LED Light Bar Laws in Alberta

If you are considering purchasing an LED light for your vehicle, be sure to review the LED light bar laws in AB or in your respective province/territory. Improper mounting of LED lights can result in fines and pose a safety risk to other drivers on the road.

Auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps are found in Division 5, Section 42 of the Province of Alberta Traffic Safety Act Vehicle Equipment Regulation. Some of the key excerpts relating to auxiliary lights and fog lights are summarized below. It is recommended that you take the time to read through the Alberta Traffic Safety Act to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations; it is your responsibility to ensure you are compliant.

Summary (full excerpt from the guide below)

• Auxiliary Lights and Fog Lights must be SAE certified to be used on-highway
• 2 Auxiliary Lights may be used with high beams
• 2 Fog Lights may be used with low beams
• A vehicle may not be equipped with more than 2 Auxiliary Lights and 2 Fog Lights
• Auxiliary Lights and Fog Lights must not be used at the same time
• Auxiliary lights and fog lights that are not SAE certified must be covered with opaque covers while on highways and public roads

Auxiliary driving lamps or fog lamps 

42 (1)  In this section, 

• “auxiliary driving lamp” means a SAE Standard J581 type Y lamp;
• “fog lamp” means a SAE Standard J583 type F lamp.

(2)  If a motor vehicle has auxiliary driving lamps or fog lamps, they must be mounted on the front of the motor vehicle and the centres of the auxiliary driving lamps or fog lamps must be lower than the centres of the headlamps.

(3)  Two auxiliary driving lamps may be mounted, one on each side of the vertical centre line.

(4)  Two fog lamps may be mounted, one on each side of the vertical centre line.

(5)  Auxiliary driving lamps on a motor vehicle must be used only at the same time the high beams on the headlamps are used.

(6)  Fog lamps on a motor vehicle must be used only at the same time the low beams on the headlamps are used.

(7)  Despite subsection (6), fog lamps may be used without headlamps if the weather and road conditions make the use of headlamps disadvantageous.

(8)  A person shall not drive or operate or own a motor vehicle that has a total of more than 2 auxiliary driving lamps and 2 fog lamps.

(9)  A person shall not drive a motor vehicle with both auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps lit at the same time.

(10)  An auxiliary driving lamp or fog lamp on an unloaded motor vehicle must be adjusted and aimed so that none of the high-intensity portion of the light to the left of centre of the vehicle projects, at a distance of 8 metres ahead, higher than 100 millimetres below the centre of the lamp from which the light is projected.

(11)  Fog lamps on a motor vehicle may only emit amber or white light.

SHOP SAE/DOT LED LIGHTS

Note - Always check regional rules and regulations regarding the use of auxiliary driving and fog lights for highway use. Northern Light Bars will not be accountable for improper mounting, aiming, wiring or regional restrictions.