Having vehicle headlights that meet the legal requirements in Texas or your state will help keep you safe on the road, prevent accidents, and steer clear of being pulled over for illegal headlight use. The headlight laws in Texas are clear about what kind of headlights you can use on motor vehicles and when they must be turned on.
Types of Headlights That Are Allowed in Texas
Under Texas law, headlights must meet some basic requirements for the type, number, and location of headlights on a vehicle. These rules help drivers maintain visibility and reduce the risk of accidents.
According to the laws:
- A motor vehicle should have two headlights on the front, mounted on opposite sides at a height between 24 and 54 inches from the ground.
- You may have no more than two fog lamps mounted in the front of your vehicle.
- Lighted fog lamps may be used with headlights provided they meet the Texas transportation code and are aimed at least four inches below the center level at a distance of 25 feet.1
- All aftermarket headlights and modifications must comply with state and federal standards for use and manufacturing.
These requirements also apply to horse-drawn vehicles.
Color and Brightness Requirements
The color and brightness of your headlights are important for road safety. Both Texas and federal law ensure headlights are bright enough to see clearly but not so bright that they blind other drivers. It also helps drivers differentiate between types of vehicles in low visibility.
Specifically, the laws state that:
- A vehicle must have at least one lamp that emits white light on the front, and that this illuminating device must be visible from a distance of 1,000 feet.1
- There must be either two red lights on the rear of the vehicle visible from a distance of 1,000 feet or one red light that meets the requirements and two reflectors.
- You are not permitted to have a red, blue, or white flashing light unless you are legally operating a bus, snowplow, or tow truck.
- Headlights must have a brightness of at least 500 candela but not more than 3,000 candela.2
Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding Texas headlight laws can help you stay compliant and avoid fines. Here are answers to some common questions drivers have about legal headlight use in Texas.
When are you required to turn on your headlights in Texas?
State law requires drivers to use their headlights at the following times:
- When visibility is less than 1,000 feet due to weather conditions including rain, snow, or fog
- During the night, from within 30 minutes after sunset until at least 30 minutes before sunrise
You should turn your low beams on when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet or when following another vehicle within 300 feet.
What color headlights are legal in Texas?
Texas only allows white headlights to ensure consistency and safety on the road. Police, emergency, and other such public service vehicles may feature other lights in special colors, but the headlights are still white.
Is headlight tinting legal?
Tinted headlights are not allowed on the road, as they can reduce brightness or change the white color, compromising safety and visibility. It is legal to apply headlight tint to a car that will only be displayed at shows or kept in a garage, but it will always need to be transported by another vehicle with untinted headlights.
Can I use LED or HID headlights in Texas?
Yes, LED and HID headlights are legal in Texas as long as they emit white light and meet brightness and placement requirements. Modifications must not cause excessive glare or hinder visibility for other drivers. If the LED brightness exceeds 3,000 candela, you can be penalized for creating an unsafe driving environment.
Penalties for Breaking Texas Headlight Laws
Failing to follow Texas headlight laws can result in fines and additional consequences that affect your driving record, insurance costs, and more.
Potential penalties include:
- Fines: You can be fined well over $200 for each offense, whether it’s having a defective headlight or failing to dim your headlights appropriately while driving.3
- Fix-It Tickets: If you get a fix-it ticket, you must repair the issue and show proof to the court. Ignoring this could result in more fines or legal trouble.
- Other Traffic Violations: Getting stopped for headlight problems could lead to other tickets, like for expired registration or missing insurance.
- Driving Record Points: Some violations can add points to your driving record, and too many points can lead to a suspended license.
- Higher Insurance Costs: Multiple tickets or violations can make your car insurance more expensive over time.
- Failed Vehicle Inspection: Headlights that don’t meet state rules can cause your car to fail its inspection, which means you can’t renew your registration until it’s fixed.
Following headlight laws helps you avoid these penalties while ensuring safer driving conditions for everyone.
Keep Your Texas Driving Record Clean
It is always advisable to do all you can to keep your driving record clean to avoid cost increases such as auto insurance. With headlight tickets, usually the requirement is to fix that issue and provide proof to the court of that. In some cases, however, headlight issues are only noticed after the person is stopped for a moving violation, which carries its own requirements. If you did get a moving violation, in most cases, you will be given the option to take a Texas driver safety course (a.k.a. defensive driving course) to have the ticket dismissed as long as you haven’t taken the course in the last 12 months for another ticket.
If you are given the safety course option, taking a state approved, affordable, and convenient defensive driving course from Ticket School, is a great solution. In addition to potentially keeping a moving violation off your driving record, taking our defensive driving course could save you up to 10% from a participating car insurance company.
Contact us today or enroll online in a state-approved defensive driving course from Ticket School and shine a bright light on the road ahead!
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