Is Lane Splitting Legal in Mississippi? (2026 Law)

Mississippi law does not expressly address lane splitting or lane filtering: no statute authorizes a motorcycle to ride between lanes or rows of vehicles, and none names the practice to forbid it. The general traffic rules in Title 63, Chapter 3 of the Mississippi Code apply instead. On a roadway with three or more marked lanes, Miss. Code 63-3-603(1)(a) requires a vehicle to be driven "as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane," and 63-3-613(2) bars passing on the right by driving off the pavement or on the shoulder. A Chapter 3 violation with no other penalty is a misdemeanor with a first-conviction fine of up to $100 or up to 10 days in jail (63-9-11(2)). For how other states handle it, see our guide to lane splitting laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-09. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Mississippi state law in Title 63 of the Mississippi Code: the lane rules in 63-3-603, the passing rules in 63-3-609 and 63-3-613, the definitions in 63-3-103 and 63-3-125, the speed provisions in 63-3-501, 63-3-505 and 63-3-516, reckless and careless driving in 63-3-1201 and 63-3-1213, license revocation in 63-1-51, the general penalty and violator course in 63-9-11, the state assessment in 99-19-73, and 2016 House Bill 854. It does not cover city or county ordinances, license points, court costs, assessment amounts, insurance consequences, or the law of other states.

About the statute text: Mississippi's official code is available through the Mississippi Legislature's website. The quotations on this page follow the July 2020 edition of the Mississippi Code (and the 2023 text of 63-3-103). No law passed in the 2020 through 2026 regular sessions amended 63-3-603, 63-3-609, 63-3-613 or 63-9-11; special sessions are not covered by that statement, so confirm the current text before relying on a quotation.

What Mississippi's code says about riding between lanes

No section of Mississippi's traffic code authorizes a motorcycle to ride between lanes of traffic or between rows of stopped vehicles, and none expressly prohibits it. The sections of Title 63 that name motorcycles deal with licensing, helmets, fees, racing and equipment, not lane position. The lane rule in 63-3-603 has no motorcycle clause, which is why a 2016 bill tried to add one (see below).

That silence is not permission. A motorcycle is a vehicle under Mississippi law. Section 63-3-103(c) defines it as "every motor vehicle having a saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three (3) wheels in contact with the ground but excluding a tractor," a definition that includes motor scooters and excludes electric bicycles. The general lane and passing rules that bind every driver bind riders too, and those are the rules an officer would look to.

The single-lane rule and where it applies

Mississippi's single-lane rule is narrower than in many states. Section 63-3-603(1) opens with a condition:

"(1) Whenever any roadway has been divided into three (3) or more clearly marked lanes for traffic, except through or bypassing a municipality, the following rules in addition to all others consistent herewith shall apply: (a) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from such lane until the driver has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety."

The rule applies only on a roadway divided into three or more clearly marked lanes, and not "through or bypassing a municipality." Section 63-3-125 uses the same idea for its definition of a "laned highway": "a highway the roadway of which is divided into three or more clearly marked lanes for vehicular traffic."

On roads the single-lane rule does not reach, such as two-lane roads and multi-lane roads through or bypassing a municipality, the general passing rule still applies. Section 63-3-609 requires a driver overtaking a vehicle going the same direction to "pass to the left thereof at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle," and 63-3-613 limits passing on the right (see below). Neither section carries its own penalty, so the 63-9-11(2) default applies.

Subsection (2) of 63-3-603 adds a left-lane rule for roadways with two or more lanes moving in the same direction: a vehicle "shall not be driven in the outermost left lane" except in the situations the subsection lists, beginning with "Overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction." A violation of subsection (2) "is punishable by a fine of not less than Five Dollars ($5.00) nor more than Fifty Dollars ($50.00)."

Riding on the shoulder

The shoulder answer is written into Mississippi's passing statute. Section 63-3-613 allows passing on the right in two situations only:

"(1) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle which is making or about to make a left turn. (2) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and, allowing sufficient clearance, pass another vehicle proceeding in the same direction either upon the left or upon the right on a roadway with unobstructed pavement of sufficient width for four (4) or more lines of moving traffic when such movement can be made in safety. The left lane shall be the preferred passing lane. No person shall drive off the pavement or upon the shoulder of the roadway overtaking or passing on the right."

Two points follow. Passing on the right on a multi-lane road requires pavement wide enough for four or more lines of moving traffic, not two. And the last sentence names the shoulder directly: no person may drive off the pavement or on the shoulder to overtake or pass on the right.

Section 63-3-125 defines the roadway as "that portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel." That definition does not itself mention the shoulder; the shoulder limit comes from the express words of 63-3-613(2).

What happens if you are stopped

Neither 63-3-603(1) nor 63-3-613 carries its own penalty, so the general penalty for Chapter 3 applies. Section 63-9-11(1) makes it "a misdemeanor for any person to violate any of the provisions of Chapter 3, 5 or 7 of this title," and subsection (2) sets the range for a violation "for which another penalty is not provided":

These are maximums, not set amounts. A state assessment is added to a fine for a Title 63 traffic violation other than a parking or registration offense, with an additional assessment for speeding, reckless and careless driving, and the court may not suspend or reduce it (Miss. Code 99-19-73(1), (5) and (9)). A driver charged with a Chapter 3 misdemeanor who holds a valid Mississippi license or permit, has no Chapter 3, 5 or 7 conviction in the prior three years and meets the other conditions in 63-9-11(3) may complete a traffic safety violator course of at least four hours, paying the fine, costs and assessments plus an additional $10 fee, and have no record of the violation on the driving record. The court named on the ticket can state the amount due.

Speed, reckless driving and careless driving

Reckless and careless driving are separate charges with their own elements; whether a particular ride meets them depends on the facts. The table sets them out:

The reckless driving statute calls it "a greater offense than careless driving," and the careless driving statute calls careless driving "a lesser offense than reckless driving." Repeat reckless driving also reaches the license: section 63-1-51(1)(e) provides for revocation on "three (3) charges of reckless driving committed within a period of twelve (12) months." A 2025 bill to create a crime of aggravated reckless driving where an accident results in bodily harm, Senate Bill 2891, died in committee.

Mississippi's maximum speed rule, 63-3-501, provides that "no person shall operate a vehicle on the highways of the state at a speed greater than sixty-five (65) miles per hour," and the work-zone penalty in 63-3-516 is aimed at speeding in a posted work zone when workers are present (a fine of not more than $250 for a first offense), not at lane or passing violations.

The 2016 lane filtering bill

In 2016, House Bill 854 proposed adding a new paragraph (f) to 63-3-603(1). The introduced text began:

"(f) Whenever any road has two (2) or more adjacent lanes that travel in the same direction, a motorcycle may proceed through stalled traffic using a portion of such adjacent lanes, provided that: (i) The stalled traffic must be traveling at a rate of speed less than thirty (30) miles per hour in the congested zone;"

The bill died in committee on February 23, 2016, and never became law. No bill to amend 63-3-603 or 63-3-613 was filed in any regular session from 2020 through 2026, according to the Legislature's bill status site.

If a crash happens while splitting or filtering

A crash while riding between lanes raises the same lane and passing rules discussed above, and those rules can come up when fault is decided. How that works for injury and insurance claims is covered in our guide to Mississippi motorcycle accident laws. For crash rules that apply to every driver, see Mississippi car accident laws.

Related pages

• Lane splitting laws by state
• Mississippi motorcycle accident laws
• Mississippi car accident laws

This article provides general legal information about Mississippi law, not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Mississippi or the court named on your citation.

Last updated: 2026-10-09.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is lane splitting legal in Mississippi?

No Mississippi statute expressly allows or bans it. The general rules still apply: on roadways with three or more marked lanes, Miss. Code 63-3-603(1)(a) requires a vehicle to stay as nearly as practical within a single lane, and 63-3-613 limits passing on the right. Section 63-3-609 also requires any pass on the left to be made at a safe distance.

Is lane filtering legal in Mississippi?

Mississippi has no filtering law. A 2016 bill, House Bill 854, would have let motorcycles move through stalled traffic under 30 mph, but it died in committee.

Can motorcycles ride on the shoulder in Mississippi?

Not to pass. Miss. Code 63-3-613(2) says no person shall drive off the pavement or upon the shoulder of the roadway overtaking or passing on the right.

What is the penalty for an improper lane or passing violation in Mississippi?

Under Miss. Code 63-9-11(2), a Chapter 3 violation with no other penalty is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100 or up to 10 days in jail for a first conviction, with higher maximums for a second or third conviction within one year.

Is lane splitting reckless driving in Mississippi?

Reckless driving is a separate charge. Under Miss. Code 63-3-1201 it requires driving in a manner indicating a wilful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property; a first conviction carries a fine of $5 to $100.

Can two motorcycles ride side by side in Mississippi?

No Mississippi statute addresses motorcycles riding two abreast. The two-abreast limit in Miss. Code 63-3-603(1)(e) is written for persons riding bicycles.