Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.685 (2026)

Head lamps; number; modulator; height; auxiliary, spot, or other lamp; exemption.

✓ current as of July 2026

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MICHIGAN VEHICLE CODE

Act 300 of 1949

257.685 Head lamps; number; modulator; height; auxiliary, spot, or other lamp; exemption.

Sec. 685.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2), a motor vehicle shall be equipped with at least 2 head lamps with at least 1 head lamp on each side of the front of the motor vehicle, in compliance with this chapter. An implement of husbandry manufactured on or after January 1, 2007 shall comply with section 684a.

(2) A motorcycle or moped shall be equipped with at least 1 and not more than 2 head lamps that comply with this chapter.

(3) A motorcycle or moped head lamp may be wired or equipped to allow either its upper beam or its lower beam, but not both, to modulate from a higher intensity to a lower intensity. A head lamp modulator installed on a motorcycle or moped with 2 head lamps shall be wired in a manner to prevent the head lamps from modulating at different rates or not in synchronization with each other. A head lamp modulator installed on a motorcycle or moped shall meet the standards prescribed in 49 CFR 571.108.

(4) Every head lamp upon a motor vehicle shall be located at a height measured from the center of the head lamp of not more than 54 inches nor less than 24 inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands.

(5) When a motor vehicle equipped with head lamps as required in this section is also equipped with auxiliary lamps or a spot lamp or any other lamp on the front of the motor vehicle projecting a beam of an intensity greater than 300 candlepower, not more than a total of 4 of those lamps on the front of a vehicle shall be lighted at a time when upon a highway.

(6) A motor vehicle licensed as an historic vehicle is exempt from the requirements of this section if the vehicle as originally equipped failed to meet these requirements. An historic vehicle shall not be operated in violation of section 684.

History: 1949, Act 300, Eff. Sept. 23, 1949 ;-- Am. 1957, Act 22, Imd. Eff. Apr. 19, 1957 ;-- Am. 1976, Act 439, Imd. Eff. Jan. 13, 1977 ;-- Am. 1978, Act 55, Imd. Eff. Mar. 10, 1978 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 14, Imd. Eff. Feb. 9, 2006 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 453, Imd. Eff. Dec. 14, 2006

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 11 cases, 1967–2020 · leading case: Mull v. Equitable Life Assurance Soc'y, 510 N.W.2d 184 (Mich. 1994).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Mull v. Equitable Life Assurance Soc'y, 510 N.W.2d 184 (Mich. 1994). · cites it 2× “The headlights are not a proper distance from the ground, MCL 257.685(c); MSA 9.2385(c). The tractor has no turn signals, MCL 257.”

Klinke v. Mitsubishi Motors Corp., 581 N.W.2d 272 (Mich. 1998). · cites it 2× “§ 257.685; M.S.A. § 9.2385, which requires headlamps and governs their placement and power; M.”

Mull v. Equitable Life Assurance Soc'y of the United States, 493 N.W.2d 447 (Mich. Ct. App. 1992). · cites it 2× “The headlights are not a proper distance from the ground, MCL 257.685(c); MSA 9.2385(c). The tractor has no turn signals, MCL 257.”

Nelson v. Transamerica Ins. Servs., 495 N.W.2d 370 (Mich. 1992). “MCL 257.685; MSA 9.2385 and MCL 257.697; MSA 9.”

Pick v Szymczak, 548 N.W.2d 603 (Mich. 1996). · cites it 2× “§ 257.685; M.S.A. § 9.2385. [1] The signals and signs claims allege only breach of a duty to install.”

People v. Collett, 154 N.W.2d 531 (Mich. Ct. App. 1967). “1 0LS 1961, § 257.685 (Stat Ann 186Q Bey § 9,2325).”

Nelson v. Transamerica Ins. Servs., 470 N.W.2d 456 (Mich. Ct. App. 1991). “Plaintiff further argues that his motorcycle did not have a headlight, brake lights, or turn signals as required by MCL 257.685; MSA 9.2385 and MCL 257.697; MSA 9.”

People of Michigan v. Steven Duane Dent (Mich. Ct. App. 2016). “MCL 257.685(1) requires all motor vehicles to “be equipped with at least 2 head lamps with at least 1 head lamp on each side of the front of the vehicle .”

Jack Estes v. Daniel Richard Green (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). “216, and is required to have at least one headlamp, MCL 257.685(2), and one rear stop lamp, MCL 257.”

Jonathon Emmendorfer v. Pioneer State Mut. Ins. Co. (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). “5 Provisions of the MVC require that a moped be equipped with a headlight, MCL 257.685(2), a rear stop lamp, MCL 257.”

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.685(1) — 1 case

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.685(2) — 3 cases

Jack Estes v. Daniel Richard Green (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). “216, and is required to have at least one headlamp, MCL 257.685(2), and one rear stop lamp, MCL 257.”

Jonathon Emmendorfer v. Pioneer State Mut. Ins. Co. (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). “5 Provisions of the MVC require that a moped be equipped with a headlight, MCL 257.685(2), a rear stop lamp, MCL 257.”

— Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.685(c) — 2 cases

Mull v. Equitable Life Assurance Soc'y, 510 N.W.2d 184 (Mich. 1994). “The headlights are not a proper distance from the ground, MCL 257.685(c); MSA 9.2385(c). The tractor has no turn signals, MCL 257.”

Mull v. Equitable Life Assurance Soc'y of the United States, 493 N.W.2d 447 (Mich. Ct. App. 1992). “The headlights are not a proper distance from the ground, MCL 257.685(c); MSA 9.2385(c). The tractor has no turn signals, MCL 257.”

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