Automotive LED Lighting Laws by State (2025 Guide)
Are Color-Changing LED Lights Legal?
Short answer: Yes and No… No state in the U.S. allows color-changing (RGB, RGBW, Flow Series) exterior lights to be used while driving on public roads. But that doesn’t mean you can’t install them, you just have to be responsible and know the laws and regulations in your area. These are strictly for off-road use, car shows, or when your vehicle is parked.
- Legal Use: Color-changing LEDs are legal when parked, at meets, or on private property.
- On Public Roads: Using color-changing or non-white lights while driving can result in a ticket. Blue and red are especially prohibited.
- Lighting Trendz Advantage: Most Lighting Trendz kits let you instantly switch to a pure white mode. Set your lights to white before you hit the road to stay compliant—save the color show for meets, events, or when parked.
Federal vs. State Laws
- Federal DOT Standards: White/amber for front, red for rear, no flashing/strobing.
- State Laws: Can be stricter, especially for accent, underglow, or color-changing lights.
- Local Enforcement: Police may interpret laws differently—always check your local rules.
How to Stay Street Legal with Lighting Trendz Kits
- Switch to White: All color-changing kits include a pure white mode for legal driving.
- Use Color Modes When Parked: Enjoy RGB, chasing, or animated patterns at events, meets, or on private property.
- No Flashing or Strobing: These are almost always illegal on public roads.
- Check Local Rules: If in doubt, set to white or turn off while driving.
Automotive LED Lighting Laws by State (2025)
Click on your state below to view the latest LED lighting laws and compliance tips.
Alabama
Color-changing LEDs not legal while driving. Only white or amber for the front, red for the rear.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Must not be blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Alaska
No color-changing or underglow while driving. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not legal while driving.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not distracting.
Arizona
No red or blue underglow. No color-changing while driving.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not red/blue, not flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Arkansas
No flashing or strobing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not flashing/strobing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
California
Underglow is legal if not red, blue, or flashing and does not exceed 0.05 candela per sq in.
- Headlights: Only white/yellow bulbs allowed (no blue, red, green).
- Interior Accent: Permitted if not visible outside.
- Rear Lights: Red only.
Colorado
No flashing or animated lights. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: No flashing/animated.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not distracting.
Connecticut
Blue/red reserved for emergency vehicles. No color-changing while driving.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: No blue/red.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Delaware
No color-changing on public roads. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not legal while driving.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not distracting.
Florida
No color-changing/blue/red lighting on public roads. Underglow legal if white/amber, not flashing.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not distracting.
Georgia
No flashing or color-changing while driving. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not flashing/color-changing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Hawaii
No blue, red, or green. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/green.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Idaho
Underglow must not be distracting. No color-changing while driving.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not distracting, not color-changing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Illinois
No red, blue, or flashing lights. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not red/blue/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Indiana
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Iowa
No blue, red, or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Kansas
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Kentucky
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Louisiana
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Maine
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Maryland
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Massachusetts
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Michigan
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Minnesota
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Mississippi
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Missouri
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Montana
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Nebraska
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Nevada
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
New Hampshire
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
New Jersey
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
New Mexico
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
New York
No color-changing or underglow lights while driving. White/amber only for front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not legal while driving.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
North Carolina
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
North Dakota
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Ohio
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Oklahoma
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Oregon
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Pennsylvania
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Rhode Island
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
South Carolina
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
South Dakota
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Tennessee
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Texas
Underglow and accent lighting not legal if visible while driving. Blue and red strictly prohibited.
- Headlights: White or amber only for front. No blue/red/green.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
- Rear Lights: Red only.
Utah
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Vermont
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Virginia
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Washington
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
West Virginia
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Wisconsin
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
Wyoming
No blue/red or flashing. White/amber only for the front.
- Headlights: White or amber only.
- Underglow: Not blue/red/flashing.
- Interior Accent: Allowed if not visible outside.
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