Nitrous Legal??

I heard from one of my friends that they just passed a new law that you can't have nitrous in your car at all. I thought the law was that you can have it as long as the bottle isn't hooked up? Does anyone know this law and what it says? I live in Washington if someone knows the law here. Thanx

you cant even have the bottle in your car if it's full, unless you have a commercial driver's license and a placard on your vehicle that tells others that you have an oxidizer on board. on top of that, it cannot be transported in the passenger cabin. it must be properly secured in a sealed off trunk away from the passenger cabin on in the bed of a pickup.


this is what's required in Washington state and is not a "new" law. it's been that way for a couple decades now.

the bottles themselves say, "for off-road use only in a vehicle never to be used on a public highway"

This is a little different question, but what about the emissions legallity of it. Does a nitrous kit have to be CARB approved in california?

Originally posted by cybercrx00
This is a little different question, but what about the emissions legallity of it. Does a nitrous kit have to be CARB approved in california?


yes... but none never will be as they are considered more of an "exotic fuel" since it is combusted.

So if you take your car in for emissions do you have to uninstall it??

Originally posted by cybercrx00
So if you take your car in for emissions do you have to uninstall it??
I wouldn't think so,just take out the bottle

Originally posted by cybercrx00
So if you take your car in for emissions do you have to uninstall it??


yes, since the nozzles are considered leaks within the intake tract and possible "vents" for incompletely combusted emissions.

also, just having the bottle will get you slapped with a fine for improper transportation of an oxidizer on public highways.

Originally posted by drift
but none never will be as they are considered more of an "exotic fuel" since it is combusted. Strangely enough - that's not true.

Nitrous Oxide Systems (NOS) has 4 different CARB EO numbers for 17 different N2O applications.

Jacobs Electronics also has a CARB EO number for their N2O kit.

Unfortunately, none of these are for imports; they're all for things like Camaros, Mustangs, and Corvettes.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/devices/devices.htm

Originally posted by drift
also, just having the bottle will get you slapped with a fine for improper transportation of an oxidizer on public highways.
And that's not true unless you have more than 220 lbs or are using it for commercial purposes.

Here's a thread from another board. This guy went to a lot of trouble to figure out what the laws about N2O are:

from: http://www.sromagazine.com/boards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15721


I called up the CHP today and spoke with an officer in the Hazardous Materials group in Sacramento. Nice guy.

I asked him "Is it legal to have NOS installed on your car?"
A: Yes, provided that the bottle is securely mounted. The bottle must also be DOT approved. Once the bottle is connected, it is considered part of the fuel system and no additional hazmat regulations apply. He said to check with CARB regarding emissions regulations.

"Is it legal to have a disconnected NOS bottle in your car?"
A: Yes, but the bottle must either be empty, securely mounted, or securely held with the valve protected.

"Do you need to have hazmat placards and stickers on your car?"
A: No, provided you are carrying less than 220 or 440 lbs of it in your vehicle, the officer wasn't sure which. This falls under a a personal trade exemption. If you are using NOS for commercial purposes, you must have the placards on the vehicle.

"What about transporting the filled cylinders?"
A: This is the area the CHP is the most worried about. The short answer is that for modest quantities (< 220 or 440 lbs), the NOS cylinders may be transported unconnected in approved DOT containters provided the identitying labels are visible and legible, the bottles are secure, and the valves are protected.

So I asked him, "If I have NOS connected in my car with the bottle securely mounted, am I breaking any law if I am not using it?
A: None related to hazardous materials and none other that he was aware of.

wow... thanks fritz!


my bad kids... :(

Nitrous is a very grey area of law. But if you keep the bottle disconnected, the worst you're probably going to get is a emissions fix-it ticket. Most people I know with N2O either leave the bottle at home, or leave the hose disconnected - none of them have ever been cited for that.

If the bottle is connected, the cop may try to cite you for some discretionary violation like reckless driving - particularly if he thinks he saw you use it. You may well be able to fight this ticket in court, but you'd probably need a lawyer.

And don't EVER argue with a cop. You may very politely disagree and try to explain your side, but don't ever tell him that he is wrong. It'll only piss him off, you'll probably end up with more violations, and he'll make sure he makes it to your day in court. Just swallow your tongue, take your ticket, and go straight to the library to copy the relevant sections out of the motor vehicle code to see if you have an arguable case.

:cool:

I am sooooo glad my state doesnt care about air quality. :jump:

i'm sure it will soon, but till then
your a lucky bastard.
i'm sure i speak for all the californians on the board

i work at the police station in L.A...not as an officer, but as like a community service worker type thing. they say if i have nos in my car i get booted....doesn't that mean its kinda illegal? or maybe its just in my case...ey and xodus917 how does the apex'i n1's sound like? cuz im thinking of gettin one but i dont wanna tick off the neighbors.

...or maybe i do...:D

its sounds good, i like it nice throaty sound. a bit louder than other cat backs but it comes with a silencer (which i never put on), but it's still allot queiter than those loud annoying people with striaght pipes here where i live. Nice power gains as well

Originally posted by eward
i work at the police station in L.A...not as an officer, but as like a community service worker type thing. they say if i have nos in my car i get booted....doesn't that mean its kinda illegal? or maybe its just in my case...

Please ask the officers (very politely, of course) what CA Motor Vehicle Code or they would (or could) cite you for.

AFAIK, there is no specific code that covers the automotive use of nitrous oxide other than the 'modification' codes (i.e. the smog laws). If they can point you to a code that would cover it more specifically, I (and everyone here) would be very interested.

I just did a quick search on the entire CA Vehicle Code, and the word "nitrous" does not appear.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/vc.htm
:cool:

exactly!! dude... them dumb mufflers are annoying on the other stuff....sounds like they actually are like popping rice in the back of the car...dude...cool...thanks thats what i wanted to stay away from

I've read half the stupid book of traffic laws and it said nothing about nitrous. if its not there its not illegal.