LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeVehicle CodeDiv. 12Ch. 2Art. 14§ 25803 Vehicle Lighting Requirements

§ 25803 Vehicle Lighting Requirements

Vehicle Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 25803 Vehicle Lighting Requirements

This law says that certain vehicles must have specific lights and reflectors if they are driven at night. It also requires extra lights or flags if the vehicle or its load is very wide.

Key Takeaways

  • •Vehicles not required to have headlights must have a red light visible from 500 feet behind and a white light visible from 500 feet in front when driven at night.
  • •These vehicles must also have an amber reflector on the front left and a red reflector on the rear left, mounted between 16 and 60 inches above the ground.
  • •If the vehicle or its load is wider than 100 inches, it needs an extra amber light at night or a red/fluorescent orange flag during the day.

Example

A farmer driving a tractor at night on a highway.

The tractor must have a red light visible from 500 feet behind and a white light visible from 500 feet in front. It also needs an amber reflector on the front left and a red reflector on the rear left. If the tractor or its load is wider than 100 inches, it needs an extra amber light at night or a red/fluorescent orange flag during the day.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 25803 Vehicle Lighting Requirements

(a) All vehicles not otherwise required to be equipped with headlamps, rear lights, or reflectors by this chapter shall, if operated on a highway during darkness, be equipped with a lamp exhibiting a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear of the vehicle. In addition, all of these vehicles operated alone or as the first vehicle in a combination of vehicles, shall be equipped with at least one lighted lamp exhibiting a white light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the front of the vehicle. (b) A vehicle shall also be equipped with an amber reflector on the front near the left side and a red reflector on the rear near the left side. The reflectors shall be mounted on the vehicle not lower than 16 inches nor higher than 60 inches above the ground and so designed and maintained as to be visible during darkness from all distances within 500 feet from the vehicle when directly in front of a motor vehicle displaying lawful lighted headlamps undimmed. (c) In addition, if a vehicle described in subdivision (a) or the load thereon has a total outside width in excess of 100 inches there shall be displayed during darkness at the left outer extremity at least one amber light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of 500 feet to the front, sides, and rear. At all other times there shall be displayed at the left outer extremity a solid red or fluorescent orange flag or cloth not less than 18 inches square. (Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 451, Sec. 52. (SB 491) Effective January 1, 2016.)

Last verified: January 9, 2026

Key Terms

highwayvehicledistanceadditionextremitycombination

Related Statutes

  • § 25301 Utility Vehicle Warning Devices
  • § 25802 Logging Vehicle Exemptions
  • § 21223 Scooter Night Equipment Requirements
  • § 25305 Highway Fusee Safety Rules
  • § 25651 Motorcycle Headlamp Visibility Requirements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Vehicle Code. Section 25803.
View Official Source