Texas Drivers: Deck the Halls…With Caution
AUSTIN, TX – As the holiday season approaches, many texans are wondering if adorning their vehicles with Christmas lights is legal. While Texas law doesn’t explicitly prohibit the practice, restrictions exist regarding light color, brightness, and potential police interpretation, legal experts say.
The question of festive vehicle decoration has sparked online debate among Texans in recent years, with some voicing concerns about safety. Despite the discussions, as of 2025, there is no specific statute forbidding the attachment of holiday lights to cars, according to the Law Office of Jesse Hernandez.
However, Section 547.302 of the Texas Transportation Code limits the number of shining lights allowed on the front of a vehicle to a maximum of four – including headlights and auxiliary lamps projecting over 300 candlepower. San Antonio Criminal Lawyer Jesse Hernandez further clarified in a Facebook statement that “You can not have a red blinking light on your car, so if you put Christmas lights, you can’t use red ones that blink.”
Hernandez cautions that even without a specific law against it, drivers risk being pulled over. ”Just because there’s not a specific law that says you can’t do something doesn’t mean that you won’t get pulled over…Police officers often interpret the law in creative ways,” he stated. Ultimately, whether a ticket is issued frequently enough comes down to a judge’s interpretation of the situation.
