Improper Fog Lamps
A CVC 24403 citation means your fog lamps did not meet the rules for fog lamps. Vehicle Code 24403 allows no more than two fog lamps, used with your headlamps but never instead of them, mounted on the front between 12 and 30 inches high (12 to 40 inches on a motorcycle) and aimed low: with the vehicle unloaded, for 25 feet in front of the vehicle, the high-intensity part of the beam to the left of the center of the vehicle may be no higher than four inches below the center of the lamp. Correcting the lamps, then getting the correction signed off, resolves this violation.
Correction Window
The deadline is printed on your citation.
Fee After Correction
These steps apply when your ticket was issued as correctable. An officer does not issue it that way if there is evidence of fraud or persistent neglect, the violation presents an immediate safety hazard, or you cannot promptly correct it (Vehicle Code 40610(b)). When the court accepts your proof of correction, the court clerk collects a $25 fee for each corrected violation (Vehicle Code 40611). There is no fee if the agency that cited you handles the correction and nothing is sent to the court (Vehicle Code 40611(c)). Without proof of correction, you may owe the full fine. Check your notice or ask your court for the amount.
Who Can Certify
A police department, the CHP, a sheriff, a marshal or another agency that enforces the Vehicle Code can certify this correction. A vehicle safety systems inspection station licensed by the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) can also sign it off. BAR says you do not need a full vehicle safety systems inspection to clear a brake or light fix-it ticket.
The court must dismiss a corrected violation when you deliver proof of correction on or before the date on your ticket (Vehicle Code 40522). After that date it may not accept the correction, and you may owe the full fine. If you fail to appear without good cause, the court may add a civil assessment of up to $100 after mailing you a warning notice (Penal Code 1214.1). Willfully failing to appear, or willfully failing to deliver proof of correction, is a misdemeanor (Vehicle Code 40508 and 40616). If you need more time, ask the court before the date passes.
Step by Step
How to Correct This Violation
- 1
Check how many fog lamps are installed, their mounting height and their aim, and whether they were used in place of your headlamps.
- 2
Remove any extra lamps, and remount or re-aim the fog lamps so they meet Vehicle Code 24403.
- 3
If you are not sure about the height or aim, a mechanic can check them for you.
- 4
Have a law enforcement officer or a BAR-licensed safety inspection station sign the certificate of correction.
- 5
Submit the signed citation and $25 fee to the court before your deadline.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does the law say about fog lamps?
- Vehicle Code 24403 limits a vehicle to two fog lamps, mounted on the front 12 to 30 inches high (12 to 40 inches on a motorcycle) and aimed low. You may use them with your headlamps, never in place of them.
This guide covers passenger vehicles. Some rules differ for commercial vehicles and truck tractors (for example, where registration tabs go under Vehicle Code 5204(a)). If you were driving one, check with your employer or a licensed attorney.
This guide provides general procedural information only. It is not legal advice. For questions specific to your citation, contact the court listed on your ticket.
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