Connecticut Headlights Law

CONNECTICUT

·  Any lighted lamp or illuminating device on a vehicle, other than headlamps, spot lamps, or auxiliary driving lamps, that projects a beam of light of an intensity greater than 300 candlepower must be directed so that the beam will not strike the level of the road at a distance of more than 75 feet from the vehicle.

·  A blue light may not be illuminated on a civilian motor vehicle. Any light visible from the front of the vehicle must be white, yellow or amber; any light from the rear must be red, yellow, amber or white. Flashing lights are prohibited on motor vehicles. We suggest avoiding all flashing or rotating lights, as well as colors green, blue, and red as they are typically used on emergency vehicles. Based on Connecticut’s rigorous laws driving a vehicle with non-legal aftermarket lighting install, even if those are turned off, may be considered illegal.

·  In addition to at least two headlights and two tail lights, vehicles in Connecticut are allowed to have additional lighting including not more than two fog lights (see below).

LIGHTING LAWS IN CONNECTICUT

NOTICE! THIS PAGE CONTAINS ONLY A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS. KENSUN DOES NOT GIVE ANY LEGAL ADVICE. PLEASE BE SURE TO REFER TO A LAWYER, LOCAL DOT OR POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE.

 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

General Statutes of Connecticut, Chapter 246, Sec. 14-96a

Sec. 14-96a. Lighted lamps and illuminating devices required, when:

(a) Every vehicle upon a highway within this state shall display such lighted lamps and illuminating devices as may be required under the provisions of sections 14-96a to 14-96aa, inclusive;

1) at any time from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise;

2) at any time when, due to insufficient light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions, persons and vehicles on the highway are not clearly discernible at a distance of five hundred feet ahead;

3) at any time during periods of precipitation, including, but not limited to, periods of snow, rain or fog;

(b) Whenever in said sections any requirement is declared as to distance from which certain lamps and devices shall render objects visible or within which such lamps or devices shall be visible, such requirement shall apply during the times stated in subsection (a) of this section in respect to a vehicle without load when upon a straight, level, unlighted highway under normal atmospheric conditions unless a different time or condition is expressly stated.

Sec. 14-96b. Head lamps

(a) Every motor vehicle other than a motorcycle shall be equipped with at least two headlamps with at least one on each side of the front of the motor vehicle, which headlamps shall comply with the requirements and limitations set forth in sections 14-96a to 14-96aa, inclusive.

(b) Every motorcycle shall be equipped with at least one and not more than two headlamps which shall comply with the requirements and limitations of said sections.

(c) Every headlamp upon every motor vehicle, including every motorcycle, shall be located at a mounted height of not more than fifty-four inches nor less than twenty-two inches.

Sec. 14-96n. General lighting requirements.

(a) Every vehicle, including animal-drawn vehicles, not specifically required by the provisions of sections 14-96a to 14-96aa, inclusive, to be equipped with lamps or other lighting devices, shall, at all times specified in subsection (a) of section 14-96a, be equipped with at least one lamp displaying a white light visible from a distance of not less than one thousand feet to the front of such vehicle, and shall also be equipped with two lamps displaying red light visible from a distance of not less than one thousand feet to the rear of said vehicle, or, as an alternative, one lamp displaying a redlight visible from a distance of not less than one thousand feet to the rear and two red reflectors visible from all distances between six hundred and one hundred feet to the rear when illuminated by the upper beams of headlamps.

COLORS RESTRICTIONS

Sec. 14-96g. Colors of lamps and reflectors.

(a) Front clearance lamps, identification lamps and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the front or on the side near the front of a vehicle shall display or reflect an amber color.

(b) Rear clearance lamps, identification lamps and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the rear or on the sides near the rear of a vehicle shall display or reflect a red color. Any motor vehicle or equipment owned by a governmental agency which is engaged in construction or maintenance work may display red or white reflective sheeting on the rear of such vehicle or equipment.

(c) All lighting devices and reflectors mounted on the rear of any vehicle shall display or reflect a red color, except that the stop light or other signal device may be red, amber or yellow, and except that the light illuminating the license plate shall be white and the light emitted by a back-up lamp shall be white or amber.

EQUIPMENT RESTRICTED

Sec. 14-96c. Tail lamps.

Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer and pole trailer, and any other vehicle which is being drawn at the end of a combination of vehicles, shall be equipped with at least two tail lamps mounted on the rear, which, when lighted as required in subsection (a) of section 14-96a, shall emit a red light plainly visible from a distance of one thousand feet to the rear.

Sec. 14-96d. Reflectors.

(a) Each motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer and pole trailer shall carry on the rear, either as a part of the tail lamps or separately, two or more red reflectors meeting the requirements of this section. Each motorcycle shall carry at least one such reflector.

Sec. 14-96e. Stop lamps. Turn signals.

(a) Each motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer and pole trailer shall be equipped with two or more stop lamps meeting the requirements of subsection (a) of section 14-96r.

Flashing lights are prohibited on motor vehicles (except for emergency vehicles).

OTHER RULES

HEADLIGHTS: 2 MINIMUM

§  minimum height: 22 inches

§  maximum height: 54 inches

TAIL LIGHTS: 2 MINIMUM

§  minimum height: 15 inches

§  maximum height: 72 inches

SPOT LIGHTS: 2 MAXIMUM

FOG LIGHTS: 2 MAXIMUM

§  minimum height: 12 inches

§  maximum height: 30 inches

AUXILIARY PASSING LIGHTS: 2 MAXIMUM

§  minimum height: 24 inches

§  maximum height: 42 inches

AUXILIARY DRIVING LIGHTS: 2 MAXIMUM

§  minimum height: 16 inches

§  maximum height: 42 inches

 LINKS

General Statutes of Connecticut, Chapter 246, Sections 14-83 to 14-96

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