GA State Law on LED Scanners, Strobes, Halo's, and Side markers.

[Genious]

I recently had a run in with GA's finest about my blue AAC scanner mailslot lights, so I thought I would pass along what I learned.

There are 2 separate codes concerning blue and red lights, Blue as you will read below blue lights are a no go no matter if you are parked or not. Any vehicle EQUIPPED with blue lights that are not parking, turn signal, or braking lights is a misdemeanor.

Georgia Code - Motor Vehicles & Traffic - Title 40, Section 40-8-90
(a)(1) Except as provided in this paragraph and subsection (b) of this Code section, it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to operate any motor vehicle equipped with or containing a device capable of producing any blue lights, whether flashing, blinking, revolving, or stationary, except:

(A) Motor vehicles owned or leased by any federal, state, or local law enforcement agency;

(B) Motor vehicles with a permit granted by a state agency to bear such lights; or

(C) Antique, hobby, and special interest vehicles, as defined in subsection (a) of Code Section 40-2-77, which may display a blue light or lights of up to one inch in diameter as part of any such vehiclés rear stop lamps, rear turning indicator, rear hazard lamps, and rear reflectors.

(2) Any person who violates paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(b) The prohibition contained in subsection (a) of this Code section shall not apply to any elected sheriff who, pursuant to an agreement between the sheriff and the county governing authority, is using his or her personal motor vehicle in a law enforcement activity, provided such vehicle is marked as provided in Code Section 40-8-91.

(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to use any motor vehicle equipped with flashing, blinking, revolving, or stationary blue lights in the commission of a felony, and, upon conviction of a violation of this subsection, the punishment shall be a fine of not less than $1,000.00 or imprisonment of not less than one year, or both.

Georgia Code - Motor Vehicles & Traffic - Title 40, Section 40-8-93
Nothing contained in Code Sections 40-8-90 and 40-8-92 shall be deemed to apply to nor construed to prohibit blinking or flashing parking or brake lights or directional signals on any motor vehicle.

Georgia state laws concerning red lights are a little different, red strobes and scanners are actually ok provided you have a permit, that's what common sense tells me but the way the law is written a good enough lawyer could get you out of any fines based on the way the law is written.

Georgia Code - Motor Vehicles & Traffic - Title 40, Section 40-8-92
(a) All emergency vehicles shall be designated as such by the commissioner of public safety. The commissioner shall so designate each vehicle by issuing to such vehicle a permit to operate flashing or revolving emergency lights of the appropriate color. Such permit shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance; provided, however, that permits for vehicles belonging to federal, state, county, or municipal governmental agencies shall be valid for five years from the date of issuance. Any and all officially marked law enforcement vehicles as specified in Code Section 40-8-91 shall not be required to have a permit for the use of a blue light. Any and all fire department vehicles which are distinctly marked on each side shall not be required to have a permit for the use of a red light.

(b) The commissioner shall authorize the use of red or amber flashing or revolving lights only when the person or governmental agency shall demonstrate to the commissioner a proven need for equipping a vehicle with emergency lights. The fee for such lights shall be $2.00, provided that no federal, state, county, or municipal governmental agency shall be required to pay such fee.

(c) Nothing contained in this Code section shall prohibit the commissioner from issuing a single special use permit to cover more than one vehicle, provided each vehicle covered under such special use permit shall pay the fee specified in subsection (b) of this Code section.

(d) Except as provided in this subsection, it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to operate any motor vehicle or to park any motor vehicle on public property with flashing or revolving green lights. This subsection shall not apply to any motor vehicle being used by any law enforcement agency, fire department, emergency management agency, or other governmental entity to designate the location of the command post for such agency, department, or entity at the site of an emergency.

Georgia Code - Motor Vehicles & Traffic - Title 40, Section 40-8-96
Any person violating Code Sections 40-8-90 and 40-8-92 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

There you have it, all GA state laws concerning scanners, side markers, halo's, and braking lights. Just in case anyone wants to know what GA considers a Antique, hobby, or special interest car.

Georgia Code - Motor Vehicles & Traffic - Title 40, Section 40-2-77
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'antique or hobby or special interest vehicle' means any motor vehicle which is over 25 years old or a motor vehicle which has been designed and manufactured to resemble an antique or historical vehicle and which is owned as a collector´s item and for participation in club activities, exhibitions, tours, parades, and similar uses but which may be used for general transportation.

(b) Upon application, registration, and payment of an annual registration fee of $20.00, the commissioner shall issue a special license plate, as described in this Code section, for every antique or hobby or special interest vehicle within the state which is a private passenger car, truck weighing less than 14,000 pounds, or motorcycle.

(c) For antique vehicles or hobby or special interest vehicles, said license plates shall be of metal at least four inches wide and not less than seven inches in length and shall show in bold characters the words 'Antique Vehicle' or 'Hobby or Special Interest Vehicle,' as appropriate, the full name or the abbreviation of the name of the state, distinctive numbers or letters or a combination thereof, and other distinctive markings as in the judgment of the commissioner will to the best advantage advertise, popularize, and otherwise promote the state.

(d) The commissioner shall make such rules and regulations as necessary to ascertain compliance with all state license laws relating to use and operation of a private passenger car, truck weighing less than 14,000 pounds, or motorcycle, as applicable, before issuing these plates in lieu of the regular Georgia license plate.

(e) Special plates issued under this Code section shall be transferred to another antique or hobby or special interest vehicle as provided by Code Section 40-2-80.

(f) Any vehicle for which an antique vehicle or hobby or special interest vehicle license plate has been issued pursuant to this Code section may be operated upon the roadways of this state in the same manner and under the same conditions as any vehicle bearing a regular Georgia license plate. No owner of such antique vehicle or hobby or special interest vehicle shall be required to obtain any special permits for its operation on the roads of this state.

[tjk_art]

I go to college in GA... and have a blue dome light and footwell lighting from AAC

[thespymaster]

Bottom Line Up Front: AAC LED Scanner lights should only be used in "SHOW MODE" when you car is on display , etc, not while driving around.

I've been pulled over my share over the LED Scanners left on, due to brainfart.............

[Genious]

Originally Posted by tjk_art

I go to college in GA... and have a blue dome light and footwell lighting from AAC

Dome and footwell lighting don't fall into this category this is exterior lighting

[Genious]

Originally Posted by thespymaster

Bottom Line Up Front: AAC LED Scanner lights should only be used in "SHOW MODE" when you car is on display , etc, not while driving around.

I've been pulled over my share over the LED Scanners left on, due to brainfart.............

Negative, according to the codes above BLUE lighting is prohibited in any situation. Amber, UV, and Red are cool with permit, and even then the permit is only issues if you have a license plate dictating that your car is antique, hobby, or special interest (show car). It's an easy process though Monday im planning on geetting the plate and the permit, which will only run me $22.00, $20.00 for the plate and $2.00 for the permit. Just have to decide between UV, or Red. I think those will look the best on a IBM car

[Genious]

The officer that approached me (while my car was parked in my friend driveway, I was showing him the new setup) tried to scare me with the threat of the $1,000 fine. After I researched I found that the fine and or jail time only apply if the lights are used in the commission of a felony class crime.

[HubStep]

This is such BS! I understand why you can't *use* flashing lights while driving or have "revolving lights" and whatnot.... But wtf is wrong with blue accent lights?

Only in GA can I own a Barrett .50 cal or conceal carry in a school (yes, it's legal while picking up your kids!) but blue lights? Heck no!

[LoneStar]

So... looks like I'll add "Georgia" to my do not live here list. Added to the list right under California...

[Rhyder]

thank people who think its fun to get behind other cars and turn the blue lights on and off till they pull over for them, making it not usable in any situation cause if you leave a loophole people will wiggle through it......

As a side note, i mpretty sure the cop cant ticket you on private property unless a complaint is made, you visibly commiting a felony or your a danger to yourself or others........if he came onto your buddies driveway without permission that would get anything thrown out anyways.

[CookieCk]

Most of the cops will only say something if it's flashing blue/red while you're driving. I had a bunch of lights on my bug so I knew these laws already, and I usually just keep my lights away from blue and red and left it at that, but I have driven past cops with solid(not flashing) blue underglow many times and never got in trouble for it.

[HubStep]

So let me get this straight.... where exactly does it SAY red is illegal?

It clearly states blue is illegal, but then only mentions the issuance of "permits" for flashing red lights... never saying solid non-flashing red is illegal.

I can issue you a "permit" to breath, but that doesn't make breathing illegal without my permit.

[HubStep]

And gah.... So I got stopped for red lights last night. After 8 months and dozens of deputies all being cool with me this guy stopped me and threatens to ticket me if I don't "have them off by tomorrow"..... Yeah... Fat chance.

So I wrote the sheriff:

Hello Sheriff Piper, my name is E**** *******.

First let me say as a forsyth resident that every interaction I've had with Forsyth County Sheriff's deputies has been wonderful. You've got a great team of guys and I really appreciate the work you all do.

The reason I am writing you today is about an interaction that occurred yesterday with one of your officers. My vehicle is equipped with an LED lighting system that produces a halo-like effect around the main headlights that I built myself. I've had sheriff's dept people approach me several times at Starbucks, Walmart, and other places over the past year and strike up conversation about them (where I got them, how I made them, complimenting them etc). Not once has there ever been any issue about them being red. I even had one roll past me while parked, give me the "thumbs up" and drive off.

It was always my understanding that any blue lights were obviously illegal, and that any flashing lights of any sort were illegal for similarly obvious reasons. These lights are not however, and no way shape or form resemble an emergency vehicle.

Your officer yesterday informed me that red, green, purple, or any other color for that matter was illegal and threatened to ticket me.

Surprised by this apparent change I spent a significant amount of time last night digging through the title 40 "motor vehicles and traffic" section of the Georgia code. I found 5 sections pertaining to lights on vehicles of non-standard nature:

{Title 40}

Section 40:
Subsections:
40-8-90
40-8-93
40-8-92
40-8-96
40-2-77

As a breakdown of what these cover:

40-8-90
-basically blue lights are a no-go for any reason. Etc etc. antique vehicles can request a permit. Ok. Adds a rider penalty for using them in commission of felony, gotcha.

40-8-93
"Nothing in 90 and 92 applies to parking, braking, or signal lights" ok

40-8-92
-(a) designation of emergency vehicles by commissioner, permit process,
****-(b) the commissioner shall authorize use of red or amber *flashing or revolving* lights. Police/fire don't need permits. Ok.
(c) more permit guidelines
****(d) flashing or revolving green lights are illegal. Doesn't apply to gov.

40-8-96
-violate 90 or 92 and you get a misdemeanor, to clarify 90 and 92 establish that vehicles possessing emergency lights (flashing red/amber/white or anything blue) require authorization.

40-2-77
-definition of what an antique/special interest vehicle is, permit process etc etc


So, while I apologize for sending you this huge email (as I'm sure you have other things you would rather be doing), I don't see anything in the Georgia State code prohibiting red, green, purple, or any other color for that matter as long as:
-no blue at all
-no flashing green
-no flashing red
-no flashing amber/white

Common sense would dictate any color flashing at all could be deemed unsafe. As such, I would never do that (even though that does not appear to be addressed).

I'd like to take a moment to clarify my intentions here. I understand why these rules exist, you don't want anyone impersonating an officer for a prank or malicious reason and I am absolutely fine with that. I'm writing you to see if there's anything I've missed, as from what I can find the law says nothing about solid (non-flashing) lights being uses for aesthetic/appearance purposes with the exception of blue.

What I have in no way, shape, or form could be interpreted nor mistaken for a police vehicle. I'm writing seeking clarification on what specific Georgia code doing so would violate.


Again thank you for your time and have a great rest of the day!


Sent from my iPhone

[Blue17CamaroZL1]

GA is pretty much role reversal from NJ. You can have blue in NJ as long as you are a permitted fire fighter or EMT with a limit of 6 strobes anywhere on the vehicle.

Red is ONLY allowed for police and fire chief in a private vehicle. Anyone caught with red will have to explain to said judge about why he has red on his car.

HOWEVER, strobes, LEDs or anything in any color is permitted as long as the car is parked.

[HubStep]

Interesting....