Virginia Headlight & Wiper Law

When you light up in Virginia

Virginia wrote the original wipers-on, lights-on law (§ 46.2-1030): headlights on whenever your wipers run for rain, snow, sleet, or fog. Night rule is sunset to sunrise; the low-visibility trigger is 500 feet. The wiper clause is secondary-enforcement, carries no demerit points, and has a carve-out for intermittent misting — but running dark at night is primary. DRLs don't count; your tail lamps stay dark. Flip the switch to ON.

Night, low visibility, and daytime

• Night: sunset to sunrise. Low visibility: any time atmospheric conditions (rain, fog, sleet, snow, smoke) keep you from clearly seeing persons or vehicles at 500 feet ahead.
• No blanket work-zone headlight statute; posted 'Headlights On' signs and the I-77 tunnels (Big Walker, East River Mountain) create the duty by sign. DRLs aren't mandated and don't satisfy the rule — they leave your tail and marker lamps dark. Switch to full headlamps, not AUTO or DRL. Dual lens: troopers can't stop you for the wiper violation alone, but rain heavy enough to run wipers has usually already dropped you below the 500-foot line, which is a primary night/low-visibility violation.

More for Virginia