A woman posted a video stating that she heard it was illegal to idle a running car, prompting questions about the legality of remote-starting a car in the winter. 

On Dec. 24, a TikTok user (@suzjo187) posted a video asking about the legality of remotely starting her car to heat it up in the winter. 

“I’ve been so excited using my remote starter on my car because the mornings have been really freezing,” she says. 

However, she recently discovered that this move to keep warm is illegal in some states. 

“And now I’m hearing that in some states, it’s actually illegal to idle your car, like just to warm it in the morning,” she says.

Is It Illegal For Cars To Run While Unattended?

Many states and jurisdictions across the United States indeed have laws restricting the duration of vehicle idling when it isn’t in use. These laws often exist to reduce emissions and prevent theft. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s compilation of anti-idling regulations, dozens of states and localities have some kind of idling rule on the books that either limits the time a vehicle can sit with the engine running or forbids leaving a vehicle running while unattended on a public road or in public spaces.  

States such as Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, and others have anti-idling laws that impose limits or conditions on idling. While some of these states even impose fines for leaving a car running while empty. 

Are There Exceptions To These Laws?

What these laws actually regulate is the act of leaving a vehicle running while unattended. For example, Massachusetts law generally prohibits unnecessary idling for more than five minutes unless there’s a specific need, such as servicing the vehicle or delivering goods. 

Some states or municipalities add special conditions, such as Pennsylvania, which allows idling up to 20 minutes when temperatures are below 40°F. Georgia, for example, allows up to 25 minutes when it is below freezing.

That said, there is no single federal ban on idling in cold weather, and not every state restricts it for personal vehicles. For instance, Florida doesn’t currently have state anti-idling regulations at all, meaning remote start systems there are perfectly legal to use without special restriction.  

In contrast, places like Illinois enforce laws against leaving a car running unattended on public property, but Chicago specifically has interpreted the law to allow remote-started vehicles as an exception. Chicago’s reasoning for their interpretation argues that the engine is running and the doors remain locked, meaning the vehicle isn’t technically “unattended” under the letter of the law.  

Commenters Chimed In

Viewers went to comment section to share that they are aware of this, but don’t care.

“Whether its illegal or not my wife isn’t getting in her car in the morning to freeze. I’ll start it and let it get warm for her,” one TikTok commenter shared.

“I’ve heard that, however I don’t care. When it’s freezing outside I use the remote and warm up the car,” another added.

While viewers went onto to mention the environmental impact this causes.

“My neighbor did this with it backed up to my bedroom windows. Think of all the harmful fumes I get to wake up too. He did t0o warm and to cool his car. Sicking,” one shared.

“It’s illegal for big trucks to idle for more than five minutes so I’m sure some states probably do have laws against cars idling for EPA reasons,” another commented.

MotorBiscuit reached out to @suzjo187 for comment via TikTok direct message.

@suzjo187 #remotestart #car #idle #legal ♬ original sound – Suzjo187