Is it legal to drive with Christmas lights on your car in Missouri or Arkansas?

ST. LOUIS -- You might be tempted to decorate your car with Christmas lights to embrace the holiday spirit. But keep in mind: Depending on how it's done, it might not be the safest or most legal way to celebrate.

While no federal laws explicitly prohibit decorating cars with Christmas lights, using them could pose safety challenges by potentially obstructing visibility, lighting, or other essential vehicle functions, which may indirectly make it illegal.

That said, when it comes to Christmas lights on cars, laws are left up to states and local municipalities.

For Missouri and Arkansas, there are also no clear-cut laws that expressly outlaw Christmas lights on cars, but violating certain conditions of both states' driving codes through extra lighting could land one in trouble.

Missouri

According to Missouri Statute 307,100, "Any lighted lamp or illuminating device upon a motor vehicle other than headlamps, spot lamps, front direction signals or auxiliary lamps which project a beam of light of an intensity greater than three hundred candlepower shall be so directed that no part of the beam will strike the level of the roadway."

Essentially, if you placed Christmas lights on your vehicle in Missouri that were excessively bright or improperly directed, you could be subject to a violation.

Arkansas

Arkansas' Code § 27-36-208 has similar language to Missouri's statute, stating that any light on a vehicle, "other than headlamps, spot lamps, auxiliary lamps, flashing turn signals, emergency vehicle warning lamps, and school bus warning lamps, which projects a beam of light of an intensity greater than three hundred candlepower," cannot be too bright or directed at the level of the road.

Not only that, but the same section of the Arkansas vehicle code also states. "No person shall drive or move any vehicle or equipment upon any highway with any lamp or device thereon displaying a red, blue, or green light visible from directly in front of the center thereof." The only expectations made to that rule are for authorized emergency vehicles, school buses, funeral processions, or vehicle lights for turn signals and traffic hazards.

Essentially, if you placed Christmas lights on your vehicle in Arkansas that interfere with the visibility of lighting as required by state law or emit non-compliant colors (like green, red or blue) that are visible from the front of your vehicle, you could be subject to a violation.

Other considerations

Beyond state laws, it's important to be mindful of county and municipal ordinances that could further restrict or offer guidance on the use of decorative vehicle lighting.

The context in which lights are used also matters. For instance, having a Christmas-lighted car parked in a driveway or used in a small-structured holiday parade, provided all other state laws are followed, could be more permissible than driving in ordinary traffic with Christmas lights actively in use on the car.

All in all, it's best to resist the temptation of decorating your car with Christmas lights in any case where such a decision could pose a hazard to you or other drivers, in addition to pushing the boundaries of other state traffic laws.