How far from an oncoming vehicle must you dim your high beams, state by state?
Every state’s answer, and the District of Columbia’s, from its own manual or code: 47 have a rule on this, quoted below with where it is written; 4 say nothing on it.
Statutes fetched between 7 and 8 October 2026; manuals fetched between 6 September and 4 October 2026. How the answers are made
| State | The rule | Where it is written | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | You must dim your headlights when within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle. | Alabama Driver Manual, p.69 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Alaska | Change your headlights to low beam 500 feet or more from an oncoming vehicle. | Alaska Driver Manual, p.67 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Arizona | Use high beams on highways when no other vehicle is coming toward you within 500 feet. | Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide, p.57 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Arkansas | Dim your high beams whenever you come within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle. | Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, p.51 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| California | Dim your high-beam headlights to low beams within 500 feet of a vehicle coming toward you. | California Driver’s Handbook, p.11 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Colorado | If you are driving with high beam lights on, you must dim them before coming within 500 feet of any oncoming vehicle. | Colorado Driver Handbook, p.16 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Connecticut | Whenever a motor vehicle is being operated on a roadway or shoulder adjacent thereto during the times specified in subsection (a) of section 14-96a, the driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, directed high enough and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a safe distance in advance of the vehicle, subject to the following requirements and limitations: (1) Whenever a driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming vehicle within five hundred feet, such driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming driver. The lowermost distribution of light, or composite beam, specified in subsection (b) of section 14-96t shall be dimmed to avoid glare at all times, regardless of road contour and loading. (2) Whenever the driver of a vehicle approaches another vehicle from the rear, within three hundred feet, such driver shall use a distribution of light permissible under sections 14-96a to 14-96aa, inclusive, other than the uppermost distribution of light specified in subsection (a) of section 14-96t. Violation of any provision of this section shall be an infraction. | Connecticut law, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-96u | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Delaware | You must switch to low beams 500 feet before meeting another vehicle. | Delaware Driver Manual, p.62 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| District of Columbia | You must change to low beams at least 500 feet before meeting oncoming vehicles. | DC Driver Manual, p.74 | 16 Sep 2026 |
| Florida | You must not use high beam headlights within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle: use low beams instead. | Official Florida Driver License Handbook, p.73 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Georgia | You dim your headlights when you come within 500 feet of an approaching vehicle, so you do not blind the other driver. | Georgia Driver's Manual, p.59 | 18 Sep 2026 |
| Idaho | Headlamps must be dimmed 500 feet before meeting another vehicle and 200 feet before overtaking one. | July 2026 Idaho Driver's Handbook, p.43 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Illinois | Bright lights must be dimmed 500 feet before meeting an oncoming vehicle and 300 feet before passing a vehicle. | Illinois Rules of the Road 2026, p.87 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Indiana | Use low beams when within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle. | Indiana Driver's Manual, p.44 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Iowa | 1. Whenever a motor vehicle is being operated on a roadway or shoulder during the times specified in section 321.384, the driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, directed high enough and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a safe distance in advance of the vehicle, subject to the following requirements and limitations: a. Whenever a driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming vehicle within one thousand feet, the driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming driver. The lowermost distribution of light, or composite beam, specified in section 321.409, subsection 1, paragraph “b”, shall be deemed to avoid glare at all times, regardless of road contour and loading. | Iowa law, Iowa Code § 321.415(1) | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Kansas | (a) When the driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming vehicle within 500 feet, such driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming driver. The lowermost distribution of light, or composite beam, specified in subsection (a)(2) of K.S.A. 8-1724, and amendments thereto, or subsection (b)(2) of K.S.A. 8-1805, and amendments thereto, shall be dimmed to avoid glare at all times, regardless of road contour and loading. | Kansas law, K.S.A. 8-1725(a) | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Kentucky | A Kentucky driver dims their lights whenever they come within 500 feet of oncoming vehicles, and within 300 feet of any vehicle they are following. | Kentucky Driver Manual, p.68 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Louisiana | You must switch to low beams when approaching within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle. | Class D & E Driver's Guide, p.75 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Maine | In Maine you must dim your high beams when an oncoming vehicle comes within 500 feet. | Maine Driver’s License Manual, p.90 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Maryland | You must change to low beams at least 500 feet before reaching vehicles coming toward you. | Maryland Driver's Manual, p.27 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Massachusetts | You must lower your high beams to low beam within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle or within 200 feet of a vehicle ahead of you. | Massachusetts Driver's Manual, p.46 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Michigan | It is illegal to use or even flash high-beam headlights within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle; also dim your lights for pedestrians and cyclists. | What Every Driver Must Know, p.64 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Minnesota | Within 1,000 feet of an oncoming vehicle your headlights must be on low beam. | Minnesota Driver’s Manual, p.72 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Mississippi | You must use your low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle, and when following within 500 feet of another vehicle. | Mississippi Driver's License Manual, p.63 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Missouri | Use your low beams when you come within 500 feet, about one block, of an oncoming vehicle. | Missouri Driver Guide, p.62 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Montana | You must dim your high beams when you meet an oncoming vehicle within 1,000 feet. | Montana Driver Manual, p.14 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Nevada | Use high beams in open country at night, and change to low beams at least 500 feet before an oncoming vehicle. | Nevada Driver Handbook, p.56 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Hampshire | The driver of any vehicle upon approaching, overtaking or while following within a distance of approximately 150 feet of another vehicle on a way during the period from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise shall dim his headlights. | New Hampshire law, N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 265:114 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| New Jersey | Every person driving a motor vehicle equipped with multiple-beam road lighting equipment, during the times when lighted lamps are required, shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, directed high enough and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a safe distance in advance of the vehicle, subject to the following requirements and limitations: whenever the driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming vehicle within five hundred feet, such driver shall use a distribution of light or composite beam so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming driver, and in no case shall the high-intensity portion which is projected to the left of the prolongation of the extreme left side of the vehicle be aimed higher than the center of the lamp from which it comes at a distance of twenty-five feet ahead, and in no case higher than a level of forty-two inches above the level upon which the vehicle stands at a distance of seventy-five feet ahead. | New Jersey law, N.J. Stat. Ann. § 39:3-60 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| New Mexico | A. whenever the driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming vehicle within five hundred feet, such driver shall use a distribution of light or composite beam so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming driver; | New Mexico law, NMSA 1978, § 66-3-831(A) | 8 Oct 2026 |
| New York | Headlights must be on low beam when a driver is within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle or within 200 feet of a vehicle ahead, even where the vehicle ahead is in a different lane. | New York State Driver's Manual, p.63 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| North Carolina | Any person operating a motor vehicle on the highways of this State, who shall fail to shift, depress, deflect, tilt or dim the beams of the headlamps thereon whenever another vehicle is met on such highways or when following another vehicle at a distance of less than 200 feet, except when engaged in the act of overtaking and passing may, upon a determination of responsibility for the offense, be required to pay a penalty of not more than ten dollars ($10.00). | North Carolina law, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-181 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| North Dakota | In North Dakota, dim your headlights at least 500 feet before meeting traffic. | North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, p.25 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Oklahoma | In Oklahoma, dim your high beams to low beams within 1000 feet of an oncoming vehicle. | Oklahoma Driver Manual, p.59 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Oregon | If using high beams you must dim them when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet, and dim them when following another vehicle within 350 feet. | 2026-2027 Oregon Driver Manual, p.76 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania law requires low beams whenever you are within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle, and within 300 feet when you are following one. | PA Driver's Manual, p.40 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Rhode Island | Dim your high beams when you are at least 500 feet from an oncoming vehicle. | Rhode Island Driver’s Manual, p.53 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| South Carolina | Dim your high beams when you are 500 feet or more away from any oncoming vehicle. | South Carolina Driver's Manual, p.126 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| South Dakota | Dim your high beams whenever you come within 500 feet, about one block, of an oncoming vehicle. | South Dakota Driver License Manual, p.55 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Tennessee | When your high beams are on, you must dim them when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet. | Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, p.45 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Texas | A driver uses low beam headlights within 500 feet of an approaching vehicle. | Texas Driver Handbook, p.47 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Utah | A driver with high beams on must dim them before coming within 500 feet of an oncoming car. | Utah Driver Handbook 2026-2027, p.60 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Virginia | Use high beams on highways unless a vehicle is within 500 feet coming toward you. | Virginia Driver's Manual, p.23 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Washington | High beams must be switched back to regular headlights within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle. | Washington State Driver Guide, p.50 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| West Virginia | Dim your headlights within 500 feet of an approaching vehicle. | West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, p.51 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Wisconsin | (a) Whenever the operator of a vehicle equipped with multiple-beam headlamps approaches an oncoming vehicle within 500 feet, the operator shall dim, depress or tilt the vehicle’s headlights so that the glaring rays are not directed into the eyes of the operator of the other vehicle. This paragraph does not prohibit an operator from intermittently flashing the vehicle’s high-beam headlamps at an oncoming vehicle whose high-beam headlamps are lit. | Wisconsin law, Wis. Stat. § 347.12(1)(a) | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Wyoming | You should dim your high beams at least 500 feet before meeting an oncoming vehicle. | Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, p.78 | 14 Sep 2026 |
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No rule found
No rule found in the manual or code of: Hawaii, Nebraska, Ohio, Vermont.
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