No, driving without a shirt in New Jersey is prohibited under N.J.S.A. 39:4-37, which mandates drivers wear proper attire covering the body. The statute aligns with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission’s 2024 enforcement guidelines, treating shirtless driving as a secondary offense under distracted driving regulations. Local police departments, including Newark PD and Jersey City PD, issue citations averaging $25–$100 under municipal disorderly conduct ordinances when shirtless driving disrupts public order.
Key Regulations for Driving Without a Shirt in New Jersey
- N.J.S.A. 39:4-37: Requires drivers to wear clothing that covers the torso, with violations treated as moving infractions.
- N.J.A.C. 13:1E-9.1: Empowers local authorities to enforce decency standards under public health and safety codes.
- 2026 Compliance Shift: NJ MVC’s upcoming “Decency in Transit” initiative will flag shirtless driving in real-time via dashboard camera systems, increasing penalties to $200+ for repeat offenses.
Violations are typically processed as non-criminal offenses, but persistent infractions may escalate to disorderly persons charges under N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2. The New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety has not issued formal exemptions for hot weather or occupational scenarios.