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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>364603</law_id><section_number>46.2-1020</section_number><catch_line>Other permissible lights</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><referred_to_by><reference>46.2-1030</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="101" identifier="46.2">Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="3" identifier="III">Operation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="2" identifier="10">Motor Vehicle and Equipment Safety</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="3" identifier="3">Lights and Turn Signals</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> may be equipped with fog <span class="dictionary">lights</span>, not more than two of which can be illuminated at any time, one or two auxiliary driving <span class="dictionary">lights</span> if so equipped by the manufacturer, two daytime running <span class="dictionary">lights</span>, two side <span class="dictionary">lights</span> of not more than six candlepower or 75.42 lumens, an interior <span class="dictionary">light</span> or <span class="dictionary">lights</span> of not more than 15 candlepower or 188.55 lumens each, and signal <span class="dictionary">lights</span>.</p><p>The provision of this section limiting interior <span class="dictionary">lights</span> to no more than 15 candlepower or 188.55 lumens shall not apply to (i) alternating, blinking, or flashing colored emergency <span class="dictionary">lights</span> mounted inside <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement <span class="dictionary">motor vehicles</span> which may otherwise legally be equipped with such colored emergency <span class="dictionary">lights</span>, or (ii) flashing shielded red or red and white <span class="dictionary">lights</span>, authorized under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Flashing or steady-burning red or red and white warning light units" href="/46.2-1024/">46.2-1024</a>, mounted inside vehicles owned or used by (a) members of volunteer fire companies or volunteer emergency medical services agencies, (b) professional firefighters, or (c) police chaplains. A vehicle equipped with lighting devices as authorized in this section shall be operated by a police chaplain only if he has successfully completed a course of training in the safe operation of a <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> under emergency conditions and a certificate attesting to such successful completion, signed by the course instructor, is carried at all times in the vehicle when operated by the police chaplain to whom the certificate applies.</p><p>Unless such lighting device (i) is both covered and unlit or (ii) has a clear lens, any reflector in such lighting device is clear, and such lighting device is unlit, no <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> that is equipped with any lighting device other than <span class="dictionary">lights</span> required or permitted in this article, required or approved by the <span class="dictionary">Superintendent</span>, or required by the federal <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Transportation shall be operated on any <span class="dictionary">highway</span> in the Commonwealth. Nothing in this section shall permit any vehicle, not otherwise authorized, to be equipped with colored emergency <span class="dictionary">lights</span>, whether blinking or steady-burning.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 46-273; 1954, c. 310; 1958, c. 541, &#xA7; 46.1-267; 1960, cc. 156, 391; 1962, c. 512; 1966, cc. 655, 664; 1968, c. 89; 1972, c. 7; 1974, c. 537; 1976, c. 6; 1977, c. 72; 1978, cc. 311, 357; 1980, c. 337; 1981, c. 338; 1984, cc. 440, 539; 1985, cc. 248, 269, 287, 462; 1986, cc. 124, 127, 229; 1987, cc. 347, 370; 1988, cc. 339, 351; 1989, c. 727; 1991, c. 516; 1995, c. 122; 2003, c. 153; 2006, c. 122; 2015, cc. 502, 503; 2018, c. 72; 2020, c. 393.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
