If you’re a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco owner who just wants to maximize your freedom and cruise around with your doors off, here’s how to do so without breaking any laws in your state. That way you can rid yourself of any worry next time a cop suddenly appears in your rearview mirror, with mirror being a very important word. We all know what it’s like to get a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you see a police cruiser pull up behind you in traffic even if you aren’t doing anything wrong. Nobody wants that when you’re trying to enjoy door-off motoring.
First of all, driving a Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Gladiator, or a Ford Bronco with the doors removed is technically legal in all 50 states at the moment. Pennsylvania was the final state to legalize this radical act of freedom, though this was only legalized last September. Before then, owners of vehicles with removable doors were only legally allowed to drive with their doors when driving off-road. Yee, and I cannot emphasize this enough, haw.
Here’s the catch; many states still require all vehicles on the road to have side mirrors. The side mirrors are attached to the doors on Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators, so removing the doors removes the side mirrors, making you liable to get a ticket. There are aftermarket side mirrors for Jeeps that are easy to attach and allow owners to drive doorless while still obeying the law. Ford solved this problem with its Bronco by mounting the side mirrors at the base of the windshield, so Bronco owners can skip this step when going doorless.
Here’s a list of each state’s automotive mirror requirements. Please note that many states have different regulations for instances when the driver’s rearward view is obstructed, or when towing. The information provided is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.
States that require both left and right-side mirrors and a rearview mirror:
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- New York
- Pennsylvania
States that require a driver’s side mirror:
- Alaska (requires a driver’s side mirror and one more)
- California (requires a driver’s side mirror and one more)
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Kansas (requires a driver’s side mirror and one more)
- Kentucky (requires a driver’s side mirror and one more)
- Louisiana (requires a driver’s side mirror and one more)
- Maryland (requires a driver’s side mirror and one more)
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia (requires a driver’s side mirror and rearview mirror)
- Washington (requires a driver’s side mirror and one more)
- Wyoming (requires a driver’s side mirror and one more)
States that require at least one mirror in an unspecified location:
- Alabama
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Maine
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
States that require a rearview mirror:
- Arkansas
- Iowa
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- South Dakota
- Vermont
- Virginia (requires a driver’s side mirror and rearview mirror)
States that require at least two mirrors without specific locations:
- Arizona