Driving Light Legal: Tasmania

Making Sure Your Additional Spotlights or LED Light Bars are Legal Across Australia

One of the most practical and easiest upgrades for your 4WD or vehicle, especially if you do a lot of night driving in country and rural areas,  would have to be fitting driving lights or LED light bars for increased visibility. But what you may not know is that there are laws on how many additional lights you can fit to your car, as well as where you mount them. There can be hefty fines if you do not adhere to these laws – and to add more complexity to the situation, these laws can differ depending on what part of the country you live in.

Interpreting and remembering these rules can be tricky, so we've created a series of blogs summarising each state's rules regarding the fitment and use of additional lighting. That way you can ensure wherever you are in Australia, your additional forward facing lights are legal. Please be aware though, that because the laws differ from state to state and can change from the time of us writing these blogs, it is always best to check official sources and stay up to date with the state or territory that you will be driving in/through. You can find links to respective traffic authority websites at the bottom of each article to assist you.

Heading across the Bass Strait, it's time to take a look at TASMANIA:

Number of Lights

You can fit a maximum of four additional forward facing lamps to your vehicle in Tasmania. This can be a combination of Spotlights and LED Light Bars. Keep in mind that an LED Light Bar is considered as one lamp if all of the LEDs operate together – for example, are in one sealed unit and all sections in the unit turn on and off at the same time. If you have what can be called a “switchable” LED Light Bar where multiple sections can be independently turned on or off, then each section is considered as a lamp.

Fitting of Lights

Lights are to be fitted in such a manner where they are not considered a “dangerous protrusion” for pedestrian safety. The Tasmanian Government restricts the placement of additional lights on the top of a bull bar (above the bonnet line), on the roof, on a roof rack or on a roll bar. There are no listed restrictions on placement in terms of symmetry or lights being installed in pairs.

Operation of Lights

The additional lights must be installed in such a way that they only come on when the vehicle’s high beam (or main beam) headlights are activated, and must automatically turn off when the high beams are switched off. This can be on a separately switched circuit, but only powered when the high beam is activated. Standard main beam laws apply when operating the lights, which means you cannot use them when you are less than 200m behind another vehicle or from any oncoming vehicles.

The light emitted by your additional lights must not cause discomfort to you as a driver or other road users – which may include through rear view mirrors or reflecting off the surface of your vehicle.

Type of Lights

Any additional lights fitted to your vehicle need to be white in colour only. NARVA stock a wide range of additional lighting, including L.E.D driving lights and light bars, plus work lamps suitable for a variety of applications and legal fitment. You can check out our full range here: NARVA Driving Light Range

The information provided by us is correct as of May 2020. As mentioned, it is worthwhile keeping up to date with local laws as they are subject to change. To check out the document compiled by the Tasmanian Goverment on additional lights, click here:

https://www.transport.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/154154/Additional_Lighting_on_Vehicles_-_Information_Bulletin_-_Aug_2017.pdf