CVC 24252Eligible for written declarationCorrectable

Required Lighting Equipment Not Working

Not maintaining a vehicle's required lighting equipment in good working order.

Reviewed by the TicketClear teamLast reviewed October 10, 2026

Fine: $193, or $25 if correctedDMV Points: None✓ Correctable

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What is a Required Lighting Equipment Not Working ticket?

CVC 24252(a) says all lighting equipment of a required type installed on a vehicle shall at all times be maintained in good working order, and lamps shall be equipped with bulbs of the correct voltage rating for the nominal voltage at the lamp socket. Lighting equipment of a required type includes lighting equipment specifically required by the Vehicle Code and lighting equipment required under Part 393 or Part 571 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Under 24252(b), the voltage at a tail, stop, license plate, side marker, or clearance lamp socket shall not be less than 85 percent of the design voltage of the bulb, tested with the engine operating.

Ask your insurer how a conviction affects your policy.

What the Law Says

(a) (1) All lighting equipment of a required type installed on a vehicle shall at all times be maintained in good working order. Lamps shall be equipped with bulbs of the correct voltage rating corresponding to the nominal voltage at the lamp socket. (2) For purposes of this section, “lighting equipment of a required type” includes lighting equipment specifically required by this code and lighting equipment required pursuant to Part 393 or Part 571 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (b) The voltage at a tail, stop, license plate, side marker or clearance lamp socket on a vehicle shall not be less than 85 percent of the design voltage of the bulb. Voltage tests shall be conducted with the engine operating. (c) Two or more lamp or reflector functions may be combined, provided each function subject to requirements established by the department meets those requirements. (1) A turn signal lamp may not be combined optically with a stoplamp unless the stoplamp is extinguished when the turn signal is flashing. (2) A clearance lamp may not be combined optically with a taillamp or identification lamp.

What the Officer Must Prove

1Lighting equipment of a required type installed on your vehicle was not maintained in good working order, or a lamp did not have a bulb of the correct voltage rating

Arguments Commonly Raised for Required Lighting Equipment Not Working

General information: arguments drivers commonly raise for this code section. Whether any applies depends on your own facts.

Lamp in good working order

If the cited lamp was working, describe it and include photos.

Correction

If your notice is marked correctable and you present proof of correction, certified as Vehicle Code 40616 describes, by mail or in person on or before the date on your notice, the court shall dismiss the charge (Vehicle Code 40522). The clerk collects a $25 transaction fee unless the notice is processed only by the agency that issued it (Vehicle Code 40611).

⚠️ Common Mistakes

✗Not photographing the lamp working after any repair
✗Not keeping repair receipts

What this code section covers (general information)

CVC 24252 — Required Lighting Equipment Not Working. Not maintaining a vehicle's required lighting equipment in good working order.

Eligible for Trial by Written Declaration: generally yes.

This is general information about CVC 24252. It is not advice about your citation, and TicketClear does not evaluate anyone's facts. Whether any of it applies depends on your own facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed California attorney.

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How to Clear This Fix-It Ticket

CVC 24252 fix-it ticket: what to repair, who signs off and how to file the proof →