Can You Legally Wrap Your Car With Christmas Lights in New Jersey?

Can you legally drive around New Jersey with a decorated car?

I’ve seen so many drivers over the years who get really festive with their cars for Halloween, Christmas, etc, but are you setting yourself up for failure by doing so I see skeletons hanging off of people’s cars in October and sometimes even cars wrapped in battery operated lights in December. I feel like you’re almost setting yourself up to get pulled over for being a distraction on the road, but is this festive act really illegal?

Is it legal to decorate your car for Christmas in New Jersey?

It’s not particularly easy to find, but by the looks of it, it is illegal to add lights to the exterior of your car. According to law.Justia.com under section 39:3-50, "No person shall drive or move any vehicle or equipment upon any street or highway equipped with any device or lamp thereon capable of or displaying a light of any other color than permitted by this section, except an authorized emergency vehicle, an authorized school bus, or a vehicle authorized by a permit issued by the chief administrator.”

Adding extra lights to your car is illegal and can be a terrible distraction for drivers on the road. I didn’t see an exact fine or even an exact number of potential points on your license this could get you, but it was enough for me to not do it this holiday season!

I’m sure there are smaller things you could add to your car like the reindeer ears that sit on top of your headlights, but overall, let’s just stick to bumper stickers! If your car looks like Clark Griswold decorated it, you’re probably not safe.