You're cruising in your 4x4, windows down, blasting the radio and taking in the breeze. When, suddenly, you look up and see the dreaded flashing blue lights in your rear view mirror. The next thing you know, you're getting a ticket for your headlights being too high off of the ground. You didn't even know that was a law. It's not an easy fix either!
Nobody likes being pulled over much less getting a ticket. Especially when it's something you could've avoided had you done a little research. That's why we're breaking down the law when it comes to offroad vehicles. How high is too high? What lights are illegal? Is my tread going to get me in trouble? Let's get into it.
Well, in Texas the sky is nearly the limit. Texas law states that "the dimensions of a vehicle are not to exceed 13.5-feet tall or 45 feet long. For reference, your average semi-truck measures 14 feet tall and 48 feet long. So, without a commercial license or training, you can legally drive a vehicle that’s roughly the same size as a tractor-trailer."* Odds are you won't have an issue when it comes to the height of your vehicle.
However, Texas law mandates that headlights on any vehicle can be no higher than 52 inches from the ground. This isn't always an easy fix so before you get that big lift make sure that your shop knows the laws.
As far as Texas law is concerned, the lights that you are not allowed to have are:
Underglows are legal as long as they follow the rules above.
As long as your truck or vehicle is under 13.5 feet tall, less than 45 feet long, and the headlights are less than 52 inches from the ground then you are within the legal boundaries for Texas vehicles. If you choose to outfit your truck with lights, make sure to stay away from red and/or blue as well as flashing lights of any color.
We can do it for you right here at our shop in Sealy! From LED lights, grills, bumpers, lift kits, and even custom fabrication, if you can dream it we can build it!
