Ohio Rev. Code » Chapter 4513
Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.03 (2026)

Time for lighted lights on motor vehicles

✓ current as of May 2026
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Effective:
October 16, 2009
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 2, House Bill 1 - 128th General Assembly
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(A) Every vehicle, other than a motorized bicycle, operated upon a street or highway within this state shall display lighted lights and illuminating devices as required by sections 4513.04 to 4513.37 of the Revised Code during all of the following times:

(1) The time from sunset to sunrise;

(2) At any other time when, due to insufficient natural light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions, persons, vehicles, and substantial objects on the highway are not discernible at a distance of one thousand feet ahead;

(3) At any time when the windshield wipers of the vehicle are in use because of precipitation on the windshield.

Every motorized bicycle shall display at such times lighted lights meeting the rules adopted by the director of public safety under section 4511.521 of the Revised Code. No motor vehicle, during any time specified in this section, shall be operated upon a street or highway within this state using only parking lights as illumination.

Whenever in such sections a requirement is declared as to the distance from which certain lamps and devices shall render objects visible, or within which such lamps or devices shall be visible, such distance shall be measured upon a straight level unlighted highway under normal atmospheric conditions unless a different condition is expressly stated.

Whenever in such sections a requirement is declared as to the mounted height of lights or devices, it shall mean from the center of such light or device to the level ground upon which the vehicle stands.

(B) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no law enforcement officer shall cause the operator of a vehicle being operated upon a street or highway within this state to stop the vehicle solely because the officer observes that a violation of division (A)(3) of this section has been or is being committed or for the sole purpose of issuing a ticket, citation, or summons for a violation of that division, or causing the arrest of or commencing a prosecution of a person for a violation of that division.

(C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.

The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 34 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 1954–2024 · leading case: State v. Awan, 489 N.E.2d 277 (Ohio 1986).
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State v. Awan, 489 N.E.2d 277 (Ohio 1986). · cites it 8× “The basic issues presented are whether the failure to raise the issue of the constitutionality of a statute at the trial of a matter may, in a given instance, effectively waive the claim of such an issue upon appeal, and whether the failure to raise such question of the…”
Econ. Fire & Cas. Co. v. Craft Gen. Contractors, Inc., 455 N.E.2d 1037 (Ohio Ct. App. 1982). · cites it 5× “11, the plaintiffs had cited R.C. 4513.03 and 4511.04 in their closing argument.”
Tritt v. Judd's Moving & Storage, Inc., 574 N.E.2d 1178 (Ohio Ct. App. 1990). · cites it 5× “Code 4901: 2-5-14, in effect at the time off collision, required a stopped motor vehicle to place lighted fuses and three flares, electric lanterns or red reflectors on the roadway during the times specified in R.C. 4513.03. The language of R.C. 4513.03 regulates lighted lights…”
State v. Taylor-Billings, 2023 Ohio 3104 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 14× “]” Whoever violates R.C. 4513.03 and R.C. 4513.14 “is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.”
State v. Jones, 902 N.E.2d 464 (Ohio 2009). · cites it 2× “, R.C. 4513.03 (lights required between sunset and sunrise, during unfavorable weather conditions, or any other time when there is insufficient light, 4513.”
Williams v. Am. Homes 4 Rent Mgt. Holdings, L.L.C., 2019 Ohio 3740 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 2× “AH4R argued that the mold in the home did not constitute a nuisance under Columbus City Code Ordinance Section 4513.03(A), that the home had not been declared a nuisance and unfit for habitation by the authorized city official, and that the Williamses had continued to live in…”
Petti v. Perna, 621 N.E.2d 580 (Ohio Ct. App. 1993). · cites it 2× “Furthermore, as part of the general charge to the jury, the trial judge gave the following detailed instructions: “The Court: Ohio Revised Code, Section 4513.03 entitled Lighted Lights Required states in pertinent part as follows: Every vehicle upon a street or highway within…”
State v. Spellacy, 2019 Ohio 785 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 2× “15, which provides in relevant part: (A) Whenever a motor vehicle is being operated on a roadway or shoulder adjacent thereto during the times specified in section 4513.03 of the Revised Code, the driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, directed high enough…”
State v. Willis, 2013 Ohio 2391 (Ohio Ct. App. 2013). “{¶ 21} R.C. 4513.03(A)(1) requires every vehicle other than a motorized vehicle that operates upon a street or highway display lights during sunset to sunrise.”
State v. Jackson, 2014 Ohio 2249 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 2× “Yet, a traffic ticket was attached, which showed that appellant was cited for failing to use headlights in violation of R.C. 4513.03 and for failing to use a turn signal in violation of R.”
Cleveland v. Jones-McFarlane, 2020 Ohio 3662 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020). “Count 2 was a violation of R.C. 4513.03, a minor misdemeanor, for not displaying lighted lights on a motor vehicle.”
State v. Wilson, 2020 Ohio 3227 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020). “After the traffic stop, appellant walked away from and failed to comply with Officer Kellum's commands, providing the officer additional probable cause to detain appellant for failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer pursuant to R.”
Show all 34 citing cases →
— Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.03(A) — 3 cases
Williams v. Am. Homes 4 Rent Mgt. Holdings, L.L.C., 2019 Ohio 3740 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019). “AH4R argued that the mold in the home did not constitute a nuisance under Columbus City Code Ordinance Section 4513.03(A), that the home had not been declared a nuisance and unfit for habitation by the authorized city official, and that the Williamses had continued to live in…”
State v. Taylor-Billings, 2023 Ohio 3104 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023). “]” Whoever violates R.C. 4513.03 and R.C. 4513.14 “is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.”
State v. Luntz, 2021 Ohio 4045 (Ohio Ct. App. 2021).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.03(A)(1) — 5 cases
State v. Willis, 2013 Ohio 2391 (Ohio Ct. App. 2013). “{¶ 21} R.C. 4513.03(A)(1) requires every vehicle other than a motorized vehicle that operates upon a street or highway display lights during sunset to sunrise.”
State v. Taylor-Billings, 2023 Ohio 3104 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023). “]” Whoever violates R.C. 4513.03 and R.C. 4513.14 “is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.”
State v. Wilson, 2020 Ohio 3227 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020). “After the traffic stop, appellant walked away from and failed to comply with Officer Kellum's commands, providing the officer additional probable cause to detain appellant for failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer pursuant to R.”
State v. Dunbar, 2024 Ohio 1460 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024).
State v. Menchu, 2017 Ohio 8252 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.03(A)(3) — 2 cases
State v. Kay, 2022 Ohio 3538 (Ohio Ct. App. 2022).
State v. Taylor-Billings, 2023 Ohio 3104 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023). “]” Whoever violates R.C. 4513.03 and R.C. 4513.14 “is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.03(B) — 1 case
State v. Taylor-Billings, 2023 Ohio 3104 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023). “]” Whoever violates R.C. 4513.03 and R.C. 4513.14 “is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.03(C) — 1 case
State v. Taylor-Billings, 2023 Ohio 3104 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023). “]” Whoever violates R.C. 4513.03 and R.C. 4513.14 “is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.”
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