Must you turn on headlights when using wipers in California?
In California, it starts to rain hard enough that you must use your windshield wipers. What must you do with your headlights?
The answer
Turn on your low-beam headlights whenever you must use your windshield wipers because of fog, rain or snow.
The handbook says that if you need to use your windshield wipers because of fog, rain or snow, you must turn on your low-beam headlights.
The same section says to use headlights beginning 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise, and any time it is too dark to see from 1,000 feet away. Driving with only parking lights is illegal.
Exceptions
- The handbook lists no exception to the wipers-on, headlights-on rule.
Why this rule matters for safety
Rain and fog make cars hard to see. Headlights make you visible to other drivers, so they have time to react.
Official sources
- California Driver's Handbook, Section 5: An Introduction to Driving · California DMVUsing Your Headlights; no edition date shown on the page; site copyright 2026
Rules checked against these sources on . Laws change. Confirm with the California agency before you rely on this for a legal matter.
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