When to use headlights, by state
When each state requires your headlights on: between sunset and sunrise, in poor visibility and when your wipers are on.
By state
| State | Headlights required |
|---|---|
| Alabama | From a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise, and whenever you can't see clearly for at least 500 feet. Required when wipers are in use for rain, sleet or snow (not intermittent use). Dim high beams within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles and within 200 feet when following.Source |
| Alaska | From 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise, and in daytime when visibility is reduced to 1,000 feet or less. Dim within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and 300 feet of a vehicle ahead. |
| Arizona | Required from sunset to sunrise; turn on low beams in glare, rain, dust or other low visibility. High beams on highways only when no oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet; low beams within 200 feet when following.Source |
| Arkansas | From ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise, any time you cannot see a person or object clearly within 500 feet, and whenever windshield wipers are needed. Low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and when following within 200 feet. Driving with only parking lights is illegal.Source |
| California | Use headlights from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise, when it is too dark to see 1,000 feet ahead, when conditions (clouds, dust, smoke, fog) prevent seeing other vehicles, on mountain roads and in tunnels, and where signs require it. If you use windshield wipers because of fog, rain or snow, low beams are required. Dim high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and 300 feet of a vehicle you follow. Driving with only parking lights is illegal. |
| Colorado | Sunset to sunrise or when visibility is less than 1,000 feet; parked vehicles on the roadside need parking lights during the same times. Dim within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles; use low beams within 200 feet of a vehicle you follow.Source |
| Connecticut | If you turn on your wipers, turn on your headlights (the law); use them when it begins to get dark and in rain, snow or fog; dim high beams within about one block of an oncoming vehicle and when following; parking lights alone never while driving. Statute (C.G.S. 14-96a): lights required from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise, whenever persons and vehicles are not clearly visible at 500 feet, and during any precipitation (rain, snow, fog).Source |
| Delaware | Required after sunset and before sunrise, whenever you can't see beyond 1,000 feet, and whenever wipers are on. Switch to low beams 500 feet before meeting a vehicle and within 200 feet of a vehicle you follow.Source |
| Washington DC | From one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, when persons/vehicles can't be seen at 500 feet, in tunnels, and whenever wipers are on. Low beams 500 feet before meeting oncoming vehicles and when following within 300 feet.Source |
| Florida | Required from sunset to sunrise, in low visibility (rain, fog, smoke), and whenever windshield wipers are on. Dim high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet of a vehicle you are following. Parking lights are not a substitute for headlights.Source |
| Georgia | From one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, any time it is raining, and when visibility is limited. Dim high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 200 feet when following (manual PDF p.25).Source |
| Hawaii | Use low beams in heavy rain, fog, and at dawn and dusk; never use high beams in fog or when approaching or following other vehicles (pp.76-77). The manual body does not state a sunset/sunrise hour rule.Source |
| Idaho | Sunset to sunrise and whenever visibility is below 500 feet (also daytime in fog, smoke, dust or rain at 500 feet or less). Dim within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and 200 feet before overtaking. |
| Illinois | Required from sunset to sunrise and whenever rain, snow, fog or other conditions require windshield wipers; should also be used when objects 1,000 feet away can't be seen. Dim high beams 500 feet before meeting an oncoming vehicle and 300 feet before passing a vehicle.Source |
| Indiana | Required from sunset to sunrise and whenever visibility is less than 500 feet. Dim to low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 200 feet when following. |
| Iowa | Required from sunset to sunrise and whenever visibility is 500 feet or less; rule of thumb: on whenever wipers are on. |
| Kansas | Headlights required from sunset to sunrise; whenever persons and vehicles aren't clearly visible at 1,000 feet because of poor light or weather (smoke, fog); and when windshield wipers are in continuous use because of rain, sleet or snow (the wiper rule is enforced by warning citation only). K.S.A. 8-1703. The handbook advises dimming high beams within about one block of oncoming vehicles and using low beams when following, in heavy traffic, fog, or hard rain/snow.Source |
| Kentucky | Required from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise; also in rain, snow or fog. Dim within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles and within 300 feet when following.Source |
| Louisiana | Required sunset to sunrise, whenever windshield wipers are needed, in unfavorable weather, and when vehicles can't be seen clearly at 500 feet. Low beams within 500 feet of oncoming and 200 feet of a vehicle being followed. |
| Maine | Required from sunset to sunrise, whenever visibility is too dim to see 1,000 feet ahead, and whenever windshield wipers are in constant use. Dim high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet when following. |
| Maryland | Whenever you can't clearly see at least 1,000 feet ahead; whenever wipers are on in inclement weather; low beams within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles and when following within 300 feet. |
| Massachusetts | From one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise; when you cannot see people or vehicles 500 feet ahead; whenever wipers are on (daytime running lights not enough); in tunnels. Dim high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 200 feet of a vehicle ahead (pp.45-46).Source |
| Michigan | From one half-hour after sunset until one half-hour before sunrise, when visibility is reduced, and whenever people and vehicles can't be seen clearly at 500 feet. Parking lights alone are illegal. Don't use or flash high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle; dim for pedestrians and cyclists and when behind other vehicles.Source |
| Minnesota | From sunset to sunrise; during rain, snow, hail, sleet or fog; and any time you cannot see at least 500 feet ahead. Low beams within 1,000 feet of an oncoming vehicle or within 200 feet when following (manual p.23, p.73).Source |
| Mississippi | Sunset to sunrise and any time you cannot see clearly 500 feet ahead; low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle or when following within 500 feet; never drive with only parking lights. |
| Missouri | From ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise, and whenever weather requires windshield wipers. Low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet when following.Source |
| Montana | From ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise, and whenever persons or vehicles are not visible at 500 feet. Dim high beams within 1,000 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 500 feet when following. Never drive on parking lights.Source |
| Nebraska | Required from sunset to sunrise; use low beams as daylight fades. Parking lights alone are unlawful. Use headlights whenever using wipers or when other vehicles are hard to see. Dim when meeting oncoming vehicles and when following within 200 feet.Source |
| Nevada | Required from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, when there is insufficient light, whenever persons or vehicles cannot be clearly seen at 1,000 feet, and when directed by a traffic control device. Dim high beams within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles and 300 feet of vehicles you follow. |
| New Hampshire | From 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise, and whenever rain, snow or fog prevent seeing persons and vehicles 1,000 feet ahead. Low beams when following and in fog/rain/snow.Source |
| New Jersey | From one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise; whenever visibility is 500 feet or less; whenever windshield wipers are in use; in fog, mist, smoke or other reduced visibility (manual p.83).Source |
| New Mexico | Turn on headlights when it begins to get dark, when you have trouble seeing others, in rain, snow or fog, whenever wipers are on, and when driving away from a rising or setting sun. Dim high beams within about one block of an oncoming vehicle; low beams within 200 feet when following (manual p.18). The exact legal hours are not given in the manual.Source |
| New York | Required from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, when visibility is less than 1,000 feet, and whenever windshield wipers are needed for rain, snow, sleet or fog; daytime running lights and parking lights do not count. Low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 200 feet of a vehicle ahead (MV-21 p.63). |
| North Carolina | Required from sunset to sunrise, whenever visibility is 400 feet or less, and whenever windshield wipers are in use because of bad weather. Use low beams in cities, fog and snow; use high beams on the open road unless you are approaching or following another vehicle. Every vehicle in a funeral procession must have its headlights on (handbook PDF pp. 54, 73, 75).Source |
| North Dakota | From sunset to sunrise, at any other time needed for safety, and in bad weather when visibility is under 1,000 feet. Dim at least 500 feet before meeting traffic and within 300 feet when following. Parked on a highway at night (half-hour after sunset to half-hour before sunrise): a white or amber front lamp and a red rear light visible 1,000 feet.Source |
| Ohio | Sunset to sunrise; during rain, snow, fog or other unfavorable conditions; whenever objects 1,000 feet ahead cannot be seen clearly; whenever wipers are in use due to precipitation. Dim high beams for oncoming traffic.Source |
| Oklahoma | Use headlights from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise and when signs require. Dim high beams within 1,000 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 600 feet of a vehicle you follow (p.59).Source |
| Oregon | Sunset to sunrise and whenever you cannot clearly see people or vehicles 1,000 feet ahead; turn on headlights when wipers are on. Dim high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 350 feet when following. Driving with only parking lights is illegal (pp.76-77).Source |
| Pennsylvania | Sunset to sunrise; when you cannot see pedestrians or vehicles 1,000 feet ahead; in rain, snow, sleet, hail, fog, smoke or smog; on gray days; whenever wipers are on (continuous or intermittent) due to weather; in all posted work zones. Fine $25 (about $100 with costs). Low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet when following. |
| Rhode Island | Sunset to sunrise, whenever you can't see 500 feet ahead, in rain/snow/inclement weather, and whenever wipers are on; low beams in inclement weather. Dim within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles and within 200 feet when following. |
| South Carolina | Statute 56-5-4450: from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, whenever wipers are in use because of rain, sleet or snow (not when wipers are used intermittently in misting rain, sleet or snow), and when visibility is severely reduced at 500 feet. Manual: dim high beams within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles and when following within 200 feet; use low beams in fog, rain or snow.Source |
| South Dakota | Turn on headlights when it begins to get dark, in rain, snow or fog, and whenever wipers are on; dim high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and use low beams when closer than 500 feet behind another vehicle (manual p.54-55). Exact legal hours are not stated.Source |
| Tennessee | From 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise; whenever you cannot see persons or vehicles 200 feet ahead; whenever precipitation requires constant wiper use; low beams in daytime fog, heavy rain or snow. Dim within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles or when following within 500 feet.Source |
| Texas | From 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, and any time people or vehicles cannot be seen clearly at 1,000 feet. Low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle, within 300 feet behind another vehicle, on lighted roads, and in fog, rain, sleet, snow or dust.Source |
| Utah | From sunset to sunrise and whenever persons/vehicles are not clearly visible 1,000 feet ahead. Dim within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles and within 300 feet when following; dim within 500 feet of bicyclists.Source |
| Vermont | Required from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise and whenever persons or vehicles can't be seen clearly at 500 feet; low beams in fog, heavy rain or snow, when following or meeting vehicles.Source |
| Virginia | Sunset to sunrise; when rain, fog, snow or sleet reduces visibility to 500 feet; whenever wipers are on due to bad weather. Dim high beams within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles and within 200 feet when following. |
| Washington | Required from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise; recommended all the time and in rain, snow, fog or smoke. Dim high beams within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles and 300 feet when following. |
| West Virginia | Sunset to sunrise and during fog, smoke, rain, or whenever persons and vehicles can't be seen clearly at 500 feet. Dim within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles and within 200 feet of a vehicle ahead.Source |
| Wisconsin | Required from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise and whenever you cannot see a person or vehicle 500 feet away; recommended when using wipers and in rain, snow or fog. |
| Wyoming | From one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, and whenever persons and vehicles are not clearly visible at 1,000 feet. Dim at least 500 feet before meeting an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet when approaching a vehicle from behind. Never drive on parking lights only (pp.77-78).Source |
More rules of the road
From each state's driver handbook or licensing agency; laws change, so check your state's current handbook.