Optional Vehicle Equipment

Buyer beware! The Kansas Highway Patrol regularly encounters after-market vehicle products that do not meet state and federal vehicle standards. Use of after-market products, especially after-market vanity products – including some replacement lights, hood-mounted LED lights, valve stem lights, smoked light covers, and additional window tint – may violate state law.

Buyers should specifically inquire whether the products they are purchasing are legal to install on motor vehicles in Kansas. Vendors who sell vehicle products that do not meet state standards or violate state law may face prosecution under the Kansas Consumer Protection Act.

There are approximately 9,000 reported deer/vehicle crashes in Kansas each year. Companies market deer whistles to the public, claiming their products produce ultrasonic frequencies or audible sounds that repel or warn deer of oncoming vehicles.

Extensive studies in Europe and the United States concluded these devices do not work. The only way to avoid striking a deer is to drive defensively, particularly at sunset and sunrise, as this is when most deer/vehicle accidents occur. Slow down when you see 1 deer, the odds are there is 1 right behind it.

Every motor vehicle must have a mirror mounted on the left side to allow the driver to view the highway behind the vehicle. In addition, each vehicle must have a right side-mounted mirror or an interior-mounted rear-view mirror providing a view of the highway behind the vehicle.

Vehicles in Kansas may be equipped with studded snow tires from November 1 to April 1 each year.

Lights visible to the front of a vehicle must be white to amber. On vehicles manufactured prior to July 1, 1973, the front turn signals may emit a white light. The front turn signals of all newer vehicles must emit an amber light. Kansas registered vehicles are prohibited from being equipped with tinted/non-transparent headlamp covers.

Lights visible to the rear of a vehicle must be amber to red, with the exception of the registration and back-up lamps. Every vehicle must have a white light illuminating the vehicle’s rear license tag when the headlamps and tail lamps are activated. Reflectors visible from the rear of a vehicle must be red.

Lights and reflectors visible from the side of a vehicle must be amber toward the front of the vehicle and red toward the rear of the vehicle.

Optional Lights

In addition, vehicles may be equipped with the following optional lights:

  • One amber or white running board courtesy light on each side.
  • Two side cowl or fender lamps emitting an amber or white light.
  • Two white spot lamps mounted on the front of the vehicle.
  • One or more white reverse lamps that operate only when the vehicle is in reverse.
  • Two white to amber fog lamps mounted on the front of the vehicle and used only in conjunction with the low beam headlamps.
  • Two white to amber auxiliary passing lamps mounted on the front of the vehicle.
  • Two white to amber auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front of the vehicle.

Flashing Lights

The only flashing lights permitted on non-emergency vehicles are turn signals, hazard warning lamps, and warning lights on school, church, and daycare buses.

Regulations

Kansas law regulates the type, location and light transmission value of sun-screening devices (window tint) on vehicles registered in our state. Sun-screening devices that reflect light (mirrored tint) are forbidden on all Kansas-registered vehicles.

Tint installed on the windshield of Kansas-registered vehicles may not extend below the AS1 line marked on the windshield. The AS1 marking reflects the class of safety glazing used on the windshield; all windshields must have an AS1 marking.

Tint installed on the windshield shall not be red or amber.

Tint on the windows to the right and left of the driver of Kansas-registered vehicles, windows to the right and left behind the driver, and the rear window of the vehicle must allow at least 35 percent of light to pass through when used in conjunction with the manufacturer’s tint and glazing materials (35% total light transmission value).

Kansas-registered vehicles are prohibited from being equipped with tinted headlamp covers.

It is unlawful for any person to install sun-screening devices on a Kansas-registered vehicle that would violate these regulations.