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The data below is Current as of 12/4/2023. Note: Most states do not have language explicitly calling out “light bars,” but several do.

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On the topic of off-road-use-only lights, a few state regulations require you to have them completely covered when driving on the road, which is why many lighting manufacturers will include covers with the kit. KC includes covers with most of its lighting systems, for example.

Have you been wondering if LED auxiliary lights and LED light bars are legal to use in your state? It's a question we get regularly, so we put together this guide to help provide some answers. Here you'll find LED auxiliary lighting dos and don'ts and state-by-state regulations to help answer this often-asked question.

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Some states have rules about the number of forward-facing auxiliary lights that you're allowed to have on your vehicle, whether they're street-legal or not. The list below addresses this if the state publishes these numbers.

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It's up to you to ensure you're following your state's laws and regulations regarding LED auxiliary lights and light bars. (Note: Few states have definitive language revolving around the use of LED light bars specifically.) However, in the video below, we present a general set of “Do's and Don'ts” that will help keep you out of trouble.

In general, it's illegal to have off-road-only lights turned on while on the roadway, and those who do anyway often end up annoying other drivers, leading to even more restrictive laws on what you can add to your rig. The real answer is that because each state has different rules, it's up to you to know your state's regulations regarding auxiliary lights. Our list below can give you a head start.

For example, if you choose an SAE/ECE driving light like our Gravity Pro6 street-legal driving beam pattern, you'll wire the street-legal beam to your high beams to ensure you don't blind oncoming drivers but allow you to supplement your brights on the open road. This little bit of extra effort during the installation will make things effortless for daily use.

Many states also have rules about the mounting heights of the street-legal auxiliary lights that you'll be using. A general rule of thumb for those is that even if they're street-legal but are mounted above your headlights, it's not okay. Therefore, it's best to mount street-legal lights in line with or below your headlights. This is also added in our list below if the state publishes this information.

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Now that you've watched the video, here are some dos and don'ts regarding auxiliary LED lighting usage. Please note that this is the best advice we can give on this topic, based on our experiences and research. That said, this information should not be construed as legal advice.

If you deal with a lot of adverse weather, dust, or fog, street-legal fog lights wired instead with low beams offer a seamless addition of visibility only when it's effective, without affecting your down-range lighting performance on the highway. If your state allows it, you can do low and high-beam setups!

to the situation. While off-road-only lighting/lenses or modes are almost universally illegal in the US, some of KC's lights are SAE/ECE compliant with multiple power modes or special driving shields, which give you lots of flexibility on the road and when you hit the trails.

KC's power management solutions all work together to provide off-grid, sustainable energy, so you can extend your adventure further and stay powered anywhere.