Vehicle lighting requirements — Iowa Permit Test

Check that your signals, brake lights, taillights, and headlights work by looking at them from outside the vehicle.

You cannot see your own brake lights from the seat. A burned-out bulb means drivers behind you get no warning.

Ensure signals, brake lights, taillights, and headlights are operating properly by checking them from outside the vehicle.

Cars, trucks, and ATVs/UTVs must have 2 headlights on the front: one on the right and one on the left.

With a light on each side, other drivers can see how wide your car is at night.

All cars, trucks, and ATVs/UTVs need two headlights on the front of the vehicle: one on the right and one on the left.

A vehicle needs at least one red light on the back, visible from at least 500 feet.

Drivers coming up behind you at night need to see you far off so they have time to slow down.

You also need at least one red light on the back of the vehicle, and it should be visible for at least 500 feet.

A white light must light up the rear license plate.

Police and other drivers need to read your plate at night, for example after a crash.

A white light to illuminate the rear license plate is also required.

Turn signals are required on all cars, trucks, and trailers wider than 40 inches, and if a vehicle has turn signals, they must work.

Signals tell others where you plan to go. A wide trailer hides your car's own signals, so it needs its own.

Turn signals are required for all cars, trucks, and trailers wider than 40 inches.

If you have trouble seeing at night, or other drivers keep flashing their headlights at you, have a mechanic check your headlights.

A headlight that points the wrong way lights up the wrong spot and can blind drivers coming toward you.

If you are having trouble seeing at night, or other drivers are flashing their headlights at you constantly, have a mechanic check the headlights.

Keep your lights clean: dirt on the lenses can cut a light's effectiveness by 50 percent.

A dirty headlight lights less of the road, and a dirty brake light is harder for the driver behind you to see.

Dirt on the lenses can cut the light’s effectiveness by 50 percent.

How should you check that your brake lights and turn signals work?

Look at them from outside the vehicle. You cannot see your own brake lights from the seat. A burned-out bulb means drivers behind you get no warning. Iowa Driver's License Manual, p.24: “Ensure signals, brake lights, taillights, and headlights are operating properly by checking them from outside the vehicle.”