Colored or tinted headlights are one way to make your car truly stand out, as long as the color and transparency are chosen tastefully.
However, there are laws in place pertaining to automotive lighting that you have to follow, especially if your car is regularly driven on public roads.
In this guide, we’ll tell you whether it is legal to have colored headlights on your car, and we’ll provide a state-by-state rundown of the laws around this upgrade.
Restricted Headlight Colors
The reason behind lighting restrictions is to ensure that your car doesn’t resemble an emergency vehicle.
Red and blue lights are typically associated with and used by emergency vehicles, so using these colors on your headlights is definitely illegal. And that’s the same reason why tail light tints aren’t legal.
Regardless of which state you live in, you cannot have red or blue headlights. More importantly, you cannot display flashing lights or interior lights that are red or blue.
Other than the tail lights, you are not permitted to use red light fixtures anywhere in your car.
The laws apply to fog lights as well. For example, iced blue, purple, green, red, or any color other than white, warm white, and amber aren’t permitted.
As a general rule of thumb, avoid using static and flashing red or blue lights.
State-By-State Headlight Laws
The safest thing you can do is avoid coloring or tinting your headlights because it is illegal.
And if you wish to install aftermarket lights, it is recommended that you only use products that are DOT-approved.
However, the difference between headlight tint and color is worth noting:
- Tint: Colored film applied to your headlight lens
- Color: Color of the light emitted by your headlights
Tinting your headlights won’t necessarily change the color of the emitted light. This depends on how dark your tint is, and how much it affects the VLT rating (visible light transmission).
Even though colored headlights are completely illegal, you can get away with lightly tinted headlights in some states.
The list below outlines the minimum required visibility and VLT rating for each state along with other relevant notes where applicable.
Alabama
VLT: 70%
Alaska
VLT: 70%
Arizona
Visibility Range: 500 ft
Arkansas
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights and dark tints that reduce illumination are prohibited.
California
VLT: 70%
Colorado
VLT: 27%
Connecticut
Visibility: 500 ft
Delaware
VLT: 70%
District of Columbia
VLT: 70%
Florida
VLT: 28%
Other Notes: Lightly frosted white or blue lights are permitted as long as the emitted light is white.
Georgia
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
Hawaii
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
Idaho
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
Illinois
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
Indiana
Visibility: 500 ft
Iowa
VLT: 70%
Kansas
Visibility: 500 ft
Kentucky
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: All aftermarket headlights must meet DOT requirements.
Lousiana
VLT: 70%
Other Notes: Headlights need to be mounted at no higher than 54″ or lower than 24″.
Maine
Visibility: 500 ft
Maryland
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Headlight tint is not permitted.
Massachusetts
Visibility: 500 ft
Michigan
VLT: 70%
Minnesota
Other Notes: Colors other than white are prohibited except in special events such as parades.
Mississippi
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
Missouri
Visibility: 500 ft
Montana
Visibility: 500 ft
Nebraska
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
Nevada
Visibility: 500 ft
New Hampshire
VLT: 70%
New Jersey
VLT: 70%
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
New Mexico
Visibility: 500 ft
New York
VLT: 70%
North Carolina
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
North Dakota
VLT: 70%
Visibility: 500 ft
Ohio
VLT: 70%
Visibility: 500 ft
Oklahoma
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
Oregon
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
Pennsylvania
Other Notes: Off-road light fixtures can be installed on the roof or roll-bar but they must have an opaque covering on public roads.
Rhode Island
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
South Carolina
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
South Dakota
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
Tennessee
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
Texas
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Colored bulbs, smoked tints, and aftermarket LED halo lights are illegal.
Utah
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
Vermont
VLT: 70%
Virginia
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
Washington
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
West Virginia
Visibility: 500 ft
Wisconsin
Visibility: 500 ft
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
Wyoming
Other Notes: Static and flashing red or blue lights are prohibited.
A Note on HID Headlights
The heavy emphasis on the restriction of blue headlights becomes confusing when you consider HID or high-intensity-discharge headlights that have a blueish tint.
As long as the HID headlights are OEM, they’ll be considered legal because the automaker takes that under consideration.
However, HID conversion kits that aren’t OEM-approved are illegal. If your car did not come stock with HID headlights, then you cannot legally install non-HID headlights.
For an HID conversion kit to be legal, the new bulb needs to match the OEM bulb in terms of features such as light intensity and ballast design.
Another concern is that aftermarket HID conversion kits typically exceed the permitted brightness level and safety limits, which will effectively make your car more of a hazard.
Conclusion: Is It Legal to Have Colored Headlights?
The bottom line is that colored headlights of any kind are illegal. The only colors you can use are white, warm white, and amber.
One of the reasons behind that is to enhance the white and yellow lines on the road, and ensure that reflective traffic signs are illuminated when you’re passing them.
What are your thoughts on colored headlights? Are they rice or nice? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
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