Smoke headlights.. Illegal??

[MrChow]

I've been searching here for awhile about it now. I haven't been able to find anything about the headlight itself being illegal. I've found a lot of stuff about the bulbs.
I am going to be using normal color bulbs just to note.

Here's is what I have found so far.
http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/streetlegal.html

Blue and yellow headlights. Headlights must be white - blue and yellow are illegal (24011 VC). Look for the DOT symbol on the bulb and package.
Headlights brighter or higher wattage than those from the factory. You may be able to see better, but the lights are illegal (24011 VC).http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc25950.htm
Color of Lamps and Reflectors

25950. This section applies to the color of lamps and to any reflector exhibiting or reflecting perceptible light of 0.05 candela or more per foot-candle of incident illumination. Unless provided otherwise, the color of lamps and reflectors upon a vehicle shall be as follows:
(a) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from all reflectors, visible from in front of a vehicle, shall be white or yellow, except as follows:
(1) Rear side marker lamps required by Section 25100 may show red to the front.
(2) The color of foglamps described in Section 24403 may be in the color spectrum from white to yellow.
(3) An illuminating device, as permitted under Section 24255, shall emit radiation predominantly in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Any incidental visible light projecting to the front of the vehicle shall be predominantly yellow to white. Any incidental visible light projecting to the rear of the vehicle shall be predominantly red. Any incidental visible light from an illuminating device, as permitted under Section 24255, shall not resemble any other required or permitted lighting device or official traffic control device.
(b) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from all reflectors, visible from the rear of a vehicle, shall be red except as follows:
(1) Stoplamps on vehicles manufactured before January 1, 1979, may show yellow to the rear.
(2) Turn signal lamps may show yellow to the rear.
(3) Front side marker lamps required by Section 25100 may show yellow to the rear.
(4) Backup lamps shall show white to the rear.
(5) The rearward facing portion of a front-mounted double-faced turn signal lamp may show amber to the rear while the headlamps or parking lamps are lighted, if the intensity of the light emitted is not greater than the parking lamps and the turn signal function is not impaired.
(6) A reflector meeting the requirements of and installed in accordance with Section 24611 shall be red or white, or both.
(c) All lamps and reflectors visible from the front, sides, or rear of a vehicle, except headlamps, may have any unlighted color, provided the emitted light from all lamps or reflected light from all reflectors complies with the required color. Except for backup lamps, the entire effective projected luminous area of lamps visible from the rear or mounted on the sides near the rear of a vehicle shall be covered by an inner lens of the required color when the unlighted color differs from the required emitted light color. Taillamps, stoplamps, and turn signal lamps that are visible to the rear may be white when unlighted on vehicles manufactured before January 1, 1974.

Amended Sec. 38, Ch. 766, Stats. 1995. Effective January 1, 1996.
Amended Sec. 4, Ch. 198, Stats. 2004. Effective January 1, 2005.Um yeah someone want to chime in here and help me out? Just to make sure I am not talking about the headlight bulb but the housing lens.

[OptionZero]

if you're really worried about it don't do it

i've be rolling all across norcal highways; i've driven my car up to various courthouses and police stations and a cop hasn't even blinked

how legal it is is less important with how you feel about getting in trouble for that particular "violation", if such is the case

[turbodcivic]

why the hell do you want blacked out headlights for anyways.


shits weak.

[an_orange_s2k]

i dont think smoked headlights are that big of a deal...worst thing that happens is a fix it ticket, jus get that shiet signed off by someone

[Silvia_S13]

those gay GTO headlight covers are considered illegal, you can't see shit at night. so im sure tinting or smoking them is just as illegal/gay

[r6_240sx]

Yeah, it's illegal. Just a fix it ticket though.

[projectRDM]

those gay GTO headlight covers are considered illegal, you can't see shit at night. so im sure tinting or smoking them is just as illegal/gay

Not really. The GTO covers actually refract the light patterns because it's an extra lens. Not all spray tints will do that.

[BRAIN_Z33]

FUCK THE CHP!!!! :rant:


Thats all I gotta say... :bow:

[S14DB]

It's not a CHP or Cali DOT rule it's Fed DOT that says they have to be clear. Check the Fed rules on Headlights and tailights. How APC got fucked to hell, feds sued them and stuff.

I would post a link but I'm drunk.

[Mi Beardo es Loco]

It's a strange rule because stock higher end cars come with blue HID's so there's ways to argue. I think the rules are very inconsistent, but this doesn't mean you'll get a ticket. From what I've seen cops just don't hand out many headlight tickets unless someone is obviously driving around with their high beams on, which makes me wanna shoot them.

[OptionZero]

no, they don't

they are white

the blue is the cutoff

[afro88]

Mine will eventually be purple/lavender, i'm sure a slight black tint wont be too bad. I think a film would be better if you did get a fix it ticket though, you could just take it off and put some right back on.

[landins13]

It's a strange rule because stock higher end cars come with blue HID's so there's ways to argue. I think the rules are very inconsistent, but this doesn't mean you'll get a ticket. From what I've seen cops just don't hand out many headlight tickets unless someone is obviously driving around with their high beams on, which makes me wanna shoot them.


if its stock it is ok, in MD any car that has HID's and didnt have them from factory can be cited. but most of the cops out her give us shit for having black tail lights and dark tint, the usual bs, if you get an asshole state trooper on a bad day youll end up leaving with about 15 tickets for stupid shit, personal record was 8
1- improper display of front tag
2- ride height
3- window tint
4- HID's
5- Exhaust noise over 95 db
6- non reflective tail lights
7- sound system over legal limit
8- illegally modified exhaust system ( no CAT)

fortunately for me the officer did not know that an sr20det isnt an american motor


I guess the only advice i have is if your worried about the ticket don't do it. If you really want the mod or the race or what have you, forget the consequences and deal with it when it comes. because it isnt a matter of if, its a matter of when because you will have a cop that someday decides to search the rule book for something to write you up for.

[jackjack]

if they're handing out tickets for smoked taillights, you can bet they'll do the same for the headlights. i say just leave it.

[an_orange_s2k]

1- improper display of front tag
2- ride height
3- window tint
4- HID's
5- Exhaust noise over 95 db
6- non reflective tail lights
7- sound system over legal limit
8- illegally modified exhaust system ( no CAT)

fortunately for me the officer did not know that an sr20det isnt an american motor

damn that sucks. just a hassle to get that shit taken care of. i was parkin in front of my house when i cop passed by and he MADE A U-TURN, just to bust me for no front plate as i got out of the car. i was like really? im just gonna get it signed off, why are u messin with me?......ass

[MrChow]

Okay thanks got the answers I wanted. We'll see what happens.