South Carolina Headlight & Wiper Law

When you light up in South Carolina

South Carolina ties it together: when your wipers run for rain, sleet, or snow, your headlights must be on (S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4450). Same for a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise and any time visibility drops below 500 feet. The only out is intermittent wiping in a light mist, don't stretch it. Run low beams. The fine is small, up to $25, but DRLs won't cover you; your tail lamps stay dark.

Night, low visibility, and daytime

• Night: from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise. Also when wipers run for rain, sleet, or snow, or when weather cuts your ability to see persons and vehicles below 500 feet ahead (S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-4450).
• No work-zone daytime headlight mandate; obey posted 'Headlights On' signs on bridges and mountain routes. DRLs aren't required and don't satisfy the rule, tail and marker lamps stay dark, so turn on full headlamps. Dual lens: the statute carves out intermittent wiping in a misting rain, sleet, or snow, but once you're on steady wipers, lights are required and troopers enforce it, so don't lean on the misting exception in a real rain.

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