Daytime Running Lights in Ireland: Colour, Rules and the NCT

In Ireland, daytime running lights (DRLs) must be white, and RSA guidance says new vehicles must be fitted with them since 1 November 2014. Older vehicles do not need DRLs, but if they are fitted they must work, or the vehicle fails its roadworthiness test (the NCT for cars, the CVRT for commercial vehicles). Retrofit kits must be type-approved and carry an E or e mark. Amber or yellow DRLs are not legal, because amber at the front is reserved for indicators and side markers.

This guide covers what a DRL does, the colour rules (including the common question about yellow DRLs), which vehicles must have them, the approval mark, aftermarket DRL kits and how they should be wired, the NCT, and DRLs on tractors and farm vehicles.

What a Daytime Running Light Does

A daytime running light is a forward-facing white lamp that comes on automatically when the vehicle is running, to make it easier for other road users to see in daylight. It is not designed to light the road for the driver. Its job is to make the vehicle stand out against the background to pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and drivers pulling out of junctions.

On modern cars, DRLs are almost always LED strips or rings, built into the headlamp unit or the front bumper. Under Regulation 87 a DRL must give between 400 and 1,200 candela: bright enough to be noticed in daylight, but limited so it does not dazzle.

DRLs work because:

1. Contrast: a lit lamp stands out against the road, ditches, hedges and sky far better than an unlit grille.
2. Earlier detection: other road users notice a lit vehicle sooner, giving them more time to react.
3. Judging distance: 2 lit lamps at a fixed spacing help others judge how far away the vehicle is and how fast it is closing.
4. No reliance on the driver: the DRL comes on automatically, so it is never forgotten.

DRLs Are Not Headlights

A DRL is brighter than a sidelight and on many cars works without the rear lamps. That is fine in daylight but not at dusk, in rain or in fog, when following drivers need to see your rear lamps. The RSA points out that DRLs are front-only, so headlights must be switched on before dark. Automatic headlights help, but they do not always switch on in daytime fog or heavy spray, so the driver remains responsible for switching on dipped headlights. Where a DRL also works as the front position lamp, it carries both the RL and A markings and dims when the headlamps come on.

No DRLs? Use Dipped Headlights

RSA guidance and the Rules of the Road both advise driving with dipped headlights on during the day if your vehicle has no DRLs. On an older car or tractor that is the simple way to get the same benefit.

What Colour DRLs Are Legal in Ireland

Daytime running lights must be white. The RSA’s lighting colour guidance lists DRLs with the other white front lamps (headlamps, position lamps and front end-outline markers). Under Article 41 of the Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) Regulations 1963, no light may be shown to the front except white or yellow, and amber at the front is reserved for indicators and side marker lamps.

DRL colour	Legal in Ireland?	Notes
White	Yes	The only approved colour for a DRL
White with a slight blue tinge	Generally accepted	Normal for LED lamps within the approved white range
Amber / yellow	No, not as a DRL	Amber at the front is reserved for indicators and side marker lamps
Blue	No	Blue lamps are for the Gardaí and other emergency services only
Red	No	Red light is for the rear of the vehicle; the Rules of the Road also bans fitting red flashing lights
Green, purple or colour-changing	No	Not approved for any front lamp on a normal road vehicle

Are Yellow DRLs Legal in Ireland

No. Amber or yellow daytime running lights are not legal as DRLs, even if they are bright and well made. A yellow or amber DRL is not approved under Regulation 87. Amber light at the front of a vehicle is for direction indicators and, on longer vehicles, side marker lamps.

The confusion comes from 2 places. First, some countries outside Europe allow amber running lamps, and American-market cars often have amber front side markers or running lamps. Second, “switchback” LED strips are sold that run white as a DRL and switch to amber when the indicator flashes. A switchback strip is only legal if it is approved for both functions; the amber part must work only as an indicator.

Front fog lamps may be white or selective yellow, but those are different lamps with different rules. Yellow fog lamps cannot be used as DRLs.

Which Vehicles Must Have Daytime Running Lights

EU rules phased DRLs in on new vehicle types, and Ireland applies those rules directly as an EU member state. RSA guidance puts it simply:

Vehicle	DRLs required?
New vehicles since 1 November 2014	Yes, must be fitted
Older vehicles	Not required, but if fitted they must work
Trailers	Not fitted (DRLs are front lamps on motor vehicles)

There is no requirement to retrofit DRLs to an older vehicle. If you do fit them, the kit must be type-approved (E or e mark) and must not invalidate the vehicle’s type approval.

Lighting in general is governed by the Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) Regulations 1963, as amended. For the wider framework, see our guide to the Irish lighting regulations.

DRL Brightness and Approval: Regulation 87 and Regulation 148

Regulation 87 is the UN ECE approval standard for daytime running lamps. In 2019, the UN ECE began consolidating several lamp regulations (including Regulation 87 for DRLs, Regulation 7 for position lamps, Regulation 23 for reversing lamps and Regulation 38 for rear fog lamps) into a single regulation for light signalling devices, Regulation 148. Lamps approved to either are acceptable, and you will see both references on current products.

An approved DRL carries:

1. The E-mark: a circle with the letter E (or a rectangle with a small e for an EU approval) and a number for the approving country (for example E1 Germany, E11 United Kingdom, E13 Luxembourg; Ireland’s number is 24).
2. The letters RL: the code for a daytime running lamp. A lamp without RL is not approved as a DRL, whatever the box says.
3. An approval number: linking the lamp to its approval certificate.

Regulation 87 sets the light output at 400 to 1,200 candela, measured in a defined pattern. That is far brighter than a 5W sidelight but far less than a dipped beam. Our guide to E-mark approval explains how to read approval marks on any lamp.

How DRLs Must Be Fitted and Wired

The installation rules come from ECE Regulation 48. The main points:

Rule	Requirement
Number	2, one each side
Colour	White
Height	250 mm to 1,500 mm above the ground
Spacing	At least 600 mm between the inner edges of the lit areas (400 mm on vehicles less than 1,300 mm wide)
Switching on	Automatically when the engine is running (or the ignition is in the run position)
With headlamps on	DRLs must switch off, except when headlamps are flashed briefly as a warning. A combined DRL and position lamp may instead dim to position lamp brightness
Approval mark	E-mark with RL

Many modern cars dim the DRL to act as the front sidelight when the headlights are on. That lamp is approved for both functions and carries both RL and the position lamp marking (A). On some cars the DRL on one side also dims while the indicator on that side is flashing, so the indicator is not drowned out.

Aftermarket DRL Kits

Aftermarket DRLs can be fitted in Ireland if the lamps are type-approved and marked RL, they are white, they are mounted within the height and spacing rules, and they are wired to come on with the engine and go off (or dim) with the headlamps. The RSA says retrofit kits must carry an E or e mark and must not invalidate the vehicle’s type approval.

Kits on the market fall into 3 groups:

1. Approved RL-marked kits: E-marked with RL, supplied with a control module or relay harness that handles the switching. Legal to fit.
2. “DRL style” LED strips: often unmarked, sometimes amber or blue, and often wired straight to an ignition feed with no headlamp switch-off. Not legal as DRLs on an Irish road, however bright they look.
3. Combined DRL and position lamps: marked RL and A, running at DRL brightness in daylight and dimming to sidelight level with the headlamps. Legal and neat, because they can replace existing front position lamps.

The Rules of the Road also notes that fitting optional lighting is controlled by law, and advises getting professional advice and telling your insurer before you fit extras.

Wiring an Aftermarket DRL Kit

Most kits use a small module or relay with 3 inputs:

• Power: a fused permanent or ignition feed for the lamps.
• Engine-running signal: an ignition-switched feed, or on some modules a voltage sensor that detects the alternator charging (around 13.5V or more).
• Headlamp or sidelight signal: a wire from the sidelight or dipped beam circuit that tells the module to switch the DRLs off or dim them.

A kit with no headlamp input does not meet the switching rule. Use a fuse close to the feed, and a relay rated for the load. Browse our daytime running lights and 12V relays, and see our guide to fitting daytime running lights for installation options.

Daytime Running Lights and the NCT

Ireland has no MOT. Cars are tested through the NCT (National Car Test), and commercial vehicles through the CVRT. Both are run by the RSA, and both check lights.

The RSA’s position on DRLs is straightforward:

Situation	What happens
New vehicle with DRLs working	No issue
DRLs fitted (factory or retrofit) but not working	Test failure
Older vehicle with no DRLs	No issue; DRLs not required
Retrofit kit that is not type-approved	Not acceptable; kits must carry an E or e mark

On the CVRT, defects are graded minor, major or dangerous, and a failed vehicle must be retested within 21 days. Check the current NCT or CVRT manual if you need to know exactly how a particular DRL fault is graded.

If your car’s DRL is also its front position lamp, a failed unit may also be treated as a position lamp defect. Our guide to position lamps covers those rules.

DRLs on Tractors and Agricultural Vehicles

The obligatory lighting system for Irish tractors and self-propelled agricultural machines is set by S.I. No. 249 of 2014: side lamps, headlamps, rear lamps, stop lamps, direction indicators, a flashing amber beacon and number plate lighting, fitted and working at all times. DRLs are not on that list. Many newer tractors have LED DRLs as a factory feature, and where they are fitted they must work as designed and follow the same colour and switching rules.

1. Older tractors: there is no legal need to fit DRLs. Operators who want extra visibility on the road at silage and harvest can fit an approved RL-marked pair, wired to switch off with the headlamps. Otherwise, run on dipped headlights during the day.
2. Height: a DRL must sit between 250 mm and 1,500 mm above the ground. On most full-size tractors that rules out the cab roof, so DRLs go on the bonnet or front weights frame, not the roof.
3. Not a substitute for the beacon: a DRL is not a warning lamp. In Ireland every tractor and self-propelled agricultural machine must have a flashing amber beacon switched on whenever it is on a public road.
4. Trailers and implements: DRLs are not fitted to trailers. Agricultural trailers carry side lamps, rear lamps, stop lamps, indicators and number plate lighting.

Common DRL Faults

Most DRL faults are electrical rather than the LEDs themselves wearing out.

• One DRL out: a failed LED driver inside the lamp, or a broken wire or plug. Check for voltage at the lamp connector; if it is there, the lamp unit has usually failed. Factory LED DRLs are often not repairable separately from the headlamp.
• Both DRLs out: a blown fuse, a failed relay or module, or a wiring fault upstream. Check the fuse first.
• DRLs stay bright with headlamps on: on an aftermarket kit, the headlamp input is missing or disconnected. On factory lamps, a dimming fault in the lamp or a switch signal fault.
• DRLs flicker: a poor earth, low voltage at idle, or an incompatible LED module. Clean the earths and check the charging voltage.

Frequently asked questions

What is the DRL law in Ireland?

RSA guidance says new vehicles must be fitted with DRLs since 1 November 2014. Older vehicles do not need them, but if fitted they must work. DRLs must be white, and retrofit kits must be type-approved with an E or e mark.

Are yellow DRLs legal in Ireland?

No. DRLs must be white. Amber or yellow running lights are not approved as DRLs, and amber at the front is reserved for indicators and side markers.

Can I fit aftermarket daytime running lights?

Yes, if the lamps are E-marked with RL, white, mounted 250 mm to 1,500 mm high with the correct spacing, and wired to come on with the engine and go off or dim with the headlamps. The kit must not invalidate the vehicle’s type approval, and it is worth telling your insurer.

Are DRLs checked in the NCT?

Yes, where they are fitted. The RSA says fitted DRLs must work, otherwise the vehicle fails its test. The same applies at the CVRT for commercial vehicles.

Do I need headlights on if I have DRLs?

Yes, before dark and in poor visibility. DRLs are front-only and do not light the road, and many cars do not light their rear lamps with the DRLs, so you must switch on dipped headlights, which also lights the rear lamps. If your vehicle has no DRLs, the RSA advises using dipped headlights during the day.