Is Driving Around With Christmas Lights On Your Car Legal In Illinois?

'Tis the season to be jolly during the Christmas holiday season. All you need to do is take a  trip around your neighborhood and you're bound to find some holiday spirit. A shopping trip will likely involve Christmas music coming from the store's speakers. You might even spot a Christmas sweater being worn by a coworker. (We all have at least one, right?)

Sometimes you may even see a vehicle decorated to match the holiday season begging the question, is driving around with Christmas lights on your car legal in Illinois? This isn't an effort to point out the Scrooges of the law but it's also best to find a definitive answer before risking a fine.

Wouldn't be it a little awkward seeing Santa being pulled over? This, of course, is if he were to be driving a 4-wheel vehicle instead of flying his sleigh. But, still, it would be kind of a bummer, wouldn't it?

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Is there such a thing as decorating too much when it comes to Christmas? Maybe, but it would need to be to an extreme degree of decor. If you celebrate Christmas or the holiday season then, please, go all out when decorating the inside and outside of your home. Bring as much joy as you can because we all know it's much needed in today's world.

Want to decorate your vehicle? Have at it, you holly-jolly person. Adding some holiday cheer to your car isn't a new thing, you may have already seen someone driving with antlers and a red nose on their vehicle. This is all fine and dandy as long as the decor isn't lit or blinking.

It may look fun and festive, but you should err on the side of caution with how you decorate the exterior of your vehicle when it comes to every day use on open roads. While it's not illegal to decorate your car, truck, van, SUV, station wagon with Christmas decor, including lights, it is illegal to drive with those lights turned on.

Turning on any lights that did not come with the manufacturing of the vehicle is illegal. Illinois State Police Sgt. Matt Boerwinkle advises against it and says Illinois' Vehicle Code is very specific on what lights a motor vehicle can and can not have.

The law simply states that if the lighting or lighting combination isn't included in the statute, then it's illegal.

It's not that law makers are trying to take the fun of things, it more so has to do with other drivers not confusing colorful lights with emergency vehicles.

This law does not apply when participating in parades around the state.