Are Tinted Headlights Legal in Oregon

All headlights must be WEIẞ color as defined in the Society of Automotive Engineers and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 108. The white lamps have been tested to meet all headlight requirements. The maximum permissible power in a headlight or light accessory is 70 watts. FmVSS 108 does not prohibit colour coating on headlights and/or headlights. Blue and green lights are only intended for use in emergency vehicles. Red lights at the front are reserved for emergency vehicles and school bus warning lights. The colored bulbs give a distorted headlight pattern that can prevent the driver from seeing a person or object on the side of the road or crossing the road. Blue lights or other coloured lamps in the rear lights of a motor vehicle are also prohibited, unless the vehicle was manufactured before 1959. Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 816.050 states that headlights must display a white light, which is described in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) No.

108. There are a number of AFTER-MARKET bulbs and headlights that appear on some motor vehicles and have a bluish or greenish color. The argument that a person purchased the bulbs, headlights, or “light bars” from the local auto parts store is not the standard used to determine whether or not they can be used legally in Oregon. There seems to be some confusion among some motorists about the color of the lights that can be legitimately displayed on motor vehicles when traveling on Oregon public roads. Your sheriff`s office will receive calls from time to time asking if a variety of colored lights can be legally attached to motor vehicles. Some appellants expressed concerns about the use of certain coloured lights, particularly those affecting headlights. Markings on headlights and their packaging usually indicate whether the product is approved by the Department of Transportation (DOT). If the packaging of the bulb or headlight does not contain this information, a more thorough investigation with law enforcement must be carried out before purchase.

For more information and tips, visit our website in www.lincolncountysheriff.net and like us on Facebook at the Lincoln County Sheriff`s Office – Oregon. ORS 816.360 also deals with the use of lighting devices prohibited for motor vehicles in that State. It also identifies the penalty for non-compliance with this law if a motorist is quoted by a police officer. As a Category C violation, the fine imposed by a court can range from $80 to $500.