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Question: What are the laws limiting the different color lights you can have on your tires or undercarriage of your car? Are under vehicle ground effect lights legal in Arizona?

Answer: There are many different extras you can add to your car to make it look really cool, including several types of lights that attach to various places on your car. Although these lights can make your car look cool, safety is one of the first considerations for Arizona laws on this topic. There are very specific guidelines in Arizona Law concerning colored lights and undercarriage or "Ground Effects" lights.

Arizona law says (ARS §28-931) that any reflectors or lights mounted on the front or front side of a car be "amber" which is a yellowish-orange color. And any reflectors or lights on the back or side back must be red, except for signal lights which must be red, yellow or amber. The light illuminating the license plate must be white.

Arizona Law (ARS §28-940) also addresses other car and truck lighting equipment. A car or truck cannot have:

  • more than two side or fender lights and they must be amber or white color.
  • more than one running board light on each side and they must be white or amber color.
  • more than two backup lamps (like a spotlight) but the backup lamps must not be shining while the vehicle is in motion.

Also, Arizona Law (ARS §28-947) has restrictions on the type of headlights you can have, and their brightness. And it is against Arizona Law for any car other than an emergency vehicle to have a red or blue light visible from the front of the vehicle.

So, Arizona Law allows you to have certain lights of certain colors on your car, but you cannot put differently colored lights on the body, under carriage or tires of your car. Safety is the priority, and colored lights can be distracting. People's eyes need to be on the road instead of looking at cool lights in order to avoid causing accidents.

Don't forget that some lights on your car are mandatory, like break lights, turn signals and headlights. You can be pulled over if any of these lights aren't working properly, so make sure to do regular maintenance on you car.


Comments
1 thru 5 of 60 comments
On 05/19/09
Bill from AZ said:
I just received a ticket for flashing my bright lights at 8:00am to warn oncoming traffic of a speed trap. Is this really against the law?
On 12/20/08
Shaggy from AZ said:
you know these laws are BS for lighting. Some i agree with the ones i have a problem with are the under car lights there not bothering anyone. you can see the vehicle beter. I install hundreds of these kits i have since the early 90's not one has a state, city or cop been able to have the ticket hold up in court on my installs i know the ways around the laws to get out of them but officers should learn there codes beter. every ticket i have got ten since 1992 has been thrown out and i have had law suits on varise citys for harassment and won every one of them.
On 09/13/08
Shaggy from AZ said:
does the law restrict the use of an HID light? if anyone knows.
On 09/10/08
Hero from TX said:
I got pulled over for my undercarriage lights in my hometown. I had been driving with them for a year already and nobody said anything. The cop that pulled me over said the lights had to be yellow to be legal, but I think he was full of it, cause he didn't even write me a warning. I know cops hate the lights though, so I turn em off whenever my radar goes off, just to be safe. I got pulled over another time when I had them on, but the officer didn't mention the lights at all. I turn em on driving on the highway or in parking lots, but watch out for anxious cops.
On 04/08/08
jesse from AZ said:
underglow lights are awsome i agree i am going to put them on my 98 pontiac grand prix supercharged and i dont agree with the law. when is the last time you got pulled over did they have lights under the car or did they have really bright flashing lights on the top of the car for everyone to see???
1 thru 5 of 60 comments



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