Can You Legally Decorate Your Car for Christmas?

Every Christmas, American roads begin to shimmer with holiday spirit. Cars sport reindeer antlers, wreaths hang from grilles, and some drivers even attempt to wrap their vehicles in twinkling lights. It’s festive, fun, and undeniably eye‑catching, but here is a practical question:

"Is it actually legal to decorate your car for the holidays?"

The answer is both simple and surprisingly universal across all 50 states. You can decorate your car — but not with lights that turn on while you’re driving.

The One Rule Every State Agrees On

Across the country, traffic laws share one universal principle: Anything that interferes with visibility or mimics emergency lighting is prohibited.

• Flashing lights
• Rotating lights
• Multicolored lights visible from the front
• Blue or red lights anywhere on the vehicle
• Decorations that block the windshield, mirrors, headlights, taillights, or license plate

These restrictions exist in every state, from Virginia to California, because they’re tied to federal safety standards and emergency‑vehicle regulations. So while you can decorate your car, you can’t turn it into a mobile Christmas tree.

Why Lighted Decorations Are Illegal Everywhere

Only certain lights are permitted on a moving vehicle. Anything outside those limits is considered unsafe.

In most states, it is illegal for your car to be decorated with lights in certain ways during the holiday. Christmas lights or certain decorations on your car are illegal, but non‑lighted decorations are usually allowed. Most states restrict vehicle lighting to specific colors and placements, which means illuminated Christmas décor often violates traffic laws.

• No string lights
• No LED strips
• No flashing or rotating bulbs
• No multicolored lighting
• No blue or red lights (colors reserved for emergency vehicles)

Decorative lighting can distract other drivers, obscure your own signals, or mimic emergency vehicles. For these reasons, every state prohibits driving with Christmas lights turned on, even if they’re battery‑powered or low‑voltage. The restriction applies only when the vehicle is in motion on public roads.

What About Non‑Lighted Decorations?

In every state, non‑lighted decorations are generally allowed as long as they don’t interfere with visibility or safety. The following items are allowed in most states as long as they don’t block visibility or required lights.

• Reindeer antlers
• Rudolph noses
• Wreaths
• Bows, garland, magnets
• Window clings
• Roof‑mounted décor that’s firmly secured

The key is making sure nothing blocks your windshield, mirrors, headlights, taillights, or license plate. A wreath on the grille is usually fine; a wreath on the windshield is not. And anything that could fall off and become a road hazard can earn you a citation, even if the decoration itself is harmless.

Cars Decoration Laws in Virginia

Most states have their own laws. This writer lives in Virginia where privately owned passenger cars are prohibited from displaying colors typically associated with emergency vehicles. The only light colors that should be displayed on such cars are white, clear, or amber with red allowed for brake lights. Flashing lights are even more restricted.

Number of lights: In Virginia, only four lamps, including a car’s two headlights, can be lit on the front of the car at any time.

Positioning of lights: It is illegal for a vehicle’s permitted lights (headlights, brake lights, or any other necessary light) to be obscured by wire, unapproved lenses, plastic covers, or “any other materials that are not original equipment.” It is also illegal for any light to be placed less than 15 inches above the road surface.

So What’s the Safest Way to Decorate?

• Stick to non‑lighted decorations.
• Keep everything securely attached.
• Avoid blocking any required lights or windows.
• Skip anything that resembles emergency lighting.
• Save the twinkle lights for when the car is parked.

You can absolutely decorate your car for Christmas — just not with lights that turn on while you’re driving. All 50 states share that rule. With a little care and creativity, you can celebrate the season on the road while keeping yourself and others safe.

In all 50 states, it depends on what you’re adding, where you’re placing it, and whether it lights up.

Author’s Note

As we move through this beautiful Christmas season, may your travels be safe, your celebrations joyful, and your spirit bright. Whether your decorations stay on your home or ride along with you on the road, may they bring a smile to someone who needs a little light during the season.