Automotive

Are LED Headlights Legal?

Are LED Headlights Legal?

The development of long-lasting LED lights means that such bulbs are now available in a wide range of applications. You most likely have them in the home as room lighting, you may even have a television that uses LED technology, and they are used in many other items in and around the home.

When it comes finding lights for your car, there are LED brakes, LED light bars and even fog lights which are becoming very popular, so are interior lights, but what about LED headlights?

Are LED Headlights Road Legal?

LED headlights are available in the USA, and they are very effective, yet you need to be especially careful as LED headlights are not always road legal. So when are LED headlights legal??

Road legal headlights are those that meet the requirements laid down in the law pertaining to where you might be, and LED lights often do not fit the bill. Let’s have a look at what makes headlights road legal, and how you can make sure your LED headlights are, too.

Browse Best Legal LED Headlight Bulbs →

 

What Makes Headlights Road Legal?

Whether LED headlights are legal or not varies from state to state, but in general LED headlights are road legal if they project a beam that allows you to see between 50 and 100 meters ahead of you.

They should be bright enough to be seen, but must not be so bright that they dazzle other vehicles on the road.

There are normally certain rules about the color that you are allowed to use. Usually yellow or white are the only colors permitted – and the latter point is one that can be a problem with certain LED bulbs.

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Read our article first which covers what headlight bulb do I need if you’re unsure which bulb fitting you require.

When we talk of headlights – or any other parts of a car – being road legal, we mean that it can be lawfully driven on the roads of your region. It should be remembered that there are different regulations in some states – and in other countries – so what may be determined road legal where you are may not be elsewhere.

When we are talking about headlights, there are important safety issues that determine the legality of the lights you fit in your car. When you buy a car it will come with standard headlights and other lights that are required; some people like to use LED lights, but they do not always comply with the necessary regulations.

Remember, the above paragraph outlines general rules and regulations; you should check with your local authority regarding the fitting of LED headlights.<

So, now we know what road legal means, can it be applied to LED headlights?

Buying Legal LED Headlights

Why do people fit the best LED headlights – or other lights – to their cars? Well, there are two main reasons: firstly, they really do look great. LED lights give a much more up to the minute look to your car lights.

The second reason is that LED lights last a lot longer than conventional halogen bulbs, of the type used in standard car headlights. This makes them more efficient and cost-effective, and fitting such bulbs can be a sensible cost-saving.

Legal Led Headlight

However, there still remain the problems surrounding whether LED headlights are road legal in your state, so let’s check them out in more detail.

First, there’s the brightness issue; as we’ve already mentioned, it is entirely possible – and not, in fact, uncommon – for car headlights to actually be too bright, and therefore illegal. You know what it’s like when you come head-on with a car that has its high beam headlights on; badly fitted, or too bright, LED lights can have the same effect, and may momentarily dazzle other drivers straight on or through there mirrors, which can be very dangerous indeed. If you’re considering fitting the brightest LED headlights on the market, it’s worth checking the laws in your state.

Unlike LED light bars, there are also requirements as to where headlights should point, in terms of direction, when you have your normal beam on: this is always downwards, and slightly away from oncoming traffic. The reason for this is as we mentioned above – badly angled lights can blind oncoming drivers, and this is a regularly encountered problem with cheap LED bulbs that have not been realigned.

Many drivers, for example, change from standard halogen lights to more impressive xenon HID bulbs, and when they do so are legally required to purchase an HID conversion kit that ensures they have the correct angle of headlight beam. This is not a legal requirement with LED, yet you should still ensure that your headlights are correctly aligned as you may otherwise be breaking the law.

Should I Fit Road Legal LED Headlight Bulbs?

We may have made fitting LED headlights sound problematic; that’s because, if we’re honest, it can be! The reason for the problems remains with the sometimes confusing laws and regulations as we have outlined, and once again it is important to ensure you check the local regulations that apply to your region, as only then will you discover if LED lights are in fact a legal option for your car.

Browse Best Legal LED Headlight Bulbs →

 

Of course, if your car is a show or track vehicle, and will not be driven on the roads at all, then you have no problem at all in fitting LED lights. If you do intend to drive it on the road, there are some important steps to take that we have listed below:

Led Headlight Bulb

Don’t buy cheap LED headlight bulbs online – you will find many, many suppliers offering cheap LED bulbs of all types online. We recommend very strongly that you steer away from these without exception. The bulbs will be of a poor quality, and will most likely fail to meet any necessary legal requirements.

Buy name brand products – look for known brands, such as electronics giants like Philips, for your LED bulbs, or take advice from your local car dealer. Buying quality items means you get the best performance and life out of your LED headlights.

Check the law – it really is worth mentioning this again; it may be legal in one place, but not in another, so make sure it is legal to fit LED lights where you intend to drive.

There may be changes in the law as LED lights become more popular, but for now it is wise to exert caution if you want to fit them to your car or any other road-going vehicle.

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8 comments

J lilly January 25, 2019 at 12:39 am

Who are you? And what good is should? How do you know your not breaking the law with info like, should?

Reply
David Willis January 25, 2019 at 7:36 am

With the greatest respect, there’s 1000’s of different models of LED headlights and we’re not sat next to you installing them.

We provided a basic guide of what is the general consensus, if you’re that concerned check your local legislation. No one can give you the exact info without knowing what car you have, what lights you have, what state you live in, or how you’ve fitted them.

I recommend you should do some additional research on your specific requirements.

Reply
Guy March 17, 2019 at 3:19 pm

Do the LED headlights work as driving lights and headlights? (dimmer when the car is put in gear and brighter when the headlights are turned on)

Reply
David Willis March 18, 2019 at 7:57 am

Hi Guy,

Not entirely sure what you mean, but these are not DRLs (Daylight Running Lights) if that’s your question. These are normally smaller separate bulbs on most cars.

Hope that helps?

David

Reply
Dan B March 25, 2019 at 10:14 pm

A few LED’s do work with low voltage when you have low beam DRL’s, but not many. One of which is the Morimoto 2 stroke 2.0

Reply
Amber Smith April 14, 2019 at 9:31 pm

NO! These headlights that more and more people have are blinding AF. People DO NOT angle them properly and its HAZARDOUS. These should not be legal. It’s not just me, its everyone who DOESNT already have these that are complaining. Stand in front of your car, or even to the side, turn your headlights on, and youll see how it literally HURTS your eyes and you cant see ANYTHING ELSE.

Reply
David Willis April 16, 2019 at 5:41 am

Hi Amber,

Thanks for your input. I don’t think you’ll be on your own there, as a frequent driver myself I know exactly what you’re talking about.

But it’s not just LED headlights, any headlight that is angled wrong is just as blinding. As you say, the issue lies more with the fact that people fit them themselves rather than with the technology itself (there are plenty of HID and Halogen bulbs that are just as bright, if not brighter).

The only long term fix lies in having headlights signed off by a mechanic with the right testing equipment to check the light direction during annual safety check-ups, until that’s a strict law, unfortunately, the issue of bad installations will continue with LED, HID & Halogen headlights.

David

Reply
Arthur August 16, 2019 at 12:30 am

Hey David,

Good post.

From what I understand, LED headlight bulbs can claim to be legal if they follow the DOT regulations. DOT sets standards for the light beams
of road going vehicles. They do not have regulations for the type of bulbs in the headlight housings. From what I understand, the headlight housings can have LED, halogen or HID bulbs.

The tricky part is that a lot of companies can claim their bulbs are DOT compliant because DOT won’t actually check them, UNTIL they are flagged for claiming to be DOT compliant when they are not.

Also, LED headlight bulbs that cause intense glare and can’t be adjusted were not tested/ DEVELOPED properly, therefore making it fairly easy to assume they are illegal. An LED headlight bulb that is properly built to work in a reflector style headlight housing will cause zero glare for other drivers on the road. A properly tested LED headlight bulb can have an excellent beam pattern (vast upgrade over OEM halogen), nice bright white light, and have zero glare issues.

To all the shoppers out there; Do your homework on whether the LED bulbs your interested in have been thoroughly tested by the company.

thanks,
Art

Reply

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