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Headlights with wipers laws by state

People search “Headlights with wipers by state”, “Headlights with wipers laws by state”, and “Lights/wipers map” when a road trip, boat, bike, or load is about to cross a line. This page is the 50-state index for headlights with wipers. Colors and quotes are written for someone in that state today, not for what that state demands of its own registered vehicles.

Open the Lights/wipers difference map

How states differ

Wipers-on / lights-on rules.

  • Headlights commonly required with wipers
  • Narrower / less explicit wiper-lights mandate

Searches this page is meant to answer

If you typed any of these — or a close variant with a state name — this is the Crosstatelaws topic that should show up:

  • Headlights with wipers by state
  • Headlights with wipers laws by state
  • Lights/wipers laws by state
  • Headlights with wipers map
  • Headlights with wipers traveling across state lines
  • does headlights with wipers change by state
  • headlights in rain law
  • wipers on headlights on
  • Headlights with wipers in California / Texas / Florida / New York
  • is headlights with wipers legal while traveling

All 50 states

One-line traveler summary for each state. Open the map for the quoted rule and footnotes.

Alabama (AL)
Alabama: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. Ala. Code § 32-5-240.
Alaska (AK)
Alaska: yes — lights when weather requires wipers / low visibility. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Alaska Stat. § 28.35.020.
Arizona (AZ)
Arizona: yes — headlights when wipers are on (continuous). Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. A.R.S. § 28-922 / 28-939.
Arkansas (AR)
Arkansas: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Ark. Code § 27-36-204.
California (CA)
California: yes — headlights during windshield-wiper use (inclement weather). Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Cal. Veh. Code §§ 24250, 24400.
Colorado (CO)
Colorado: yes — headlights when wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. C.R.S. § 42-4-204.
Connecticut (CT)
Connecticut: yes — headlights when wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-96a.
Delaware (DE)
Delaware: yes — headlights when wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. 21 Del. C. § 4331.
Florida (FL)
Florida: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. Fla. Stat. § 316.217.
Georgia (GA)
Georgia: yes — headlights when it is raining. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. O.C.G.A. § 40-8-20.
Hawaii (HI)
Hawaii: no published statewide wipers-on/lights-on sentence. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 291C-31.
Idaho (ID)
Idaho: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. Idaho Code § 49-903.
Illinois (IL)
Illinois: yes — headlights when weather conditions require windshield wipers. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. 625 ILCS 5/12-201.
Indiana (IN)
Indiana: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. Ind. Code § 9-21-7-2.
Iowa (IA)
Iowa: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. Iowa Code § 321.384.
Kansas (KS)
Kansas: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. Kan. Stat. § 8-1703.
Kentucky (KY)
Kentucky: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. KRS § 189.030.
Louisiana (LA)
Louisiana: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. La. R.S. 32:301.
Maine (ME)
Maine: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. 29-A M.R.S. § 1906.
Maryland (MD)
Maryland: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Md. Code, Transp. § 22-201.1.
Massachusetts (MA)
Massachusetts: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 85, § 15.
Michigan (MI)
Michigan: yes — headlights when precipitation requires wipers. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. MCL 257.684.
Minnesota (MN)
Minnesota: yes — headlights when weather requires windshield wipers. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. Minn. Stat. § 169.48.
Mississippi (MS)
Mississippi: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. Miss. Code § 63-7-11.
Missouri (MO)
Missouri: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 307.020.
Montana (MT)
Montana: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Mont. Code § 61-9-201.
Nebraska (NE)
Nebraska: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,219.
Nevada (NV)
Nevada: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. NRS 484D.100.
New Hampshire (NH)
New Hampshire: no published statewide wipers-on/lights-on mandate. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise (RSA 266:31 lighting). N.H. Rev. Stat. § 266:31.
New Jersey (NJ)
New Jersey: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. N.J.S.A. 39:3-46 / 39:3-47.
New Mexico (NM)
New Mexico: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. N.M. Stat. § 66-3-802.
New York (NY)
New York: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 375(2).
North Carolina (NC)
North Carolina: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-129.
North Dakota (ND)
North Dakota: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. N.D. Cent. Code § 39-21-01.
Ohio (OH)
Ohio: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.03.
Oklahoma (OK)
Oklahoma: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. 47 O.S. § 12-201.
Oregon (OR)
Oregon: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. Or. Rev. Stat. § 811.515.
Pennsylvania (PA)
Pennsylvania: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. 75 Pa.C.S. § 4302.
Rhode Island (RI)
Rhode Island: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-24-1.
South Carolina (SC)
South Carolina: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. S.C. Code § 56-5-4450.
South Dakota (SD)
South Dakota: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. S.D. Codified Laws § 32-17-4.
Tennessee (TN)
Tennessee: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. Tenn. Code § 55-9-406.
Texas (TX)
Texas: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Tex. Transp. Code § 547.302.
Utah (UT)
Utah: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Utah Code § 41-6a-1603.
Vermont (VT)
Vermont: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. 23 V.S.A. § 1243.
Virginia (VA)
Virginia: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. Va. Code § 46.2-1030.
Washington (WA)
Washington: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. RCW 46.37.020.
West Virginia (WV)
West Virginia: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: sunset to sunrise. W. Va. Code § 17C-15-1.
Wisconsin (WI)
Wisconsin: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Wis. Stat. § 347.06.
Wyoming (WY)
Wyoming: yes — headlights when windshield wipers are in use. Lighting hours: 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-910.

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Not legal advice. Confirm statutes before you travel. Disclaimer.