What are the lighting laws in my state?

Amanda Gustafson
Mar 9, 2021
12 min read

Most car enthusiasts like yourself love to hear people give you props for all the work you've done to your vehicle if it's from a new high horsepower motor or to a set of custom-made lighted mud flaps with your own personal saying that lights up at the flip of a switch.

Even though we love to trick out our rides there are laws we should be aware of. Each state is a little different on what color lights they allow and what is not allowed, and how it is allowed to be installed on a vehicle. So many rules right! But don't worry we have all 50 states lighting laws. If you choose to install aftermarket lighting of any sort on your vehicle, just take a little precaution.

If you are ever pulled over for lighting on your vehicle, be sure to carry a copy of the lighting laws with you in your vehicle. And present it to the officer if you are pulled over for lighting issues. Respect the police officer as they are the ones to come to your aid if your house is being broken into, or if you are being shot at. Show them the respect that they deserve and they should respect you just the same.

Our recommendation is, if you want lights for your car, get them and enjoy them, but If you end up getting a lot of hassle just flip the switch off for public roads and save it for off-road and car shows.

They can't hassle you if they can't catch you........

Educate yourself on your states lighting laws

Alabama

There is no law that actually restricts aftermarket led lighting in Alabama however, there are some restrictions you should be aware of so you don't get hassled by the cops.

Red lights are prohibited to be on the front of the vehicle
Flashing lights of any kind are prohibited
License plate lights must be white

Alaska

Aftermarket vehicle lighting is not restricted in Alaska, so your LEDs shouldn’t necessarily be illegal as long as you follow these few tips:

The color blue is prohibited
Red lights are prohibited to be on the front of the vehicle.
Flashing lights of any kind are prohibited
License plate lights must be white
Only permitted underglow colors are white on the front, amber on the sides, and red on the rear of the car

Arizona

Aftermarket vehicle lighting is not restricted in Arizona, so your LEDs shouldn’t necessarily be illegal as long as you follow these few tips:

Any lights visible from the front of the car should be white or amber
Any lights visible on the rear side of the car should be red
License plate lights must be white
Flashing lights of any kind are prohibited

Arkansas

Aftermarket vehicle lighting is not restricted in Arkansas, so your LEDs shouldn’t necessarily be illegal as long as you follow these few tips:

Arkansas allows two additional ornamental lights permitted on the front of the vehicle, these must always be white
License plate lights must be white
At any time no red, blue, or green lights may be visible from the front of the vehicle
Flashing lights of any kind are prohibited

California

Aftermarket vehicle lighting and underglow are considered legal in California as long as you follow these few regulations:

Red lights are prohibited to be on the front of the vehicle.
Flashing lights of any kind are prohibited
Underglow must not emit more than 0.05 candela per square inch
All aftermarket lights must not be installed within 12 inches of the vehicle’s required lights

Colorado

Aftermarket vehicle lighting is not restricted in Colorado, so your LED lighting shouldn’t necessarily be illegal as long as you follow these few restrictions:

Green colored lights are strictly forbidden
All red or blue lights may not visible from the front of the car
Avoid blue and red color lights as these are used for emergency vehicles.
Street glow is not prohibited but you should avoid flashing, rotating or oscillating street glow systems as these may be a distraction on the road.

Connecticut

All additional aftermarket lighting is considered to be illegal in Connecticut.

Delaware

Aftermarket vehicle lighting is not restricted in Delaware, so your LED lighting shouldn’t necessarily be illegal as long as you follow these few restrictions:

Lights that are visible from the front should only be white or amber
Lights that are visible from the rear of your car should be either red or amber
Red lights are prohibited to be on the front of the vehicle.
License plate lights must be white
Flashing lights of any kind are prohibited
Avoid blue, green and red lights so you don’t get confused for an emergency vehicle

Florida

Aftermarket vehicle lighting is not restricted in Florida, so your LED lighting shouldn’t necessarily be illegal as long as you follow these few restrictions:

Red lights are prohibited to be on the front of the vehicle.
Blue colored lights are prohibited on any part of the vehicle
All lights on the rear of the vehicle must be red
License plate lights must be white
Flashing lights of any kind are prohibited

Georgia

Aftermarket vehicle lighting is not restricted in Georgia, so your LED lighting shouldn’t necessarily be illegal as long as you follow these few restrictions:

Red, blue, violet, and green colors are strictly forbidden
License plate lights must be white
Flashing lights of any kind are prohibited

Hawaii

Aftermarket vehicle lighting is not restricted in Hawaii, so your LED lighting shouldn’t necessarily be illegal as long as you follow these few restrictions:

A combination of red and blue colors are not permitted
License plate lights must be white
WARNING: If you’re caught using blue lights or a combination of blue and red lights, you may receive a fine of up to $1,000, up to 1 year in prison, or both!

Idaho

Aftermarket vehicle lighting is not considered illegal in Idaho, so your LED lighting shouldn’t necessarily be illegal as long as you follow these few restrictions:

Red lights are prohibited to be on the front of the vehicle.
Flashing lights of any kind are prohibited
Blue lights are strictly prohibited
Make sure only red light is visible from the back of your car
License plate lights must be white
Flashing Amber lights are allowed for emergency use only.

Illinois

Additional aftermarket lighting and underglow are considered illegal in the state of Illinois

Indiana

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in Indiana, as long as you follow these few restrictions:

License plate lights must be white
Flashing lights are prohibited
All combinations of red, blue, white, and amber colors are considered illegal

Iowa

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in Iowa, as long as you follow these few restrictions:

Red color should not be visible from the front of the vehicle, and the rear end of the vehicle should only display the color red.
Flashing lights are prohibited
Blue lights must never be used on any part of a vehicle except on authorized emergency vehicles.
License plate lights must be white

Kansas

Aftermarket vehicle lighting is not restricted in Kansas, so your LED lighting shouldn’t necessarily be illegal as long as you follow these few restrictions:

Red underglow is strictly prohibited
Flashing lights are prohibited
Neon tubes need to be completely hidden and are not allowed to be visible
Try to avoid blue and green aftermarket lights so you don’t get your car confused for an emergency vehicle

Kentucky

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in Kentucky, as long as you follow these few restrictions:

Flashing and rotating lights are prohibited, but may be used in an emergency
Blue lights are strictly permitted
Red color should not be visible from the front of the vehicle
Avoid using red or green aftermarket or underglow lights so you won’t get confused for an emergency vehicle.
Any lights that are visible from the front of your car must be either white or amber
Any lights that are visible from the back of your car must either be white, amber or red
To be safe, keep your underglow to white and amber colors and make sure they’re not directly visible.

Louisiana

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in Louisiana, as long as you follow these few restrictions:

Blue-colored lights are considered illegal
Flashing lights are prohibited
Using neon lights of any color except white near license plate is prohibited
Red or green light must not be visible from the front of the car.
Do not display any combination of white, red, and blue colored lights.

Maine

In Maine car underglow is considered illegal anywhere other than at shows or exhibitions

Never use car underglow while driving
You’re allowed to have underglow colors in white or amber for the front of your car, amber on the side, and amber or red at the back
Flashing and rotating lights are prohibited

Maryland

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in Maryland, as long as you follow these few restrictions:

Make sure that red or blue lights are not visible from the front of your car
Make sure only red lights are visible from the rear of your car
Flashing lights are strictly prohibited
License plate lights must always be white
Avoid a combination of blue and red aftermarket lights and underglow so you don’t get confused for an emergency vehicle
You are allowed to have one running board light in white or amber on either side of your car
You are allowed two lamps at your side cowl or fender as well as in the front of your car in white or amber

Massachusetts

Additional aftermarket lighting and underglow are considered illegal in the state of Massachusetts

Michigan

Additional aftermarket lighting and underglow are considered illegal in the state of Michigan while driving, furthermore:

Forbidden to use any kind of flashing lights
Installing underglow in the state of Michigan is not illegal, but be sure you cover it and not have it lit while driving

Minnesota

Minnesota law does specifically prohibit additional vehicle lighting which may include neon underglow.

Mississippi

Mississippi law does not restrict additional aftermarket vehicle lighting which would include neon underglow, but it does restrict which colors may be visible while the car is in motion.

Make sure all lights visible from the front of your vehicle are either white or amber, those visible from the side of your car must be amber, and those visible from the rear of the car must be red
Your license plate lights must always be white
Flashing lights are prohibited

Missouri

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in Missouri, as long as you follow these few restrictions:

No red color may be visible from the front of the vehicle
Your license plate lights must always be white
Flashing lights are prohibited
The state of Missouri does not specifically restrict the blue color, but most states prohibit it since it can be mistaken for police or other emergency vehicle.

Montana

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in Montana, as long as you follow these few restrictions:

Flashing, rotating, or oscillating lights are strictly prohibited
Blue, red, and green neon lights are strictly prohibited
Your license plate lights need to always be white
Green, blue and red color aftermarket lights and underglow are strictly prohibited when on highways or public roads, but are allowed in other settings

Nebraska

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in Nebraska, as long as you follow these few restrictions:

No red or green color may be visible from the front of the vehicle
Rotating or flashing lights are prohibited

Nevada

Nevada law does not specify nor restrict additional vehicle lighting equipment which would include neon underglow, as long as you adhere to the following restrictions:

Flashing amber lights are strictly prohibited unless used for emergency
Make sure the only visible lights from the rear of your car are red
Your license plate lights must always be white
Amber underglow that’s visible from the front of the vehicle only would be considered safe, and red from the back.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire law does not mention additional allowed or restricted vehicle lighting which would include neon underglow, but ensure you avoid the following restrictions:

Red, blue, amber, and green aftermarket lights and underglow are strictly prohibited
Your license plate lights need to always be white

New Jersey

New Jersey law does not restrict using aftermarket vehicle lighting which would include neon underglow, but it does restrict which colors may be visible while the car is in motion, consider the following restrictions:

all lights visible from the front of the car must be white or amber
all lights visible from the front sides of the car must be amber
all lights visible from the back or near the back of the car must be red
license plate illumination must always be white
no flashing lights may be used

New Mexico

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in New Mexico, as long as you follow these few restrictions:

The red light should not be visible from the front of the vehicle
Flashing lights are prohibited

New York

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in New York as long as they are white in color
No rotating, flashing, oscillating, or moving lights are permitted
License plate illumination must always be white

North Carolina

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in North Carolina as long as you follow these few restrictions:

Blue or red lights are strictly prohibited
Avoid flashing amber lights, unless in an emergency
Make sure only red lights are visible from the back of your car

North Dakota

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in North Dakota as long as you follow these few restrictions:

No red or green lights are visible from the front of your car
Your license plate lights must always be white
Flashing lights are prohibited
To be safe, avoid blue and purple shade lights so you won’t get confused for an emergency vehicle

Ohio

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in Ohio as long as you follow these few restrictions:

No flashing, rotating or oscillating lights are permitted
License plate illumination must be white
Underglow lights must not exceed 300 candlepower
Make sure all additional side cowl and fender lights are either white or amber

Oklahoma

Oklahoma law does not restrict additional vehicle lighting which would include neon underglow, as long as you avoid the following restrictions:

No flashing lights are permitted
No red or blue lights may be visible from the front of the vehicle
Blue lights are completely prohibited
License plate illumination must be white, and no additional lights near the license plate are permitted

Oregon

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in Oregon as long as you follow these few restrictions:

The only permitted color in the rear of your car is red (white license plate illumination excluded)
Avoid red and blue lights so you don’t get confused for an emergency vehicle
Flashing, revolving, rotating and oscillating lights are strictly prohibited
No red lights are visible from the front of your car

Pennsylvania

Additional aftermarket lighting and underglow are considered illegal in the state of Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Rhode Island law does not restrict additional vehicle lighting which would include neon underglow, but ensure you avoid the following restrictions:

Red and blue lights in front of the car are strictly prohibited
Flashing lights are strictly prohibited, but considered legal in an emergency
Your license plate lights must always be white

South Carolina

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in South Carolina as long as you follow these restrictions:

No red lights may be visible from the front of the vehicle
The blue color is reserved for police vehicles and may not be visible anywhere outside the car
Flashing or rotating lights are prohibited, but considered legal only in emergency
License plate illumination must be white

South Dakota

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in South Dakota as long as you follow these restrictions:

No red light may be visible from the front of your car
Blue lights are illegal to use
License plate illumination must be white

Tennessee

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in Tennessee as long as you follow these restrictions:

Never use any combination of white, amber, or red lights in front of the vehicle
Flashing lights are strictly prohibited

Texas

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting while driving would be considered legal in Texas as long as you follow these restrictions:

No flashing, rotating or oscillating lights are permitted on civilian vehicles (the only exception is in Sec. 547.331. allowing emergency lamps in case of traffic hazards)
No red lights may be visible from the front of the vehicle
Texas laws also explicitly permit underglow on motorcycles, but only non-flashing white and amber lights are allowed. On cars, Texas also allows fender lights and running board courtesy lamps.

Utah

Utah law does not restrict additional aftermarket vehicle lighting which would include neon underglow, as long as you adhere to the following restrictions:

No red or blue lights may be visible from the front of the car
No flashing or rotating lights are allowed

Vermont

Vermont law does not restrict additional aftermarket vehicle lighting which would include neon underglow, as long as you adhere to the following restrictions:

Do not use red, blue, or amber underglow.
Any after-market lights must not emit over 4 candle power
License plate illumination must be white.

Virginia

Virginia law restricts additional aftermarket vehicle lighting which includes neon underglow.

Washington

Washington law restricts additional aftermarket vehicle lighting which includes neon underglow. Vehicle lighting is only considered legal while parked on private property and don’t use red or blue lights, or flashing or rotating lights.

Washington D.C.

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting an underglow while driving is not illegal in Washington D.C., to be safe make sure you follow these few restrictions:

No red lights may be visible from the front of the vehicle
License plate illumination must be white
Flashing lights are prohibited

West Virginia

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting and underglow while driving is not illegal in West Virginia., to be safe make sure you follow these few restrictions:

Make sure that only white or amber light is visible from the front of the car
No flashing, rotating or oscillating lights are allowed
Your license plate lights must always be white
Make sure that only red lights are visible from the back of your car
White and amber underglow is allowed on your motorcycle but should not flash or rotate

Wisconsin

The use of additional aftermarket vehicle lighting and underglow while driving is considered legal in Wisconsin, to be safe, make sure you follow these few restrictions:

all lights visible from the front of the car should be white or amber
all lights visible from the back of the car should be red
no flashing lights may be used, unless for emergency
no blue lights are permitted
license plate illumination must be white

Wyoming