Can you hang items from your rearview mirror in Missouri or Kansas? What the laws say

Fuzzy dice. The classic evergreen tree air freshener. A graduation tassle.

You’ve probably seen decorations like these hanging from a car’s rearview mirror — if not in your own car, then likely in someone else’s.

In some states, these common hanging items are no big deal. But in at least seven others, including California, Pennsylvania and Arizona, they can get you pulled over for safety reasons.

State laws also vary: In Virginia, hanging objects are not allowed, but police can’t pull you over for that reason alone.

But what about in Kansas and Missouri?

Here’s a closer look at the laws in these two states about hanging items in your car.

Can I hang items from my rearview mirror in Missouri?

Technically, it’s not illegal to hang small items inside your car in Missouri. However, it’s discouraged — especially for larger items that can potentially obstruct a driver’s view out the front windshield.

Missouri statute also specifies that drivers with disabled parking placards should only display them when parked.

“It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or drive a motor vehicle with a windshield hanging placard hanging from the inside rearview mirror,” the statute states. However, state law doesn’t mention similar restrictions for other items.

In order for a vehicle to be operated on Missouri roads, it must have a windshield with no coatings or damaged spots within the driver’s line of vision. It must also have working windshield wipers. These requirements are the only ones listed in state law.

Kansas City gets a little more specific: The city’s municipal code specifies that windshields must be unobstructed, which some could interpret to mean that large decorations aren’t allowed.

“No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any sign, poster, snow, ice or other nontransparent material upon the front windshield… which interferes with the driver’s normal view of the street or highway,” the ordinance reads.

However, it doesn’t specifically mention items hanging from the rearview mirror.

Can I hang objects from my rearview mirror in Kansas?

Kansas law doesn’t explicitly state that drivers aren’t allowed to hang decorations or other items from their rearview mirrors.

However, the Kansas Department of Transportation recommends removing these items before you drive.

“Objects hanging from your rearview mirror or stacked on your dashboard will block you from seeing everything in front of your vehicle,” the department’s Drive Safe Kansas program wrote in a 2020 social media post.

The post included a graphic that read, “Clear your view. Declutter your windshield.”

Kansas statute only specifies that drivers can’t have posters or decals affixed to the windshield itself, or have damage to the windshield that “substantially obstructs the driver’s clear view of the highway or any intersecting highway.”

Do you have more questions about driving laws in Missouri or Kansas? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.