I would call several State Police headquarters and ask them. I have heard it is against the law to travel with your tail gate down, but have never been stopped. PS, get the name of the officers that you speak to as a reference.

Get the answer in writing... If you get an answer, you want a hard copy. Sometimes people can forget what they said...

On a side note... may the cop just want to check your lady.... Ya never know....

It wouldn't be out of the ordinary for her to get pulled over just so the cop can get a closer look, but that wasn't the case this time. She said the guy was actually pretty rude and unfriendly.

....... I don't know if there is a law that says you have to have a bumper but do know that I have been pulled over and told by police , sheriffs and troopers in La and in Miss that there is a law on the books on maximium bumper height off the ground , I use to have a few different 4x4 trucks that were jacked up really high and was running 40 and 44 inch tires and was pulled over quite a few times over the years and warned but never did get a ticket for it , I don't think it is really enforced much as I still see trucks up there

I have heard of that law. I believe it is a safety issue for small (low)cars that may rear end you, and if your bumper is high enough, instead of hitting your bumper they can go underneath it and end up taking your bumper through the front of their windshield.
Your answer did bring up a thought I hadn't taken into consideration before. I can see how having no bumper could indeed pose a safety issue. The fuel tank is located under the bed of most small pick up trucks. I guess getting hit in the rear end without a bumper could cause damage to the gas tank and possibly cause an explosion. So it would make sense to have such a law, however I have yet to find any law against it in Louisiana. Even California, where just about any modification to a vehicle is illegal says it's illegal for cars, but not for trucks. I'm going to make some phone calls tomorrow to the Louisiana state police and see if there is a law regarding no rear bumper on pick up trucks.Will update.

You put a bumper on there and people gonna' think you got insuance (not implying you do not) and they'll be more apt to whack ya........ :)

My experience tends for me to believe people shy away from Fugly,,,, I had and old, ragged out field truck, rock solid, steady truck,completely legal and insured,, but ugly as sin....... people never tailgated me, gave me plenty of room, never even wanted to park too close to it.It was like the ol' truck had Vechile AIDS or something..NEVER got whacked in it. Gave it away, got me a fairly new, real purdy clean GMC truck,, dang if it weren't like flys to suger,, could not keep from getting whacked in that thing.

I know there is a maximum height on headlights also. Its something like 55 inches. Many years ago when you bought a truck the rear bumper was optional. They would have several styles to choose from if you wanted one but I beleive that has changed now.

Louisiana revised statutes- title 14 is criminal law; title 32 is vehicle law ;title 40 is narcotics law--you can yahoo ,google or what ever Louisiana revised statutes click on which title u want and read every law for yourself . I dont think you will find in title 32 that you must have a rear bumper on a pickup truck. on a commercial vehicle or semi trailer you must have' rear end protection' that keeps vehicles from driving under the trailer on a rear end wreck--exceptions are pole trailers for logs and trailers that have rear axles so close to the rear that the axles serve as rear end protection. Title 14 has ALL the tresspass laws also

just put a piece of 2x6 treated wood on it .