Alaska Headlight & Wiper Law
Lights on from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise, and any time visibility drops under 1,000 feet (AS 28.35.191). Watch the posted Safety Corridors (Seward, Sterling, Parks, and Knik-Goose Bay), where signs require headlights ON at all times, day or night; that ticket runs $60 and 2 points. On those posted stretches DRLs count, but everywhere else they leave your tail lamps dark, so use full low beams.
When you light up in Alaska
Lights on from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise, and any time visibility drops under 1,000 feet (AS 28.35.191). Watch the posted Safety Corridors (Seward, Sterling, Parks, and Knik-Goose Bay), where signs require headlights ON at all times, day or night; that ticket runs $60 and 2 points. On those posted stretches DRLs count, but everywhere else they leave your tail lamps dark, so use full low beams.
Night, low visibility, and daytime
- Night: half-hour after sunset to half-hour before sunrise. Low visibility: any time persons or vehicles are not clearly discernible at 1,000 feet (AS 28.35.191; 13 AAC 04.010).
- Designated Safety Corridors — Seward, Sterling, Parks, and Knik-Goose Bay Roads — are posted 'Headlights On' at all times (signs installed 2011); DRLs or low-intensity headlights satisfy the rule ONLY on those posted roadways (13 AAC 04.010), and a violation there is $60 plus 2 points. Off the posted stretches DRLs leave the tail lamps dark — use full headlamps. Low beam within 500 ft of oncoming and 300 ft when following (13 AAC 04.020).
Alaska Headlight Law FAQ
Do you need headlights when using wipers in Alaska?
When are headlights required in Alaska?
What is the headlight fine in Alaska?
Reference information for planning, not legal advice. Traffic laws change and this can be out of date, so always confirm the current statute and obey posted signs before you rely on it. Last reviewed July 2026. Source: https://dot.alaska.gov/dmio/hwysafety/headlights.shtml. See our Terms & Disclaimer.
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