New Jersey Headlight & Wiper Law

When you light up in New Jersey

New Jersey's wiper law is broad - headlights are required whenever rain, mist, or snow makes you run your windshield wipers (N.J.S.A. 39:3-47). Add the standard legs: a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise, and below 500 feet of visibility. The fine tops out at $50 with no points. DRLs won't cover you - flip to full headlamps, low beam.

Night, low visibility, and daytime

• Night window: from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise. Low-visibility trigger: objects on the highway not clearly discernible at 500 feet. Third leg: whenever rain, mist, snow, or other precipitation (or atmospheric moisture) requires the use of windshield wipers, headlights are independently required.
• No work-zone daytime-headlight statute; obey posted 'Headlights On' signs. The wiper trigger reaches even a light mist heavy enough to need wipers, and troopers ticket DRL-only rigs in rain because front-only lamps leave your tail and marker lamps dark. Daytime running lights are not mandated and do not satisfy the law - use the full headlamp switch, low beam.

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