Ca. Off Road Light Laws
05-08-2007, 01:11 PM
#1
JK Freak
Thread Starter
Ca. Off Road Light Laws
I installed my KC Ralley 800 lights on my Pro Comp Light Bar today and was wondering if someone knows what the laws in California are with the lights being covered or not. Here in Az. the law says that any aux. lights that face forward, that have center line higher than the stock head lights center line must be covered. Any Highway Patrol Officers in this forum or maybe someone who has gotten a ticket and knows first hand. I tend to go to Ca. over Memorial weekend and want to be legal.
05-08-2007, 01:20 PM
#2
JK Junkie
I installed my KC Ralley 800 lights on my Pro Comp Light Bar today and was wondering if someone knows what the laws in California are with the lights being covered or not. Here in Az. the law says that any aux. lights that face forward, that have center line higher than the stock head lights center line must be covered. Any Highway Patrol Officers in this forum or maybe someone who has gotten a ticket and knows first hand. I tend to go to Ca. over Memorial weekend and want to be legal.
California law says that they do need to be covered. Also the need to be wired seperate from the headlamps. Well......I'm in violation of both laws and I have never been hasseled. I do have the kc lamp grille guards.
The following is copied from the vehicle code:
Auxiliary Lamps: Off-Highway Use
24411. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a vehicle may be equipped with not more than eight lamps for use as headlamps while the vehicle is operated or driven off the highway. The lamps shall be mounted at a height of not less than 16 inches from the ground, or more than 12 inches above the top of the passenger compartment, at any place between the front of the vehicle and a line lying on a point 40 inches to the rear of the seat occupied by the driver, shall be wired independently of all other lighting circuits, and, whenever the vehicle is operated or driven upon a highway, shall be covered or hooded with an opaque hood or cover, and turned off.
Amended Ch. 149, Stats. 1986. Effective January 1, 1987.
05-08-2007, 01:43 PM
#4
JK Junkie
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05-08-2007, 02:20 PM
#5
JK Freak
Thread Starter
I think the confusion with me comes with the way Ca. writes its laws and how confusing they are. Case in point is the vehicle code 24402 which kind of contradicts the other off road law 24411.
24402. (a) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less than 16 inches nor more than 42 inches. Driving lamps are lamps designed for supplementing the upper beam from headlamps and may not be lighted with the lower beam.
(b) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary passing lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less than 24 inches nor more than 42 inches. Passing lamps are lamps designed for supplementing the lower beam from headlamps and may also be lighted with the upper beam.
24411. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a vehicle may be equipped with not more than eight lamps for use as headlamps while the vehicle is operated or driven off the highway. The lamps shall be mounted at a height of not less than 16 inches from the ground, or more than 12 inches above the top of the passenger compartment, at any place between the front of the vehicle and a line lying on a point 40 inches to the rear of the seat occupied by the driver, shall be wired independently of all other lighting circuits, and, whenever the vehicle is operated or driven upon a highway, shall be covered or hooded with an opaque hood or cover, and turned off.
Amended Ch. 149, Stats. 1986. Effective January 1, 1987.
Auxiliary Driving and Passing Lamps
24402. (a) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less than 16 inches nor more than 42 inches. Driving lamps are lamps designed for supplementing the upper beam from headlamps and may not be lighted with the lower beam.
(b) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary passing lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less than 24 inches nor more than 42 inches. Passing lamps are lamps designed for supplementing the lower beam from headlamps and may also be lighted with the upper beam.
Auxiliary Lamps: Off-Highway Use
24411. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a vehicle may be equipped with not more than eight lamps for use as headlamps while the vehicle is operated or driven off the highway. The lamps shall be mounted at a height of not less than 16 inches from the ground, or more than 12 inches above the top of the passenger compartment, at any place between the front of the vehicle and a line lying on a point 40 inches to the rear of the seat occupied by the driver, shall be wired independently of all other lighting circuits, and, whenever the vehicle is operated or driven upon a highway, shall be covered or hooded with an opaque hood or cover, and turned off.
Amended Ch. 149, Stats. 1986. Effective January 1, 1987.
05-08-2007, 03:08 PM
#6
JK Junkie
I't's pretty clear. 24402 talks about driving lights. 24411 is OFFROAD lights. Pretty hard to convince an officer that 150 watt kc lamps mounted on my windshield pillar are "driving " lights.
Anyways, I wouldn't worry about it! Do you have covers? Or at least grilles tha go ovr them?
Anyways, I wouldn't worry about it! Do you have covers? Or at least grilles tha go ovr them?
05-09-2007, 01:56 PM
#7
JK Freak
Thread Starter
It's pretty clear. 24402 talks about driving lights. 24411 is OFF ROAD lights. Pretty hard to convince an officer that 150 watt kc lamps mounted on my windshield pillar are "driving " lights.
Anyways, I wouldn't worry about it! Do you have covers? Or at least grilles tha go over them?
Anyways, I wouldn't worry about it! Do you have covers? Or at least grilles tha go over them?
Well the pillar lights would not follow the regulation for aux. lights because they are probably too high and too far back. There is no regulation for the wattage that I can see. Well we can go around and around on this, the problem is I only have rock guards and KC says they do not make covers for the Ralley 800 yet. I guess I'll have to make some plastic insert for my rock guards. Cause I know once I cross the river the first CHP that sees my AZ plates and those lights is going to get dollar signs in their eyes.