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Old 04-29-2014, 01:13 PM   #1 (permalink)
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Headlights laws

I was looking at a custom EV design and it had the headlights above the hood but not like a light bar on a police car (not that high). The were mounted on steel tubing. Has anyone had experience with this at the DMV? I think it really looks cool, but don't want to be illegal.

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Old 04-29-2014, 02:06 PM   #2 (permalink)
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You'll have to check the vehicle code from your state's DMV... should be freely available to you. If you're going to build your own vehicle, then you're better off becoming intimately familiar with your VC than asking for input from on-line sources (who may or may not know the correct answers). Or if you do want to ask for input on-line, then you'll want to be able to confirm it against the VC...
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Old 04-29-2014, 07:20 PM   #3 (permalink)
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Thanks for the reply. I agree with you 100% and I'm going to check everything out when it comes to the VC laws for my state. I'll find the answers locally and make sure I have the right information.
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Old 04-29-2014, 09:46 PM   #4 (permalink)
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More than what you asked for, but i know where this is going and what the next questions will be.

T. C. A. § 55-9-406§ 55-9-406. Headlights; construction, arrangement and adjustment; precipitationCurrentness(a) The headlights of every motor vehicle shall be so constructed, equipped, arranged, focused, aimed, and adjusted, that they will at all times mentioned in § 55-9-401, and under normal atmospheric conditions and on a level road produce a driving light sufficient to render clearly discernible a person two hundred feet (200′) ahead, but shall not project a glaring or dazzling light to persons in front of the headlights. The headlights shall be displayed during the period from one half ( ½ ) hour after sunset to one half ( ½ ) hour before sunrise, during fog, smoke, or rain and at all other times when there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible any person on the road at a distance of two hundred feet (200′) ahead of the vehicle.(b)(1) Operation of headlights during periods of rain, as required in this section, shall be made during any time when rain, mist, or other precipitation, including snow, necessitates the constant use of windshield wipers by motorists.(2) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, any person who is arrested or receives a traffic citation for violation of subdivision (b)(1), upon conviction, shall not be fined more than the maximum fine nor less than the minimum fine as provided by law for the violation nor shall any cost be imposed or assessed against the person. The conviction shall not be reported to the department of safety under §§ 55-10-306 and 55-12-115.(3) No cost shall be charged under this subsection (b).(4) A violation of this subsection (b) is a Class C misdemeanor.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-9-406 (West)

Effective: April 16, 2012T. C. A. § 55-9-402§ 55-9-402. Motor vehiclesCurrentness(a)(1) Every motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, road roller, road machinery or farm tractor shall be equipped with at least two (2) and not more than four (4) headlights, with at least one (1) on each side of the front of the motor vehicle. No nonemergency vehicle shall operate or install emergency flashing light systems, such as strobe, wig-wag, or other flashing lights within the headlight assembly or grill area of the vehicle; provided, however, that a school bus may operate a flashing, wig-wag lighting system within the headlight assembly of the vehicle when the vehicle's visual stop signs are actuated for receiving or discharging school children.(2) Auxiliary road lighting lamps may be used, but not more than two (2) of the lamps shall be lighted at any one (1) time in addition to the two (2) required headlights.(3) No spotlight or auxiliary lamp shall be so aimed upon approaching another vehicle that any part of the high intensity portion of the beam therefrom is directed beyond the left side of the motor vehicle upon which the spotlight or auxiliary lamp is mounted, nor more than one hundred feet (100′) ahead of the motor vehicle.(b)(1) Every motor vehicle shall be equipped with two (2) red tail lamps and two (2) red stoplights on the rear of the vehicle, and one (1) tail lamp and one (1) stoplight shall be on each side, except that passenger cars manufactured or assembled prior to January 1, 1939, trucks manufactured or assembled prior to January 1, 1968, and motorcycles and motor-driven cycles shall have at least one (1) red tail lamp and one (1) red stoplight. No non-emergency vehicle shall operate or install emergency flashing light systems such as strobe, wig-wag, or other flashing lights in tail light lamp, stoplight area, or factory installed emergency flasher and backup light area; provided, however, that the foregoing prohibition shall not apply to the utilization of a continuously flashing light system. For the purposes of this part, “continuously flashing light system” means a brake light system in which the brake lamp pulses rapidly for no more than five (5) seconds when the brake is applied, and then converts to a continuous light as a normal brake lamp until the time that the brake is released.(2) The stoplight shall be so arranged as to be actuated by the application of the service or foot brake and shall be capable of being seen and distinguished from a distance of one hundred feet (100′) to the rear of a motor vehicle in normal daylight, but shall not project a glaring or dazzling light.(3) The stoplight may be incorporated with the tail lamp.(4) Motor vehicle tail light lamps may operate as followingA) A white backup light operates when the motor vehicle is in reverse;(B) When the driver is in a panic stop condition going forward, the backup lamp pulses or flashes red; and(C) Upon normal stops of the motor vehicle, there is no action by the backup light.(c) Each lamp and stoplight required in this section shall be in good condition and operational.(d)(1) Except as provided in this section, no vehicle operated in this state shall be equipped with any flashing white or amber lights or any combination of white and amber lights that display to the front of the vehicle except a passenger motor vehicle operated by an organ procurement organization or a person under an agreement with an organ procurement organization when transporting an organ for human transplantation. No vehicle operated in this state shall be equipped with any flashing red or white light or any combination of red or white lights that displays to the front of the vehicle except school buses, a passenger motor vehicle operated by a rural mail carrier of the United States postal service while performing the duties of a rural mail carrier, authorized law enforcement vehicles only when used in combination with a flashing blue light, and emergency vehicles used in firefighting, including ambulances, emergency vehicles used in firefighting that are owned or operated by the division of forestry, firefighting vehicles, rescue vehicles, privately owned vehicles of regular or volunteer firefighters certified in § 55-9-201(c), or other emergency vehicles used in firefighting owned, operated, or subsidized by the governing body of any county or municipality.(2) Any emergency rescue vehicle owned, titled and operated by a state chartered rescue squad, a member of the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads, privately owned vehicles of regular or volunteer firefighters certified in § 55-9-201(c), and marked with lettering at least three inches (3") in size and displayed on the left and right sides of the vehicle designating it an “Emergency Rescue Vehicle,” any authorized civil defense emergency vehicle displaying the appropriate civil defense agency markings of at least three inches (3"), and any ambulance or vehicle equipped to provide emergency medical services properly licensed as required in the state and displaying the proper markings, shall also be authorized to be lighted in one (1) or more of the following mannersA) A red or red/white visibar type with public address system;(B) A red or red/white oscillating type light; and(C) Blinking red or red/white lights, front and rear.(3) Any vehicle other than a highway maintenance or utility vehicle, or a passenger motor vehicle operated by an organ procurement organization or a person under an agreement with an organ procurement organization when transporting an organ for human transplantation, authorized by this section to display flashing white or amber lights or white and amber lights, or any vehicle, other than a school bus, a passenger motor vehicle operated by a rural mail carrier of the United States postal service while performing the duties of a rural mail carrier or an emergency vehicle authorized by this section to display flashing red or red/white lights, or authorized law enforcement vehicles using red, white, and blue lights in combination, that displays any such lights shall be considered in violation of this subsection (d).(e)(1)(A) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, nothing in this section shall prohibit a highway maintenance or utility vehicle, or any other type vehicle or equipment participating, in any fashion, with highway or utility construction, maintenance, or inspection, from operating a white, amber, or white and amber light system on any location on the vehicle or equipment while the vehicle or equipment is parked upon, entering or leaving any highway or utility construction, maintenance, repair or inspection site.(B) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a recovery vehicle designed for towing a disabled vehicle, as defined in § 55-8-132, while in the performance of duties involved with towing an abandoned, immobile, disabled or unattended motor vehicle is authorized to display an amber light that is a strobe, flashing, oscillating or revolving system or any combination of white and amber lights. Such authorized light or lights may be displayed on any location on the vehicle or equipment, other than within the headlight assembly or grill area of the vehicle, in the tail light lamp or stoplight area, or factory installed emergency flasher and backup light area.(2) As used in this subsection (e), “utility” means any person, municipality, county, metropolitan government, cooperative, board, commission, district, or any entity created or authorized by public act, private act, or general law to provide electricity, natural gas, water, waste water services, telephone service, or any combination thereof, for sale to consumers in any particular service area.(3) As used in subdivision (e)(2), “cooperative” means any cooperative providing utility services including, but not limited to, electric or telephone services, or both.(4) Nothing in this subsection (e) imposes any duty or obligation to install or utilize the lighting systems allowed in this section.(f) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, nothing in this section shall prohibit a motor vehicle used for the driver education and training course for Class D vehicles as provided by § 55-50-322(f) from operating an amber light-emitting diode (LED) light system on the front and rear of such vehicle other than in the taillight lamp, stoplight area, or factory-installed emergency flasher and backup light area. The amber light-emitting diode light system shall not be placed in the driver's line of sight. Nothing in this subsection (f) imposes any duty or obligation to install or utilize the lighting system allowed in this subsection (f).(g) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-9-402 (West)

Effective: July 1, 2013T. C. A. § 55-9-408§ 55-9-408. Anti-glare devicesCurrentnessHeadlights shall be deemed to comply with the provisions of § 55-9-406, prohibiting glaring and dazzling lights, if the headlights are of a type customarily employed by manufacturers of automobiles and in addition are equipped with some anti-glare device; provided, that the anti-glare device, or any combination thereof, when properly adjusted, shall prevent any of the bright portions of the headlight beams from rising above a horizontal plane passing through the lamp centers parallel to a level road upon which the loaded vehicle stands and in no case higher than forty-two inches (42″), seventy-five feet (75′) ahead of the vehicle.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-9-408 (West)

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Old 04-29-2014, 11:20 PM   #5 (permalink)
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WOW!!! Talk about the mother load... Thanks so much for this. I was heading for bed and saw that someone had replied to my post so I thought I would check it out. There's too much to read when I'm sleepy, so I'll read it in the morning.

Thanks for putting out so much information. It's going to be a great read.
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Old 05-01-2014, 04:09 PM   #6 (permalink)
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I only skimmed that, but did it mention minimum height?
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Old 05-01-2014, 04:37 PM   #7 (permalink)
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interesting question... I haven't thought of that. I've seen some really nice sports cars where the headlights are REALLY low. Looks very cool...
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Old 05-01-2014, 06:03 PM   #8 (permalink)
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*whistles aimlessly while scanning the sky and drawing circle with toe in the dirt*

This is the only picture that exists/I'm-aware-of that shows 1940 Buick headlights on a Baja'd VW. I could crouch down in the driver's seat and sight right down the beam of the headlight.


Nowadays it's more about an even field of illumination. My Hella H-4s were great in the 90s, but today's projector headlights are better.

A light above your line of sight will prevent blind spot on hill crests.
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Old 05-01-2014, 06:20 PM   #9 (permalink)
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Those headlights are SO cool on a VW. I love it.And I like what you said about the headlights being above your line of sight. I'm far from getting started on an EV, but I'm learning a lot from people on this site. Thank you and everyone else for their input!

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