Are you worried about getting a ticket for installing RGB headlights on your car? Well, don’t worry. You’ve landed on the right page. The first thing you notice about a car is the headlights. Naturally, you might want to customize them, but we’ll advise you not to get carried away.
Using the wrong color of RGB headlights can get you in trouble with the law, and no one wants to pay fines, now do they? We understand that you might be concerned but don’t worry.
In this article, we’ll talk about whether RGB headlights are legal or not and what kind of headlights you can use on your car.
Are RGB Headlights Illegal?
Yes,RGB Headlights are legal, but only if you install the ones that have already been approved by the government. As per the law, using blackout tones, colorful bulbs, and LED halos is not legal.
As a general rule of thumb, only white headlights are allowed in the U.S.
Many companies may try to sell you their product by advertising them as “DOT,” “DOT-complaint,” “DOT-Approved,” or “CERTIFIED.” However, these headlights are hardly ever legal.
Which Headlights Are Legal?
To save yourself the trouble of getting a fine, here is a list of RGB headlights that are legal.
1. Standard Headlights
You can find standard headlights on almost every car. They emit a yellowish-white light that’s easily recognizable. Not to mention that these are the least expensive bulbs available in the market these days.
2. LED Headlights
LED headlights are completely legal. You may notice the package describing them as blue light, but these lights are closer to white than blue. It looks blue because the other lights are mostly yellow. LED lights promise value for money as they’re bright, inexpensive, and promise a long lifespan.
3. Xenon Headlights
Xenon headlights also appear blue as opposed to white. These bulbs light up by using Xenon gas, as is obvious from the name. In addition, these bulbs promise extreme brightness with a long lifespan over thier halogen counterparts. However, you might need to buy a conversion kit to account for the different bulb shapes.
4. Super Blue Halogen Headlights
Super Blue Halogen headlights are also legal RGB headlights. However, keep in mind that the bulb produces a bright, white light and is not colored blue. These bubs provide better visibility on the road and are less expensive.
Which RGB Headlights Are Illegal?
Color lights are not legal. You can’t drive a car with this kind of headlights on a public road, but you may use them on private property like a farm.
Why Are Coloured Headlights Not Legal?
Colored headlights are not legal because of issues with visibility. Colors like green, purple or red become less visible to drivers in the dark. So, to avoid accidents, these colored RGB headlights have been banned.
Which Colored Headlights Are Legal?
According to the laws, only yellow and white headlights are illegal. Certain LED, Xenon, and halogen lights are blue, and they’re completely legal as well. This is because these headlights are not really blue.
They just look blue to us since we’re used to seeing the yellow spectrum most of the time and not white. So, Blue headlights are only allowed as long as they’re closer to white.
RGB Headlights Laws In Different Countries
In the UK, the use of color headlights and bulbs with a color temperature over 4200K is not legal. However, Xenon Halogen Headlight Bulbs with color temperatures of upto 6000k have been considered legal.
The laws in Europe are pretty much the same, as they require the use of either yellow or white headlights. The United States follows a similar set of laws while allowing some bluer Xenon HIDs as well. However, in Australia, the use of blue headlights is completely banned.
All in all, make sure you look up the laws concerning RGB headlights in your state before you head to the mechanic.
Other Headlight Laws You Need To Know
Here are some other headlight laws that you need to keep in mind,
1. Don’t use any flashing red or blue lights.
2. Headlights must be used at night and when visibility is less than 1000 feet on the road. States like Arkansas might require you to turn on your headlights when the windshield wipers are in use.
3. All vehicles are supposed to have two working headlights. Your headlights should not be covered in any way.
4. All bulbs must have “DOT” or any other appropriate SAE stamp on them.
5. Don’t use any device that interferes with the effectiveness and color of your headlight or tail lights.
6. Make sure your license plate is readable and visible at all times.
FAQ
1. What is the brightest headlight bulb that is legal?
Xenon headlights are the brightest headlight bulbs that you can get for your car, and they’re legal. These bulbs are so bright they might be mistaken for high-beam lights. The limit for color temperature is about 4000k or 5000k.
2. How long will RGB lights last?
RGB lights can last from 24 years to 48 years if you’re using them for 12 hours every. They’ll last for a shorter time if you’re using them for 24 hours daily. Generally, 50,000 hours gives us 2038 days of lighted output.
3. Do RGB LEDs burn out?
No, RGB lights can not burn out because there is no use of heat like there is in an incandescent bulb. Neither are any gases or wires burnt up. The microchip fitted inside a bulb produces a small amount of heat that’s dissipated by heat sinks.
Conclusion
Summing it up, only white and yellow headlights are allowed on the road. You can either install standard headlights, Super blue headlights, LED headlights, and Xenon headlights in the colors white and yellow.
Other colors are not allowed on the road since they reduce visibility, but you can use them on private property. We hope this article answers all your queries. If you’ve still got any more questions, feel free to reach out.
