[Jonny Jeep]

I believe the law requiring doors is federal. If a vehicle was sold with doors they MUST be fitted.

Originally Posted by BriansCJ

What about my CJ that might have never had doors from the factory?

As doors were optional on CJ models they can legally be driven without doors fitted. I've seen a post (not sure if it was on here though) where a CJ owner was ticketed for driving with no doors. He was able to produce a Jeep advertisement in court showing that doors were optional on his model/year and the case was dismissed.

[RX7TT]

Originally Posted by Jonny Jeep

I believe the law requiring doors is federal. If a vehicle was sold with doors they MUST be fitted.

Federal car laws only apply to interstates. The federal government doesn't pay for back country roads, state and local taxes pay for those.

But I am curious, can you locate this law in the federal code?

[Gruneun]

Doors on nearly all vehicles are structural components, not just passenger retention devices. Regardless of whether that's true for a TJ, you're asking a cop to be a mechanical engineer that's capable of assessing that point for the make, model, and year of every vehicle on the road. When he looks at it, he sees a vehicle door that is designed to be bolted in place that is not currently bolted in place.

FWIW, here's the links for Maryland:
Doors - http://www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/comarhtml/11/11.14.02.17.htm
Mirrors - http://www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/com...1.14.02.13.htm
Fenders - http://www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/comarhtml/11/11.14.02.08.htm
Glass - http://www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/comarhtml/11/11.14.02.14.htm

Basically, the doors have to be in place, driver-side mirror is required, the fenders have to cover the width of the tire and wheel and extend down to the horizontal center, and cracks in the glass can be no larger than 1/2" or 1 1/2", depending on where they occur.

Personally, I won't take the doors off, because it's pretty flagrant. My flares (and maybe other things) don't meet the letter of the law here and the last thing I want is to invite the opportunity for closer scrutiny.

[AntiPrius]

Luckily I live in Arizona, where they don't ever hassle anyone for having flairs too narrow, too wide, or even have them at all, or doors. Jeep would not have made the doors removable if it were in violation of federal law. Obviously one cannot take the doors off, only off highway and be expected to store them somewhere. My full steel doors are not only big, but quite heavy. There's no place to store those in the Jeep.

The doors are not structural on a Jeep and the owners manual clearly states that, along with the fact that they do no provide impact protection. Any state that doesn't even bother to know that about Jeeps is just being lazy.

I've driven mine numerous times with the doors off, along with many other people here and I've never heard of anyone getting a ticket, but they wouldn't since it's not unlawful. Our law says you have to have one rear view mirror, which we do on the windshield.

Some of the more strict states may actually have some dumb laws, so I'm only speaking of AZ.

[JBTJ]

Man I'm glad I don't live in yankee land. All your problems are no problems down here. Might want to think about moving so you can enjoy your JEEP more.

[AntiPrius]

After reading some of this insanity, I don't think I'd ever bother owning a Jeep in a state like Maryland.

[JeepGuy813]

Yea, Id have to move if our cops got that strict. Where im at in ohio no doors, tires that stick out = no problem at all

[Nasmith1]

Gotta love Mississippi.... The only reason they turn to look is jealousy.

[Gruneun]

For me it's less about the doors and more about the attention. I've seen stock Jeeps without doors in Maryland and it's enough to believe that they don't get hassled much. I've also seen quite a few with similar lift and tire coverage as mine (1-2" beyond the flare). A fellow Jeeper that is also a MD state trooper has been over and under my ride and has yet to give me any crap, but he's not the one I'm worried about. If you get the one cop that's having a bad day, he can make your life miserable (OP as my case in point).

I already have 7" flares and they still don't meet the letter of the law. We don't pay fines for repair orders and full inspections are never required, but the only way I'm getting another officer to sign off on completed repairs is to swap on temporary wheels and tires that I don't have. Getting pulled over for having the doors off is really a non-issue, except that it may be the difference in dropping the cash for some junkyard wheels and old tires if the guy is as motivated as the OP's new friend.

Besides, I have half doors, so it's really only half the inconvenience.