PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - Are European headlights allowed by Texas law?

G-Benz · #16 05-30-2007, 05:29 AM

Here's my take on the whole "Euro-light" legality issue:

When DOT specs required limiting the candlepower to where Euro lighting would be illegal, far more superior lighting (i.e. HID) had not been approved for the streets at the time. Installing Euros prior to the mid 90's would have been considered illegal, and could have probably gotten you cited (if an officer with a trained eye recognized the infraction).

Now that HID is practically mainstream with modern vehicles, Euro lights no longer pose an issue. As long as the upgrade does not violate current DOT lighting specifications, you are well within the legal right to do so.

To further the analogy, if you customize a Ford Model T and toss the old sealed beams for a set of halogens, would that be an infraction?