Is It Illegal to Decorate Your Car With Lights for the Holidays?

Your Christmas tree is a towering, twinkling masterpiece, the decorations in your yard are so big and bright they are likely visible from space, but your inner elf tells you something is missing. Then, you look at the four-wheeled, blank canvas in your driveway — and another light bulb goes off in your head.

Well, hang onto those twinkle lights and decorations for just a minute. While decorating cars with lights has become a social media trend over the past few holiday seasons, festooning every inch of your car can be a safety risk.

Technically, decorating your car with Christmas lights is not against the law, notes Car and Driver. You can light up your car like Clark Griswold and keep it parked in the driveway, but driving with them lit goes against most state and federal safety regulations. In many places, including states throughout the Northeast, your cheerful display could get you pulled over and fined.

Lights are considered a distraction. They could impair a driver’s vision. And there is a risk that drivers might confuse a lighted car with an emergency vehicle, especially when flashing. Another drawback is that using adhesives to attach lights to your car could damage the paint.

Wyoming State Police posted this photo of a very festive, well-lighted car pulled over on the side of the road last year with a reminder that the practice is illegal.

Yes, You Can Have Your Decorations and Drive, Too

Don’t let light bans dim your holiday spirit! Exceptions to the rules are sometimes made for events like a holiday car parade. And there are still plenty of totally legal ways to make your ride look festive.

Potential decorations include the popular reindeer antlers and red Rudolph nose, a wreath on the front end, magnets, press-on stickers, securely fastened garland, holiday car mats and air fresheners and dashboard decorations. Just ensure everything is securely fastened and does not block your view.

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“The key is to make sure that you have complete visibility in all directions when you drive,” said Alec Slatky, managing director of public and government affairs for AAA Northeast. “Not only out of the front windshield, but the side windows and the rear windshield. Anything that obstructs your vision is not advised.”

Happy holidays and happy decorating!

Do you decorate your car for the holidays? Tell us in the comments.

Ellen R. Delisio

Ellen is a content producer for AAA Northeast, covering automotive, finance, public affairs and electric vehicle news. She is a former newspaper reporter with experience writing for print and online publications about everything from higher education to sustainability. She recently returned to her native Long Island after living in Connecticut for 20-plus years, and has never met a beach she didn’t like.