Light Restrictions And Mounting - Lighting Equipment - Vehicle - CA

Section § 25950

This section outlines the rules for the color of vehicle lights and reflectors in California. Lights visible from the front must be white or yellow, except rear side marker lamps can show red, foglamps can be white to yellow, and certain infrared devices can show yellow to white in the front and red to the rear.

For lights visible from the rear, they should be red unless they are stoplamps from vehicles made before 1979, which can be yellow, turn signals which may be yellow, and backup lamps which must be white. Some reflectors may be red or white.

Unlit lamps can be any color, but when turned on, they must follow these rules. The whole area of rear or side lamps should match the required color if it looks different when unlit.

This section applies to the color of lamps and to any reflector exhibiting or reflecting perceptible light of 0.05 candela or more per foot-candle of incident illumination. Unless provided otherwise, the color of lamps and reflectors upon a vehicle shall be as follows:

(a) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from all reflectors, visible from in front of a vehicle, shall be white or yellow, except as follows:

(1) Rear side marker lamps required by Section 25100 may show red to the front.

(2) The color of foglamps described in Section 24403 may be in the color spectrum from white to yellow.

(3) An illuminating device, as permitted under Section 24255, shall emit radiation predominantly in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Any incidental visible light projecting to the front of the vehicle shall be predominantly yellow to white. Any incidental visible light projecting to the rear of the vehicle shall be predominantly red. Any incidental visible light from an illuminating device, as permitted under Section 24255, shall not resemble any other required or permitted lighting device or official traffic control device.

(b) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from all reflectors, visible from the rear of a vehicle, shall be red except as follows:

(1) Stoplamps on vehicles manufactured before January 1, 1979, may show yellow to the rear.

(2) Turn signal lamps may show yellow to the rear.

(3) Front side marker lamps required by Section 25100 may show yellow to the rear.

(4) Backup lamps shall show white to the rear.

(5) The rearward facing portion of a front-mounted double-faced turn signal lamp may show amber to the rear while the headlamps or parking lamps are lighted, if the intensity of the light emitted is not greater than the parking lamps and the turn signal function is not impaired.

(6) A reflector meeting the requirements of, and installed in accordance with, Section 24611 shall be red or white, or both.

(c) All lamps and reflectors visible from the front, sides, or rear of a vehicle, except headlamps, may have any unlighted color, provided the emitted light from all lamps or reflected light from all reflectors complies with the required color. Except for backup lamps, the entire effective projected luminous area of lamps visible from the rear or mounted on the sides near the rear of a vehicle shall be covered by an inner lens of the required color when the unlighted color differs from the required emitted light color. Taillamps, stoplamps, and turn signal lamps that are visible to the rear may be white when unlighted on vehicles manufactured before January 1, 1974.

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Section § 25951

This law states that any vehicle light, other than the main headlights or certain specific lamps, must be positioned so that its beam does not hit the road more than 75 feet away if it shines brighter than 300 candlepower. This is to prevent glare that can blind other drivers.

Any lighted lamp or device upon a motor vehicle other than headlamps, spotlamps, signal lamps, or auxiliary driving lamps, warning lamps which projects a beam of light of an intensity greater than 300 candlepower shall be so directed that no part of the beam will strike the level of the roadway at a distance of more than 75 feet from the vehicle.

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Section § 25952

This law allows vehicles to have lamps, reflectors, and reflective materials mounted on the load they are carrying, as long as they meet the same requirements as if they were part of the vehicle itself. This ensures all equipment complies with safety regulations.

Additionally, any lamps on a vehicle's load can only be turned on if they are mounted according to the specified rules.

(a) Lamps, reflectors, and area reflectorizing material of a type required or permitted on a vehicle may be mounted on a load carried by the vehicle in lieu of, or in addition to, such equipment on the vehicle. Such equipment shall be mounted on the load in a manner that would comply with the requirements of this code and regulations adopted pursuant to this code if the load were an integral part of the vehicle.

(b) Lamps on vehicles carried as a load shall not be lighted unless such lamps are mounted in accordance with subdivision (a).

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