While many states don’t have specific laws regarding motorcycle LEDs, there are general vehicle lighting regulations that apply to LEDs as much as they apply to incandescent bulbs. If you’re looking for lighting rules and regulations in a specific state, you’ve come to the right place! Read on for a quick guide to motorcycle LED laws in the US.
Alabama
Although Alabama has no specific LED regulations, it is important to consider that they have written laws for general applications. For example, you cannot exceed two fog lamps on any vehicle, whether they are LEDs or incandescent.
Alaska
Alaska is without particular laws pertaining to LED use, but there are a few specific guidelines you should follow when installing lighting on your vehicle. First, red lights are prohibited in the front center of your vehicle. Additionally, you may not install flashing or rotating lights.
Arizona
The location and color of your lights are critical in Arizona—the lights installed on the front of your vehicle must cast or reflect an amber color. In addition, the lights on the rear of your vehicle must cast or reflect red light.
Arkansas
LEDs are legal for installation in Arkansas, but they need to be lights with less than 300 candlepower—this equates to around 3,770 lumens. Make sure to check the output levels of a headlight before you install it; for example, our Daymaker headlights are some of our best and brightest, and they output 3,315 lumens. That’s well within the legal limit!
Additionally, you cannot display green, red, or blue lights from the front of your vehicle.
California
California’s lighting laws are simple: light cast from the front of your vehicle must be predominantly white to yellow. Any light cast from the back of your vehicle must be red.
Colorado
Red and blue LEDs are both prohibited in Colorado (except for red brake lights). If you have side cowl lamps, you cannot have more than two, and they must cast amber or white light that does not have a glare.
Connecticut
All lights visible from the front of your vehicle must either be white, amber, or yellow. Any visible lights from the rear of your vehicle should be red or amber.
Delaware
As in Colorado, you cannot exceed two side lamps in Delaware. These lamps must cast white or amber light that does not have a glare. In addition, you are restricted to one glow bar underneath your vehicle, and none of your lights can flash.
Florida
You may not display any blue or red lights from the front of your vehicle, and side cowls may only cast white or amber light (without glare).
Hawaii
In Hawaii, no light or lamp can appear to be the color blue unless you have a law enforcement vehicle; that means you can install blue lights as long as you don’t use them (but it’s probably easier to avoid them altogether).
Idaho
In Idaho, more than two side cowl lights are prohibited. Additionally, red lights cannot be visible from the front of your bike.
Illinois
While red brake lights are okay to use, you cannot have red lights on the front of your motorcycle.
Iowa
You can probably guess the rules in Iowa—front-facing lights should be white, amber, or yellow, while rear lights should be red.
Kansas
In Kansas, rear lights and reflectors should be red, although the light illuminating your license plate should be white. Additionally, you may use neon ground lighting as long as the lighting does not flash, is not red, and the neon tubes are not visible.
Louisiana
Louisiana prohibits red or green lights on the front of your motorcycle, as well as flashing lights.
Maine
Maine has specific rules based on the location of your lights. Lights on the front cowl should be amber or white, lights on the side of your bike should be amber, and lights on the rear of your bike must be red or amber. While driving publicly, you must turn off underglow lighting—however, you may use underglow lighting in shows or exhibitions.
Maryland
Maryland has strict and clear lighting rules—you cannot use red, blue, oscillating, or flashing lights on your motorcycle.
Massachusetts
Emergency vehicles are the only vehicles allowed to display front-facing red or blue lights in Massachusetts.
Michigan
In Michigan, it is unlawful to display flashing, oscillating, or blinking LEDs. This law makes no mention of colors, but it may be better to avoid blue and red front-facing lights just in case.
Minnesota
In Minnesota, you are allowed to display blue lights on your bike up to one inch in diameter as a part of your brake light. However, you may not display flashing, oscillating, or blinking LEDs.
Mississippi
Mississippi’s regulations are simple enough: you may not display blue or red lights unless you are a law enforcement officer.
Missouri
The only Missouri laws that mention LEDs state that you may equip your vehicle with non-blinking, non-oscillating, non-flashing LED pods and strips. Direct them at your engine and drive train to prevent interference with the vehicle’s operation.
Nebraska
Nebraska has no LED-specific laws, but you cannot have red or green lights on the front of your vehicle.
New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, you may not use blue or red lights unless you are in law enforcement or emergency response.
New Jersey
New Jersey’s rules are also simple: no lights other than stock lighting.
New York
Only authorized vehicles may use red, blue, and white lights in New York.
North Carolina
North Carolina follows a similar rule to many other states: no red or blue lights unless you have an emergency vehicle.
Pennsylvania
Unless your add-on lighting protects the rider, no ornamental lights are allowed in Pennsylvania.
Rhode Island
You cannot drive a vehicle with a red lamp or device in the front center of your vehicle. Additionally, no flashing lights.
Tennessee
In Tennessee, you cannot use red or white flashing lights in any combination, unless you’re driving an emergency vehicle.
Texas
You cannot use red lights front and center on your vehicle. Additionally, no red, white, or blue flashing or alternating lights unless it is authorized by the law.
Utah
Utah is one of many states that prohibits the use of red or blue lights on the front of your vehicle.
Virginia
You cannot have flashing white, red, or blue lights in Virginia, but the law does not refer to the legality of non-flashing colors.
West Virginia
No oscillating, blinking, or flashing lights in West Virginia. You can, however, use amber and white lights as diode pods and strips.
Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, you may use ground-illuminating LEDs as long as they are not visible to oncoming vehicles, they are not red, blue, or amber, and they do not flash, oscillate, or rotate.
Wyoming
Finally, Wyoming follows many other states in prohibiting front-facing red and blue lights.
States That Only Prohibit Blue Lights
Some states have very few specific laws other than restricting the use of blue lights. These include Georgia, Oklahoma, and Oregon.
No Specific Regulations
A few states make no mention of LED lights in their laws. These include Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, and Washington.
Even though you have this quick guide to motorcycle LED laws in the US, remember that every state has unique laws and regulations. If you’re unsure of the laws in your municipality, be sure to read up on them before making any modifications.
