Auxiliary spotlights: UK vs US vs Germany
Spotlights are permitted everywhere and constrained everywhere, and the constraints are consistently about pairing, height and what they are wired to.
All three markets reach the same verdict, conditional. What differs is the rule each one uses to get there, which is the third column.
| Market | Verdict | The rule that decides it |
|---|---|---|
United Kingdom DVSA / GOV.UK |
Conditional | Matched pair, wired with main beam They generally must go out when you dip, minimum mounting height and position rules apply, and they must not dazzle oncoming drivers. |
United States EPA, NHTSA and state codes |
Conditional | FMVSS 108 plus state lighting law Forward lamps must be white or amber and correctly aimed. States limit the number, mounting height and permitted use of auxiliary lights. |
Germany StVZO / KBA |
Conditional | E-marked, paired, symmetrical, capped by type The permitted number and mounting height differ by lamp type, additional main-beam lamps may only light with main beam, and fog lamps have their own rules. |
All three agree on the essentials: matched pair, approved lamp, wired to main beam, out when you dip. Germany adds explicit caps on how many of each lamp type.
Why the answers differ
Can you fit extra driving lights?
Auxiliary lamps are permitted in all three markets and constrained in all three by the same three variables: how many, how high, and what they are wired to. The common core is a matched symmetrical pair, an approved lamp, wired to main beam and extinguished when you dip. Germany is the most prescriptive, capping the permitted number and mounting height separately for each lamp type and giving fog lamps their own switching rules, which means "how many can I fit" has an actual answer there rather than a judgement. The US devolves count and height to states while FMVSS 108 governs the lamp itself. The failure everyone shares is aim, since a correctly approved lamp pointed slightly too high dazzles exactly as effectively as an unapproved one.
Verdict at a glance
The same three markets, grouped by where they land.
Conditional
ConditionalUnited Kingdom, United States and Germany. Permitted, but only once the condition in the table above is met.
Sources
Primary legislation and regulator guidance behind each market's verdict.
- UKRoad Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989
- UKMOT inspection manual: 4. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (GOV.UK)
- USFederal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, lighting (NHTSA)
- USVehicle modifications and equipment (NHTSA)
- Germany§ 52 StVZO - Zusätzliche Scheinwerfer und Leuchten (gesetze-im-internet.de)
- Germany§ 49a StVZO - Lichttechnische Einrichtungen (gesetze-im-internet.de)
- Germany§ 22a StVZO - Bauartgenehmigung für Fahrzeugteile (gesetze-im-internet.de)
Other cross-market comparisons
This is a comparison of national rules, not legal advice for your vehicle. Rules change, and the US row in particular summarises federal law where one exists and the common pattern across states where it does not. Confirm the position in your own state or region before you buy or fit anything. Sources last reviewed July 2026.