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It depends on your state and sometimes even your county, but yeah, it's classified as an obstruction of view in a lot of places and can get you ticketed - usually a minor fine, maybe $20-$100 range if they decide to enforce it. The real issue is that cops will use it as a pretext stop if they're looking for another reason to pull you over. If you want the freshness without the legal headache, stick it on your dashboard or clip it to an air vent instead of hanging it from the mirror - same effect, zero obstruction of your sightline, and you're not breaking any laws.
In most US states, hanging an air freshener from your rearview mirror is technically illegal, though enforcement varies wildly depending on where you are and how strict local cops feel that day. The laws are usually written to ban anything that obstructs your view through the windshield, and air fresheners fall under that umbrella. Penalties typically range from a warning to a fine somewhere in the $50 - $100 ballpark, though some places might go higher.
The catch is that these laws are enforced pretty inconsistently. You'll see people driving around with fuzzy dice, dreamcatchers, and dangling air fresheners in plenty of places without getting pulled over. Officers usually use it as a secondary citation if they've already stopped you for something else, rather than pulling someone over solely for an air freshener. That said, a few states and cities do take it more seriously, so it's worth checking your local traffic code if you're concerned.
The best move if you want to freshen up your car is just keeping it on the dashboard or tucking it into a cup holder instead. That way you're not creating any obstruction and you've got zero legal headaches.
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