Your car’s lights serve more of a purpose than illuminating the road ahead. They keep you visible in the darkness for other motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists. But putting the wrong type of lights on your vehicle could land you in hot water with the police in Florida. 

The Sunshine State could lock you up for five years and fine you $5,000 if your car lights violate the state’s new law

2025 has been a big year for road laws in Florida. In addition to “Super Speeder” laws and new DUI punishments, lawmakers in the Sunshine State proposed a new car light law. The law, HB 253, creates severe punishments for drivers who install certain aftermarket lighting on their vehicles.

Not blinding light bars on lifted trucks, mind you. Although perhaps they should. No, HB 253 seeks to punish drivers for aftermarket lighting that could be confused by other motorists as emergency lights. The proposed law suggests that front-facing red, blue, and red-and-white light arrays could imitate police, fire, emergency medical, and other official services.

Violators could be subject to third-degree felony charges for serious enough infractions. Needless to say, you might want to think twice before slapping a faux police light on your car for Halloween this year.

As far as punishments go, the state of Florida could send violators to prison for up to five years if the lights are in use during a crime or while fleeing from the police. That’s in addition to a possible $5,000 fine. 

HB 253 takes aim at license plates, too

The proposed law also seeks to criminalize modifications, obscurations, or obscuring devices with the intent to prevent law enforcement and toll cameras from getting a clear image of a vehicle’s license plate.

Violators could be looking at a second-degree misdemeanor for blocking or obscuring their plates. As of now, Florida doesn’t require front-facing license plates. As such, the law only impacts rear plates.