It's Illegal To Hang An Air Freshener From Your Car Mirror In These US States

While hanging an air freshener inside your car isn't unlawful on its own, where you keep it is considered grounds for legal action, at least in certain U.S. states. As crazy as it may seem, cops have the authority to pull you over and possibly write you a ticket for something as trivial as hanging air fresheners. In fact, this may come across as news, but there are state laws that prohibit hanging things from your vehicle's inside rearview mirror, with the general theme being "obstruction of view."

Although most people find this silly and ridiculous, some jurisdictions beg to differ. Because the National Conference of State Legislatures doesn't keep track of such laws, there is ambiguity surrounding the exact number of states where it's illegal, but we can list the ones we're certain of. California, New York, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Florida, Virginia, and Illinois have laws against hanging objects from the rearview mirror that block the driver's view. So, technically, if an officer finds that your air freshener is impeding your view, they can issue a ticket. Hopefully, it's not your worst traffic stop story.

Interestingly, Missouri's statute finds operating or driving a vehicle while hanging a placard from the inside rearview mirror as illegal, but it does not specify whether the law is applicable to other items. If you're a disabled person living in the area, the state specifies that your placard should be displayed only when parked.

While most other states lean more toward things that cause an obstruction, Minnesota considers every non-essential item that's hung from your car mirror illegal. Whether it's an air freshener, fuzzy dice, a graduation tassel, a rosary, or a dream catcher, it's all illegal in the Gopher State. Mind you, this is not without its fair share of controversies, as the law caused a bit of a stir when 20-year-old Daunte Wright was shot and killed in Minnesota after being pulled over for an air freshener violation.

Although objects dangling from the rearview mirror are still unlawful, Virginia and Illinois have passed laws that prevent officers from pulling over cars solely for this cause, and they now require officers to have another valid reason to justify the stop, like running a DIY license plate.

Something to take note of is that each of the states we managed to find interprets and enforces the law differently. To avoid getting pulled over for the air freshener you have dangling under the mirror, it's always best to stay informed about your local laws or those of the states you're planning to visit.