefore, you may be tempted to remove these devices and map them out of the car’s ECU. However, as you can probably imagine, modifying a car’s emission output is illegal.
Legal Consequences of Illegal Modifications
Driving a vehicle with illegal modifications can result in a range of penalties, including:
- Fines and potentially penalty points on the driver’s license.
- The vehicle being deemed unroadworthy and ceased by the police.
- Increased insurance premiums or invalidated insurance.
- Failing an MOT test.
In some more serious cases, particularly where road safety is compromised, drivers may face prosecution and more severe legal penalties.
Final Words
To avoid the legal repercussions of illegal car modifications, it’s highly advised that you research the latest UK regulations for peace of mind. You should also inform your car insurance company of any changes that you make to avoid invalidating your policy.
If you are unsure whether or not the modification you plan to make to your car is illegal, feel free to get in touch, and we will advise where possible.
