Virginia Administrative Code › Title 19 - PUBLIC SAFETY › Agency 30 - DEPARTMENT OF STATE POLICE › Chapter 70 - MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION REGULATIONS › Part V - Inspection Requirements for Trucks and Other Vehicles Over 10,000 Pounds (GVWR) › Section 19VAC30-70-510 - Headlamps

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Inspect for and
				  reject if:
1. Any motor vehicle is not
				  equipped with at least two headlamps of an approved type. The headlamps must be
				  marked with the headlamp manufacturer's name or trademark, and DOT. If the
				  headlamp bulbs are replaceable, the headlamp lens must be marked with the
				  headlamp light source type (bulb) for which it was designed and the bulb must
				  match the lens code.
NOTE: If the headlamp system is stamped to accept halogen
					 bulbs, then the replacement bulbs must be halogen as well. Retrofitting an HID
					 or LED bulb to a halogen headlamp system does not conform to the standards set
					 forth by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and shall be
					 rejected.
If the entire headlamp assembly is changed from a halogen
					 system to an LED system and does not require the manufacture's original wiring
					 to be cut or compromised, then it shall be considered for inspection if it
					 meets the requirements of subdivision A 2 of this section.
2. Headlights are not of the same approved
				  type (Halogen, HID, LED, etc.) except for sealed beam headlamps, or the
				  replacement headlamp system does not contain all properly marked DOT and SAE
				  stamps certifying that it has met and complied with the standards set forth by
				  the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108.
NOTE: Replacement headlamps stamped with a DOT or SAE
					 approval shall be considered approved by the Superintendent of State Police and
					 will not be required to be listed on the Virginia Motor Vehicle Approved
					 Equipment List.
3. In any
				  headlamp the lens is cracked, broken, discolored, or rotated away from the
				  proper position, or the reflector is not clean and bright.
4. Moisture or water buildup in headlamp is
				  such that it affects the aiming pattern.
5. Headlamps omit light other than white.
				  Light tints of color may be acceptable if the headlamp and headlamp bulbs are
				  marked as required.
6. Bulbs are
				  not of an approved type and marked with all of the following: light source
				  type, the manufacturer's name or trade mark, and DOT.
a. Approved headlamp bulbs: HB1, HB2, HB3,
				  HB3A, HB4, HB4A, HB5, H1, H3, H7, H8, H8B, H9, H9B, H9C, H11, H11B, H11C, H13,
				  H13C, H15, HIR1, HIR2, H18, H19.
b.
				  Approved headlamp bulbs that require ballast: 9500, D1R, D1S, D2R, D2S, D3R,
				  D3S, D4R, D4S, D5S, D7S, D8S, D9S.
c. Approved headlamp ballasts must be marked
				  with the light source type (bulb) and DOT. The bulb type marked on the ballast
				  must match the marking on the headlamp lens.
7. Any filament or bulb in headlamps fails to
				  burn properly or headlamps are not at the same location or configuration as
				  designed by the manufacturer. (Location and type of headlamps can be found in
				  subsection B of this section.)
8.
				  Wiring is dangling or connections are loose, or if proper filaments do not burn
				  at different switch positions, or if switches, including foot or hand dimmer,
				  do not function properly, and are not convenient to the driver.
9. Foreign material is placed on or in front
				  of the headlamp lens or interferes with the beam from the lamp. No glazing may
				  be placed over or in front of the headlamps unless it is a part of an approved
				  headlamp assembly. Reject if the vehicle has wire, unapproved plastic covers,
				  any other materials that are not original equipment or any colored material
				  placed on or in front of the headlamps.
EXCEPTION: A clear impact film known as Headlight Savers
					 produced by Grand Prix Motoring Accessories may be applied to the headlight
					 lens to absorb impact of rocks, etc.
EXCEPTION: A law-enforcement special weapons and tactics
					 (SWAT) or tactical armored vehicle, designed and manufactured exclusively for
					 missions, may apply protective bars in front of the headlamps when designed and
					 installed by the manufacturer.
NOTE: Headlamps, auxiliary driving lamps and front fog
					 lamps shall be mounted so that the beams are aimable and the mounting shall
					 prevent the aim of the lighting device from being disturbed while the vehicle
					 is operating on public roads. All lamps shall be securely mounted on a rigid
					 part of the vehicle.
10.
				  Lamps can be moved easily by hand due to a broken fender or loose support, or
				  if a good ground is not made by the mounting.
Headlamps, auxiliary driving lamps and front fog lamps
					 shall be mounted so that the beams are aimable and the mounting shall prevent
					 the aim of the lighting device from being disturbed while the vehicle is
					 operating on public roads. All lamps shall be securely mounted on a rigid part
					 of the vehicle.
11. A
				  headlamp visor is over two inches long unless part of the original body
				  design.
12. The beam indicator in
				  the driver's compartment does not burn when the high beam is on. (Vehicles not
				  originally equipped with an indicator are not required to comply unless sealed
				  beam headlamps have been installed.)
13. Headlamps are not aimed within the
				  following tolerances using optical aimer:
a.
				  The center of the hot spot of all Type 1 lamps, all single element high beam
				  lamps, and all lamps that do not have Type 2 embossed in the lens, is set more
				  than four inches up or down from the horizontal centerline or more than four
				  inches to the left or right from the vertical centerline.
b. The left edge of the lamp pattern of any
				  low beam lamp or any combination or multi-element lamp or Type 2 lamp is more
				  than four inches to the left or right of the vertical centerline or the top
				  edge of the lamp pattern is more than four inches above or below the horizontal
				  centerline.
Aiming the Headlamps:
Inspectors shall rely on their education, training, and
					 experience to determine if the headlamps are properly aimed. If improper
					 alignment is observed, headlamps shall be checked for proper aim by using an
					 optical headlamp aimer except on vehicles equipped with on-board aimers.
Headlamp aim on vehicles with on-board aimers shall be
					 checked by visually examining the leveling device mounted either on or adjacent
					 to the headlamp. Reject the vehicle if the leveling device shows the headlamp
					 adjustment to exceed indicated specifications.
NOTE: Driving lamps and fog lamps must be visually
					 inspected to ensure proper aiming. If improper alignment is observed, the
					 optical aimer shall be used to correct any misalignment.
Optical Aimer:
NOTE: Optical aimers must be properly calibrated and used
					 in the manner recommended by the manufacturer.
NOTE: When aiming headlamps, first look for the type of
					 lamp, which will be found embossed on the lens. The type determines which
					 aiming requirements must be followed for the optical aimer.
NOTE: All Type 2 headlamps and all low beam or
					 multi-element headlamps must be set by aiming the lamp pattern with the lamps
					 set on low beam.
NOTE: If attempting to align a composite or sealed beam
					 lamp with a high and low beam within the same housing, align only the low beam.
					 If aligning a four-lamp system with high and low beams in separate housings, it
					 may be necessary to cover the low beam while aligning the high beam, if all
					 four lamps are on at the same time.
NOTE: Pattern should be aimed so that the left edge does
					 not extend to the left or right of straight ahead, and the top of the pattern
					 should be even with the horizontal.
NOTE: All VOL and VOR headlamps will be aimed as
					 follows:
To properly aim a combination multi-element or low beam VOL
					 or VOR headlamp assembly, the headlamp pattern should be aimed on low beam
					 only.
Letters marked on the headlamp cover should properly
					 identify VOL and VOR headlamps.
NOTE: VOL and VOR headlamps will normally have only one
					 adjustment, which will be for the vertical aim only. The horizontal aim should
					 be disregarded, as the horizontal aim is preset at the factory.
Pattern "A" represents the light pattern, as it should
					 appear on the view screen of the approved aimer when checking the low beam
					 pattern on a single element headlamp or a combination multi-element
					 headlamp.
View Image
NOTE: All Type 1 headlamps and all headlamps that do not
					 have Type 2 embossed in the lens shall be set by aiming the center of the hot
					 spot with the lamps set on high beam.
NOTE: Aim straight ahead-center of the hot spot should be
					 centered with the vertical and horizontal centerlines.
Pattern "B" represents the light pattern as it should
					 appear on the view screen of the approved aimer.
View Image
NOTE: The four headlamp system combines four 5-3/4-inch
					 lamps in pairs.
NOTE: One lamp embossed at the top as Type "1" and one
					 embossed on the top as a Type "2" are arranged as a pair on each side.
NOTE: When lamp pairs are mounted horizontally, the Type
					 "2" lamp must be on the outer side.
NOTE: The four headlamp system must be wired so that only
					 the lower beam in the Type "2" lamps will burn when the light beams are
					 depressed. When switched to high beams, both the Type "1" and Type "2" will
					 burn.
NOTE: Light patterns shown on the following page will be
					 displayed on the most recently approved light machines produced by Hopkins and
					 Symtech Corporations.
Aiming the Headlamps:
NOTE: All headlamps that are found not to be within the
					 four-inch tolerance shall be adjusted to zero inches up or down and zero inches
					 to the right or left.
Headlamps on Vehicles used for Snow Removal:
NOTE: Approved auxiliary headlamps (SAE-Z) may be mounted
					 above the conventional headlamps. (These lamps must be in compliance with
					 19VAC30-70-140,
					 in its entirety, subdivision 7 of
					 19VAC30-70-150
					 and subsection A of
					 19VAC30-70-170 of
					 this manual.)