Vehicle Type | Lighting Required | Other Lighting Allowed |
Authorized Emergency Vehicles (except Law Enforcement and Fire Department Vehicles) | 1 red lamp | Flashing amber or white lamps |
Law Enforcement Vehicles | 1 blue lamp | Flashing red, amber, or white lamps |
| 1 red lamp | Rear facing blue lamp Flashing amber or white lamps |
Volunteer Firefighter Vehicles and Firefighter Private Vehicles (RCW 46.37.185) | | If approved by the chief of their respective service, green lamps may be installed on the vehicle provided that the requirements outlined in subsection (4) of this section are met. |
Public utilities vehicles, other construction and maintenance vehicles, pilot cars, animal control vehicles, hazardous materials response team vehicles, search and rescue team vehicles, and rural newspaper carrier vehicles, and vehicles towing a load that exceeds legal dimensions. | | One or more flashing amber lamps provided that the requirements of subsection (5) of this section are met. |
| 1 red lamp | One or more flashing amber and/or white lamps provided that the requirements of subsection (5) of this section are met. Rear facing blue lamps. |
(4) Green lamps for volunteer firefighter and firefighter private vehicles must:
(a) Meet the requirements of SAE J595 except that the color of the lamp must be green as the color described in SAE J578.
(b) Be visible for a distance of 200 feet under normal atmospheric conditions.
(c) Not have a maximum light projected in any one direction exceeding 300 candle power.
(d) Be mounted no less than 24 inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands, or may be placed on the forward portion of the top above the windshield.
(e) Be mounted anywhere from the center of the vehicle to the left side thereof.
(f) Be used only for the purpose of identification and the operator of a vehicle so equipped must not be entitled to any of the privileges provided in RCW
46.61.035 for the operators of authorized emergency vehicles.
(5) Amber lamps must:
(a) Be mounted and be of sufficient intensity so as to be clearly visible to approaching traffic for at least 500 feet in normal sunlight.
(b) Be mounted as outlined in WAC
204-21-020 and as follows:
(i) Must be mounted so that the entire projected area of the lens is visible from all eye heights of drivers of other vehicles at angles within 45 degrees left to 45 degrees right of the front of the vehicle. If the light within these required angles is blocked by the vehicle or any substantial object on it, an additional amber lamp must be displayed within the obstructed angle.
(ii) May be mounted at any height.
(c) Only be used on the vehicles described in subsection (3) of this section, when such vehicles are actually involved in construction, maintenance, or operations which require that warning be given to ensure the protection of the motoring public or the work crew. Lamps must not be illuminated while traveling to or from the site of operations. For the purposes of tow truck operations, the site of operations must be only that place where vehicles are attached to or detached from the tow truck. Lamps on pilot cars must be illuminated only while the vehicle is actually providing escort service. Lamps on rural newspaper delivery vehicles must only be illuminated when the vehicle is traveling on the delivery route. Lamps on oversize units may be illuminated when traveling on public roadways. The operator of these vehicles are not entitled to any other privileges provided in RCW
46.61.035 for the operators of authorized emergency vehicles.
(6) Three hundred sixty degree warning lamps must meet SAE Standard J845.
(7) Nothing in this section relieves the operator of any vehicle from displaying any other light or warning device required by statute or regulation.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
46.37.005,
46.37.320, and
46.37.194. WSR 24-16-032, § 204-21-130, filed 7/29/24, effective 8/29/24; WSR 22-21-031, § 204-21-130, filed 10/6/22, effective 11/6/22. Statutory Authority: RCW
46.37.005 and
46.37.320. WSR 08-19-104, § 204-21-130, filed 9/17/08, effective 10/18/08.]