Lighting colour
Choosing the correct colour of vehicle lights for all vehicle types.
This content is for general information only. It does not, and is not intended to, provide legal or technical advice or to represent a legal interpretation of the matters it addresses.What colour should vehicle lights be?
See extract below from UN- ECE Reg. 48 or view S.I. No. 189 of 1963 of Road Traffic Lighting of Vehicles Regulations 1963.
| Vehicle lights | Colour of lights |
| Main or driving beam headlamps | White |
Dipped or passing beam headlamps: | White |
Front fog lamps: | White or selective yellow |
Rear fog lamps: | Red |
Direction indicator lamps: | Amber |
Rear lamps: | Red |
Hazard warning signal lamps: | Amber |
Stop lamps: | Red |
Reverse lamps: | White |
Registration plate lamps: | White |
Emergency stop signal lamp: | Amber or Red |
Parking lamps: | White in front. Red at rear or amber if lights at the side are included as part of the direction-indicator lamps or in the side-marker lamps |
Side-marker lamps: (Trucks only) | Amber, however the rearmost side-marker lamp red if it is included as part of the rear position lamp, the rear end- outline marker lamp, the stop lamp or is grouped or has part of the light emitting surface in common with the rear retro-reflector. |
| End-outline marker lamp: | White in front Red at rear |
| Daytime Running Lamp (DRL): | White |
Rear retro-reflector, triangular/ or non-triangular lamp: | Red |
| Front retro-reflector, non-triangular lamp: | Should be identical to incident light (white or colourless retro-reflector) |
Side retro-reflector, non-triangular lamp: | Amber, however the rearmost side retro-reflector can be red if it is included or part of the light emitting surface in common with the rear position lamp, the rear end-outline marker lamp, the rear fog lamp, the stop-lamp or red rearmost side-marker lamp. |
| Cornering lamp: | White |
| Conspicuity Marking: | White or Yellow to the side Red to the rear |
| Adaptive Front-lighting Systems (AFS): | Red or Yellow to rear |
Related pages
Regulations on colours of vehicle lights, including fog lights, parking lamps and side-marker lamps
Information and regulations for important vehicle components including lights, seat belts, glass and tyres.