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Florida Statute 316.220 - Full Text and Legal Analysis Florida Statute 316.220 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research
Fla. Stat. § 316.220 (2026) Copy Cite Official Site Syfertize CourtListener Amendments
316.220 Headlamps on motor vehicles.—
(1) Every motor vehicle shall be equipped with at least two headlamps with at least one on each side of the front of the motor vehicle, which headlamps shall comply with the requirements and limitations set forth in this chapter, and shall show a white light. An object, material, or covering that alters the headlamp’s light color may not be placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied over a headlamp.
(2) Every headlamp upon every motor vehicle shall be located at a height of not more than 54 inches nor less than 24 inches to be measured as set forth in s. 316.217.
(3) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.
History.—s. 1, ch. 71-135; s. 172, ch. 99-248; s. 9, ch. 2000-313.

Civil Citations under F.S. 316.220

Driver's license points · R = revocation · S = suspension
§316.220HEADLIGHTS - Minimum 1 on each side of motor vehicle, white light 24"-54" from road level.—
§316.220(1)Headlights required/tinted—
§316.220(2)Head lamp violation—

Cases Citing F.S. 316.220

Fla. Stat. § 316.220 (2026) Copy Cite Official Site Syfertize CourtListener Amendments
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·Thomas E. Terrell v. Steve Smith, 668 F.3d 1244 (11th Cir. 2012).

Cited 47 times | Published | Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | 2012 WL 255327, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 1689

...moving down the street at night without lit headlights is uncontroverted. It is equally clear that driving without illuminated headlights at nighttime is a noncriminal traffic infraction in Florida. Every motor vehicle is required to have two front headlights. Fla. Stat. Ann. § 316.220(1)....
0 red0 yellow138 green1 procedural
Cited as authorityRosete (2026)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityBlount-Yeye (2025)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityMahan (2025)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Doctor v. State, 596 So. 2d 442 (Fla. 1992).

Cited 72 times | Published | Supreme Court of Florida | 1992 WL 45029

...nd submit the vehicle to an inspection and such test with reference thereto as may be appropriate. Section 316.610, however, must be read in conjunction with those statutes which delineate the specific equipment requirements for vehicles. See, e.g., § 316.220, Fla....
4 red0 yellow45 green2 procedural
No longer good lawHilton (2007)
phrase: "no longer controlling"
OverruledCAM (2002)
phrase: "overruling"
OverruledC.A.M. (2002)
phrase: "overruling"
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·Classy Cycles, Inc. v. Bay Cnty., 201 So. 3d 779 (Fla. 1st DCA 2016).

Published | Florida 1st District Court of Appeal | 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 14507

...6 has numerous provisions related to the safety requirements of motor vehicles. See, e.g., § 316.156 (signal lamps), § 316.215 (vehicles in unsafe condition), § 316.216 (approval of lighting devices), § 316.217 (when lighted lamps are required), § 316.220 (headlamps), § 316.221 (tail-lamps), § 316.222 (stop lamps and turn signals), § 316.2395 (headlamps), § 316.2396 (driving lamps), § 316.241 (sale or use of approved lamps or equipment), § 316.251 (maximum bumper height), § 316.261 (...
0 red0 yellow1 green0 procedural
Cited as authorityOakes (2021)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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Dep't of High. Saf. & Motor Vehs., Bureau of Driver Improvement v. Thompson, 622 So. 2d 1169 (Fla. 5th DCA 1993).

Published | Florida 5th District Court of Appeal | 1993 Fla. App. LEXIS 8760, 1993 WL 323151

...The testimony at the administrative hearing held pursuant to section 322.2615(6)(a), Florida Statutes (1991), established that a Florida Highway Patrol trooper stopped Thompson at 2:50 a.m. on September 19, 1992, because the car he was driving had only one operational headlight. Section 316.220, Florida Statutes (1991), requires that every motor vehicle be equipped with at least two headlamps, and section 316.-217(l)(a), Florida Statutes (1991), requires that the lamps be displayed from sunset to sunrise....

This Florida statute resource is curated by Graham Syfert, a Jacksonville, Florida personal injury and workers' compensation attorney (Florida Bar No. 39104). Attorney Syfert regularly handles Chapter 316 matters in the context of traffic and automobile accident law and represents clients throughout Northeast Florida. For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.