RMickens

Hey everyone, so a few weeks ago some lady crashed into my 95 Civic DX and caused a lot of damage to my car.

Her insurance company deemed my car a total loss but I decided to keep it so they paid me money and now I need to get a salvage title. I am on the last step, which is getting the brake and light inspection done but I'm having problems.

So I went to this place and they said its $85 pass or fail, so I figured I'd go there since ALL of my lights work properly and are brand new. Anyways, I passed the test but they refused to give me the certificate for the lights because they're aftermarket. I argued saying that the DMV said as long as the lights work I can get the certificate. I then told them that why would they take the car and do the tests knowing that I "need" stock lights if they're just gunna fail me afterwards. Long story short, after an hour of fighting I was able to leave without paying $85.

Now my question is, do I really need stock lights for this? My headlights are a one piece instead of two and I have the Euro taillights. They all work properly and the headlights are adjusted. I did some reading saying that as long as the lights work, are adjusted properly, and don't cause a hazard in any way, then it will pass. But every place I call says I need stock OEM lights. My light bulbs are regular bulbs too when the guy at the place tried saying my "projector bulbs" are illegal.

After getting the car fixed and the money for the test, I really don't have the money to go back to stock lights and if it came down to it I was planning on going to a junkyard and getting them with a warranty then returning them after the test. But is it really necessary? The DMV said no and I've never had issues with police about my lights or anything.

doctorake

You need DOT approved lights likely. No way of knowing though since we do not know what kind of car this is or what state you are trying to do this in.

RMickens

I'm driving a 1995 Civic DX Coupe and I'm in California. I'll take a picture of the headlights right now and the brake lights but what's DOT approved?

RMickens

Headlights:

RMickens

I don't have pictures of the brake lights on me right now since im in class

EKtypeRhaTcH

In California you will need the DOT approved headlight. There are aftermarket ones that are DOT approved as well. They cost more.

doctorake

DOT = department of transportation

RMickens

ok and so when I buy these headlights they will say it on the actual lights? like it'll be engraved with the words DOT approved or something?

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

Yes, it should be clearly marked on the headlight. They have to be DOT approved, and yes, aftermarket DOT light housings exist, but they're stupidly rare, and stupidly expensive - getting DOT approval isn't cheap, and the companies that make stamped lights just pass the cost of it onto the consumer. Just get some lights out of a scrap yard, or borrow some from a friend to pass. It's not that hard.

RMickens

ya thanks I was going to just go to the junk yard tomorrow to get the lights, get a warranty, put them on, get my certifcate, then put the ones I have back on and return them!