Is a Cat-Back Exhaust Legal in the US on a Toyota/Subaru GR86 / BRZ?
A cat-back exhaust is generally legal in the US because it sits behind the catalytic converter, leaving emissions untouched. The limit is noise: the car must keep an effective muffler, and how loud is "too loud" is set by state law.
The rule itself is the same whatever you drive: the law in the US does not single out the Toyota/Subaru GR86 / BRZ. What changes from car to car is which cat-back exhaust systems actually fit and how they are certified, so that is what this page covers. For the rule in full, see Cat-Back Exhaust law in the US.
Why?
A cat-back replaces the piping and muffler after the catalytic converter, so the emissions equipment is left alone and the federal tampering rules are not triggered. That is why a quality cat-back is broadly accepted across the country.
The variable is noise. Every state requires a working muffler and prohibits excessive or modified-for-loudness exhaust, but the exact standard differs: some states, such as California, enforce a measured decibel limit (95 dB under SAE J1169), while others rely on a broader "excessive noise" rule enforced at an officer's discretion.
So a well-made, muffled cat-back is usually road-legal, with the caveat that a very loud system can still draw a ticket under your state's noise law. A cat-back turned into a straight-through or muffler-delete setup is a different, non-compliant thing.
What decides if it's legal
- The catalytic converter must stay in place (a cat-back is downstream of it).
- The vehicle must keep an effective muffler.
- Exhaust-noise limits are set by each state, and some enforce a dB cap.
- It must not be modified into a straight pipe or cause excessive noise.
Popular cat-back exhaust for the Toyota/Subaru GR86 / BRZ
Related guides
Related legality guides
Sources
- Statutes, regulations, authorities and FMVSS (NHTSA)
- EPA tampering policy: vehicle and engine tampering (US EPA)
Sources last reviewed July 2026.
This page is general guidance, not legal advice, and reflects the rules in the US for a typical Toyota/Subaru GR86 / BRZ. Confirm with the manufacturer, your insurer and the EPA, NHTSA and your state DMV before modifying.