If you want to trick out your ride, make sure you have the law on your side. Here are Ohio and Kentucky's regulations regarding some popular aftermarket effects:

• Window tint: In cars registered in Ohio, window tint must allow 50 percent visibility on the rear and side windows and 70 percent visibility on the windshield.

In Kentucky, window tint must allow 35 percent visibility on driver and passenger side windows, and 18 percent visibility on any windows behind the front windows. Window tint is prohibited on the windshield except for a strip at the top.

• Lighting: Lights in Ohio vehicles must not rotate, oscillate or flash, but state law does not prohibit the use of colored neon lights under your car as long as they do not interfere with or blind other drivers. The law prohibits flashing lights on motor vehicles with the exception of emergency vehicles, turn signals and hazard flashers. It also requires a white light to illuminate the rear license plate. Kentucky prohibits blue, red and yellow lights if they flash, oscillate or rotate.

• Exhaust systems: In Ohio, mufflers must be in good working order to prevent excessive or unusual noise, and muffler cutouts or bypasses are prohibited. Kentucky law prohibits removing mufflers or making them louder than originally equipped.

• TV screens: Neither Kentucky nor Ohio currently have laws regulating televisions in passenger vehicles. However, officials could use other parts of the penal code to regulate them. And more regulation could come: In Cincinnati, Republican City Councilman Sam Malone has proposed an ordinance that would ban pornography in cars if others can see it outside the vehicle.

• Bumper heights: Maximum bumper heights are determined by the weight of the vehicle in Ohio. The bottom of a front or rear bumper on a passenger vehicle can be no higher than 22 inches from the ground. Kentucky regulates only the bumper heights of commercial vehicles.

Lauren Bishop

Sources: Ohio State Highway Patrol, Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement