[Border411]

I just bought some nice DDM HID 3k bulbs, and was set to install them in my truck for the fogs. I was going to do the mod where you bypass the circuit that cuts off your fog lights when the high beams go on. Well, since I am in law enforcement and didnt know if that would pass inspection, I called up the VA state police and talked to a really nice Lt who gave me the answer. If I was to change the wiring so the fog lights were independantly controlled, my truck would not pass inspection. What does this mean? This means that everytime I need to have my truck inspected, I will have to remove the HID bulbs and put in the regular old 9006 yellow bulbs. I know some people have either done this or might be thinking of doing it. DO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK! Check with your local state police and ask, it might save a lot of headache further on down the road.

[DocMT]

I don't know about VA, but working foglights are not required in most states. They only check for headlights/taillights/turn signal, etc.

So while it may be illegal to have them wired that way, all you have to do is pull the fuse or disable the switch and they'll never know that they're wired illegally. And they can't fail you for not having operating foglights.

[scottm]

Years ago I was pulled over in Oklahoma for having aux lights on with my headlights. Laws vary. I think there's a DOT max light output for street use, various rules of that type.

[Asmara]

I found this really interesting since I live in VA too. I was poking around and discovered some other interesting things.

VA Law indicates that you can't have more than 4 forward facing lights (2 of them being your headlights) on at any one time. Technically you should be able to have more lights (think light bar) but I saw other reports of VA inspectors rejecting vehicles for having too many lights including ones that didn't shut off when the high beams were on.

Here's the guidance for VA inspectors (19VAC30-70-160) with irrelevant stuff removed. I would note that is specifically says you can have more than 4 lights as long as only 4 will illuminate at a time. The check for the fogs being wired into low beams is in section 11 (g) subsection (1)
Full Text Here

19VAC30-70-160. Auxiliary lamps: backup; cornering; driving; fog; spot and warning.

A. Auxiliary lamps on a vehicle consist of seven general types: backup lamps (SAE-R), cornering lamps (SAE-K), driving lamps (SAE-Y), front fog lamps with an amber or clear lens (SAE-F and rear fog lamps with red lens (SAE-F2), spot lamps (SAE-O), warning lamps (SAE-W, W2, W3), and daytime running lamps (DRLs) (SAE-Y2).

C. There is no limit on the number of backup lamps that a vehicle may have so long as they are of an approved type (SAE-R).

D. No more than four lamps, including two headlamps, may be lighted at any time to provide general illumination ahead of the vehicle.

I. Inspect for and reject if:

1. Vehicle has an auxiliary lamp being used for a purpose other than for which it was approved.

EXCEPTION: Any lighting device that is both covered and not illuminated, other than lamps required, shall not be considered for inspection. Fog and driving lamps mounted below the level of the regular headlamps must be checked for aim as outlined in subdivisions I 10 i and 11 g of this section if not covered.

NOTE: The covers shall be a type that would be installed as original equipment and not tape, paper bags, aluminum foil or similar materials per subdivision I 11g (2).

2. A vehicle has installed on it a warning lamp (DOT or SAE-W) that is not of an approved type or has been altered.

Reject if the vehicle has wire, unapproved plastic covers, any other materials that are not original equipment or any colored material placed on or in front of any auxiliary lamps: backup, cornering, driving, fog, spot, or warning lamps.

3. Vehicle is equipped with a combination of auxiliary lamps that include more than two fog lamps, or more than two spot lamps, or more than two driving lamps. Motor vehicles may be equipped with more than two fog or auxiliary lights; however, only two of these types of lights can be illuminated at any time. Reject a vehicle equipped with a headlamp mounted or used as an auxiliary lamp.

NOTE: Vehicles equipped, from the factory, with two driving lamps should not be rejected.

4. Vehicle is equipped with an auxiliary lamp that does not function properly. (If an auxiliary lamp has been modified by removing the wiring, bulb and socket, the unit will be considered an ornament and not a lamp and will not be considered in inspection.)

6. Any lamp is not of an approved type or if lamps to be burned together as a pair do not emit the same color light.

7. The lens has a piece broken from it. The lens may have one or more cracks provided an off-color light does not project through the crack or cracks.

10. Driving lamps are not required. However, if installed they must operate and be inspected.

Inspect for and reject if:

a. Driving lamps are installed on vehicles equipped with the four-headlamp system, except the "F" type headlamp system;

b. A vehicle is equipped with more than two driving lamps;

c. Driving lamps are not of an approved type or have been altered;

d. The color of the lamp is other than white;

e. The lens has a piece broken from it or is rotated away from its proper position. The lens may have one or more cracks provided an off-color light does not project through the crack or crack;

f. Wiring or electrical connections are defective;

g. Any driving lamp is mounted above the level of the regular headlamps, or is not mounted firmly to prevent excessive vibration;

h. Driving lamps are not wired so that they will burn only when the high beams of the regular headlamps are activated;

i. Driving lamps are not aimed so that the center of the hot spot drops three inches in 25 feet so that the hot spot is directly ahead of the lamp;

NOTE: Driving lamps must be aimed using the optical headlight aimer. A tolerance of four inches in 25 feet is allowed in both the horizontal and the vertical adjustment.

11. Fog lamps are not required. However, if installed they must operate and be inspected.

Inspect for and reject if:

a. A vehicle is equipped with more than two fog lamps;

b. Lamps are not of an approved type (DOT or SAE-F on front or F2 on rear plus two-digit year and manufacturer) or a lamp has been altered;

c. The lens is other than clear or amber. Fog lamps may have black-end bulbs or small metal caps over the end of the bulb;

d. The lens has a piece broken from it or is rotated away from its proper position. The lens may have one or more cracks provided an off-color light does not project through the crack or crack;

e. Wiring or electrical connections are defective or filaments do not burn;

f. Any fog lamp is mounted above the level of the regular headlamps, or is not mounted firmly;

g. Lamps are not wired and aimed according to the following instructions:

(1) Fog lamps are general illumination lamps as covered in subsection A of this section. They must burn through the tail light circuit even if on a separate switch. If installed on a vehicle with a four-headlamp system, or a vehicle equipped with driving lamps, they must be wired into the low beam circuit.

(2) Fog lamps must be aimed so that the top edge of the high intensity zone is set at the horizontal centerline and the left edge of the high intensity zone is set at the vertical centerline. (Same as low beam headlights.)

NOTE: Fog lamps must be aimed using the optical headlight aimer. A tolerance of four inches in 25 feet is allowed in both the horizontal and the vertical adjustment.

13. Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) are not required. However, if installed they must operate and be inspected. DRLs must be installed in pairs.

NOTE: DRLs may or may not be wired into the tail light circuit.

Inspect for and reject if:

a. Any lamp, except headlamps, used as DRLs if not an approved type (SAE-Y2) and is not marked "DRL";

b. Fog lamps or parking lamps are used as DRLs;

c. More than one pair of lamps is used and/or designated as DRLs;

d. A DRL is mounted higher than 34 inches measured to the center of the lamp;

e. The color is other than white to amber;

f. DRLs do not deactivate when the headlamps are in any "on" position.

Any DRL optically combined with a turn signal or hazard lamp must deactivate when the turn signal or hazard lamp is activated and then reactivate when the turn signal or hazard lamp deactivates.

Statutory Authority

§ 46.2-1165 of the Code of Virginia.

[Nuke]

Install the mod. I suspect the only thing you need to do at inspection time is to disable the fog lights ability to be on with the high beams. See I.10.h and 1I.11.g.(1) of the above code. The biggest gripe I hear about folks being ticketed is in regards to fog or aux lights being on with the high beams.

[Border411]

That is what I would do (pulling the fuse/relay), however per the dealership that does my inspection, it there is wiring there and a place for a bulb, it needs to be working as stated in the I.11.G.(1). Asmara - That is the inspection section that SPECIFICALLY made me call the VASP to ask them. Thanks for posting it. It is easy enough to remove the HID bulb, and plug in the old 9006 bulbs while leaving everything else mounted. Not a big deal, just need to make sure I do that.

Nuke - In order to make them work "correctly" under the code I would have to remove the bent and rewired relay from the foglight mod directions, install a new one so they work correctly, and remove the wire connector inside the steering column that grounds pins 16 and 17. Then I need to worry about the inspector flashing the the highs with the HID bulbs in which can significantly shorten the life of the bulbs.

[RonMAIDEN]

I am so glad our state inspection in Colorado is a simple emissions test every couple of years and that's about it;they never look at any mods or even seem interested. I drove a very modded turbo Eclipse (under the hood it was very obvious) and as long as it passed the tailpipe test they never looked twice.

[zstampe]

Wow, that all sucks, in Kansas we never have to do any inspections ever. The only time you need to get a vehicle inspected is when you buy it out ot state and go to register it in kansas. For instance, when I bought my runner in missouri all I had to do was get it inspected once and that was it. And they don't look at lighting or emissions or anything.

[[email protected]]

I know in CA, you can only have 4 lights on at a time. Since most manufacturers have their headlight stay on while high beams are switched on, that is why the fog light relay is set to turn off.

If you get a ticket for exceeding the limit of lights, thats your own fault IMO. Running up on people with your highbeams on is a d*ck move. And that is the only way you would get caught.

Now, that is only for CA, we don't have inspections like other states.


If you really need the light output, I would do it. I'd take a ticket, if it meant I was safer..... that being said, I don't need my fog lights on while my high beams are on while driving, High Beams are for distance. If you need light output in a short distance, I would adjust your lights for that area.


This is just my opinion..

[Border411]

I agree Evan, I only wanted to do the mod so that my HID bulbs werent flicked on and off quickly, which shortens their lifespan substantially.

[vvs75]

Originally Posted by Border411

I just bought some nice DDM HID 3k bulbs, and was set to install them in my truck for the fogs. I was going to do the mod where you bypass the circuit that cuts off your fog lights when the high beams go on. Well, since I am in law enforcement and didnt know if that would pass inspection, I called up the VA state police and talked to a really nice Lt who gave me the answer. If I was to change the wiring so the fog lights were independantly controlled, my truck would not pass inspection. What does this mean? This means that everytime I need to have my truck inspected, I will have to remove the HID bulbs and put in the regular old 9006 yellow bulbs. I know some people have either done this or might be thinking of doing it. DO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK! Check with your local state police and ask, it might save a lot of headache further on down the road.

Shaun,
I am in Annandale, Fairfax County too. I did only part one mode so I can ON/OFF my fogs independently from Lows but when I turn ON Highs
my fogs go automatically OFF. I never use Highs so it works for me and I never have more than four lights at ones.
I pass my inspection a month ago just fine.
What I do not understand why you need to swipe your HID back to stock bulbs?

[matoolie]

Originally Posted by vvs75

Shaun,
I am in Annandale, Fairfax County too. I did only part one mode so I can ON/OFF my fogs independently from Lows but when I turn ON Highs
my fogs go automatically OFF.

I did the same thing with my fogs and never had a problem with my inspection here in VA.

[Border411]

Originally Posted by vvs75

Shaun,
I am in Annandale, Fairfax County too. I did only part one mode so I can ON/OFF my fogs independently from Lows but when I turn ON Highs
my fogs go automatically OFF. I never use Highs so it works for me and I never have more than four lights at ones.
I pass my inspection a month ago just fine.
What I do not understand why you need to swipe your HID back to stock bulbs?

Ok...I got ya on that. So you can still turn on the fogs without having your headlights on at all, but when the highs go on your fogs go off.

The reason for the switching out of the HID's is so (1) Since they are not DOT approved to be used in that housing I dont have any issues, and (2) so when the tech flashes on the highs and go backs to lows, I dont have any "hot start" issues which can ruin HID bulbs quickly. HID bulbs need to cool down to let the salts inside re-crystalize before they are started up again, or the lifespan of the bulbs is shortened.

Matoolie-ever have any issues with the HID bulbs not being DOT compliant? Has the tech ever said anything to you? Also, do you have it inspected at a garage, or at the dealership?

[Offroad4fun]

Today, I had to remove my DD ss3 Sport fog lights to pass VA state inspection. Not DOT approved? Kind of a bummer.