Motor vehicle headlights and lamps

The lights on your vehicle allow you to see road users at night and be able to signal other drivers. To ensure safety there are requirements for:

• where lights or lamps should be placed
• how many there should be
• how bright they should be.

Your vehicle must meet these regulations as inspectors will check before they register it.

Daytime running lamps

Daytime running lamps (DRLs) are optional lamps that help increase a vehicle's visibility during the day. Many modern vehicles have them included as standard, while you can also get aftermarket kits.

There are Australian Design Rules (ADRs) detailing placement and height requirements. You may find this information with the DLR installation instructions.

DRLs must not operate with headlights. Late model DRL units may incorporate a park light and will dim output to operate as a park light.

Driving lamps and LED light bars

You must not have more than 4 driving lamps may fitted to your vehicle.

An LED light bar is a single lamp if all the LEDs operate together. If you can switch different sections on or off separately, then each section is a lamp.

All forward mounted fixed extra lights are driving lights.

Driving lamps and LED light bars must:

• be fitted to the front of the vehicle, symmetrically about the centre
• not cause the driver of the vehicle discomfort by direct light or by reflection from body, bull bars, ladder racks or mirror surfaces
• only switch on when you use high beam headlamps and must switch off you stop using the high beam headlamps
• not interfere with the drivers field of view.

You may fit driving lamps to

• the roof
• the roll bar
• another elevated part of the vehicle.

Fog lights

Fog lights produce a broad flat beam improve visibility of the road during:

• fog
• heavy rain
• smoke
• dust storm.

You should only use them when driving in these or other hazardous weather conditions causing reduced visibility.

Vehicles with 4 wheels can have 2 fog lights which you must mount symmetrically.

Fog lights must:

• produce a beam that is not higher than the centre of the fog light when measured 8 metres in front of the vehicle.
• not cause discomfort by reflecting light off into the driver's eyes.

You should fit them so that there are:

• no higher than the top of the low beam lights
• no further than 400mm from the most outer edge of the vehicle
• more than 600mm apart
• more than 250mm above the ground

You must be able to turn the fog lights on and off separately from the headlights and driving lights. As a minimum, you can only turn them on when the park lights are on.

Backlit badges and logos

Vehicles often have a badge fitted to it front, rear or side. These badges show the make or model or other information. Sometimes these badges have a backlight.

You can fit a backlit badge if the light is:

• integrated and contained with the logo or badge
• white on the front
• yellow to the side of the vehicle
• red to the rear of the vehicle
• doesn't flash
• fitted more than 200 mm from the nearest lamp
• doesn't cause affect the driver directly, off reflected surfaces or through driving cameras
• only operates with your vehicles front head lamps or parking lamps.

High intensity discharge lights (HID)

HID lights produce more light to the amount of power they use compared to other types of lights.

Australian Design Rules (ADRs) have specific performance and orientation requirements for such lamps and lamp assemblies. This is important as HID's higher light intensity dazzle oncoming road users. Road rules prohibit dazzling other road users with bright vehicle lights.

Adding retro-fit conversions of HID lamps to the low (dipped) beam light may not meet ADRs. It may result in your lights not being compliant for road use.

You can fit HID lamps on low beams to your road vehicles if they:

• meet Australian Design Rule 13
• have headlamp cleaning devices, such as washer jets or wipers
• have self-levelling systems to prevent the brighter lights being projected into oncoming vehicles.
• do not use a higher end white colour.

Some commercial manufacturers will label their products if they are not for road use. You should be aware this is not always the case, and some online shops do not include such warnings.

Search and work lights

You can add extra lights for temporary purposes to any location on your vehicle. Such lights may help with:

• reading signs
• handling or adjusting loads
• providing extra illumination around your vehicle.

These lights must turn on and off using an illuminated labelled rocker switch. This is to ensure the driver knows when the light is on.

You can't use any light in any way that would dazzle another road user.

Coloured lighting

Your vehicle has mandatory red, amber or white lights used for headlights, rear and brake lights and indicators.

Amber lights

Some work vehicles have amber working lights. If you have these, they must:

• not be concealed
• only be used when a vehicle is working on a road or road related area.

No other colour lights should be visible to other motorists when driving or stationary.

Emergency colour lights (blue, green, magenta)

Some people use under-body neon lights to enhance their vehicles look. It is important to ensure that if you add these types of lights they do not:

• confuse other road users
• cause glare or light reflection.

Advertising and destination signs

Vehicles can have advertising or destination signs. Usually such vehicles include:

• taxis
• pizza delivery vehicles
• business advertising on company cars.

Advertising or destination signs must:

• be securely mounted to the vehicle
• not have any sharp or protruding edges

They must also not have any lighting that:

• that overpowers or obscure the mandatory lighting on the vehicle
• produce undue glare to other motorists
• restrict the driver’s field of view.