Is it legal to put Christmas lights on your car in Idaho? Here’s what the law says

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — The holiday season seems to bring out people’s creative side. Many people use lights and inflatables to transform their yards into Christmas wonderlands. But some people take it a step further and decorate their cars.

You may have encountered some of these vehicles on the street decked out in bright Christmas lights. But, as amusing as it might seem to see these cars out and about, some of these lights might be considered illegal if they are too bright.

What kind of Christmas lights are allowed on cars?

According to Boise Police Communications Manager Haley Williams, putting Christmas lights on your car should be fine, as long as they don’t create a risk for other drivers.

“Unless the lights are causing a safety hazard, Christmas lights on vehicles likely are not breaking the spirit of the laws about vehicle lights,” Williams said in a text message.

While there isn’t a state law that explicitly bans decorating your car with Christmas lights, there are state laws that explain the kinds of lights that are permitted, where and how they should be mounted on the vehicle and how many lights you’re allowed to have on your vehicle.

According to Idaho Statutes, Title 49, Chapter 9, “Any lighted lamp or illuminating device upon a motor vehicle, other than head lamps, spot lamps, auxiliary lamps, or flashing turn signals, emergency vehicle warning lamps, and school bus warning lamps, which projects a beam of light of an intensity greater than 300 candlepower shall be so directed that no part of the high-intensity portion of the beam will strike the level of the roadway on which the vehicle stands at a distance of more than 75 feet from the vehicle.”

There is also an additional Idaho statute in the same title and chapter detailing reflectors that are allowed on cars, and the colors they are allowed to reflect.

“Front clearance lamps and marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the front or on the side near the front of a vehicle shall display or reflect an amber color,” according to the statute. “Rear clearance lamps and marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the rear or on the sides near the rear of a vehicle shall display or reflect a red color.”