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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
6 thru 10 of 60 comments
On 02/20/08
wayne from AZ said:

Are lead license plate holders legal in Arizona?

On 02/20/08
radu from AZ said:

Ok, so after I read these LAWS, I figured that it's illegal to install under-car lights. The reason, distracting drivers. But I have one question: Why is it illegal to have these lights, no matter what color, for example blue, if there are multicolor light all over the places like stores, lighted pannels with publicity and all that? Are these lights not distracting you from driving also? Where is the saftey if there's a flashing pannel from a dealership for example?

On 02/04/08
Dave from AZ said:
Laws are written for the most part "vague" to interprute takes a lawyer to argue the written meaning. Cops do not always know the law, At times they guess at the facts Most cops think they can tell the difference between Good upstanding citezens and trouble makers. They are likely to let one go unnoticed while stopping the other. I have had colored lights from front to rear on my GoldWing motorcyle for 7 years now touring the southwest to the tune of 24,000 miles ayear and have never been pulled over for anything
On 01/31/08
Bryan from AZ said:
I don't understand how people can mistake undercar lights (red, blue) for emergency vehicles. The lights are under not on top. If you see undercar lights then the first thought should be street racer or show enthusiast.
On 12/07/06
kim from NE said:
colored led lights for motorcycles is becoming very popular, and hopefully more safer. although these lights usually just shine down on the engine area, most officers don't mind them however some use it as a reason to pull you over. i personally enjoy being seen from the side, for safety, these are very low led lights. right or wrong? please help. they do not flash or rotate.
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