Daytime Running Lights in NZ: Colour, Rules and the WoF

In New Zealand, daytime running lights (DRLs) are optional rather than compulsory, but many vehicles now arrive with them fitted. Where they are fitted they must work properly and switch off when the headlamps are switched on, or the vehicle can fail its Warrant of Fitness (WoF) or Certificate of Fitness (CoF). Lamps should be approved to a recognised standard, such as a UN ECE (E-marked) approval or the Australian Design Rules. White is the standard and safest colour for a DRL.

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

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, verges, 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. 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

If your vehicle has no DRLs, driving with dipped headlights on during the day is a simple way to get much the same benefit. On an older car, ute or tractor that is the easy option.

What Colour DRLs Are Legal in New Zealand

White is the standard colour for a daytime running light, and a lamp approved to UN ECE Regulation 87 is always white. New Zealand rules are broader than European ones on some front lamp colours, and some NZ sources say a DRL may be white or amber, so check NZTA Waka Kotahi’s current vehicle inspection requirements before fitting anything other than white. Red and blue are never acceptable to the front.

DRL colour	Acceptable in NZ?	Notes
White	Yes	The standard colour, and the only colour for an ECE-approved DRL
White with a slight blue tinge	Generally accepted	Normal for LED lamps within the approved white range
Amber / yellow	Check NZTA rules	Not approved as a DRL under ECE rules; NZ rules may allow amber, so confirm before fitting
Blue	No	Blue lamps are for the Police and other emergency services only
Red	No	Red light is for the rear of the vehicle
Green, purple or colour-changing	No	Not approved for any front lamp on a normal road vehicle

Are Yellow DRLs Legal in New Zealand

Possibly, but white is the safe choice. A yellow or amber DRL is not approved under ECE Regulation 87, and amber light at the front of a vehicle is mainly for direction indicators and, on longer vehicles, side marker lamps. Some NZ guidance allows amber running lamps, so if you want amber, check NZTA Waka Kotahi’s current requirements and the lamp’s approval first.

The confusion comes from 2 places. First, rules differ between markets, some countries 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 should only be fitted if it is approved for both functions, with the amber part working as an indicator.

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

Which Vehicles Have Daytime Running Lights

New Zealand does not require DRLs, but many vehicles built for European, Japanese and Australian markets have them as standard, so a growing share of the fleet has them. In practice:

Vehicle	DRLs in NZ
Newer vehicles fitted with DRLs from the factory	Not compulsory, but if fitted they must work
Older vehicles	Not required; aftermarket DRLs may be fitted if they meet the rules
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, use lamps approved to a recognised standard (for example E-marked with RL) and fit and wire them correctly.

Lighting in general is governed by the Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Lighting 2004, administered by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). For the wider framework, see our guide to the vehicle 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). New Zealand accepts E-marked lamps, as well as some other standards such as SAE and the Australian Design Rules.
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 European installation rules come from ECE Regulation 48, and they are a sound guide for fitting DRLs in New Zealand. Check NZTA’s requirements for your vehicle. 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 New Zealand if the lamps are approved to a recognised standard (for example E-marked with RL), they are a permitted colour (white is the safe choice), they are mounted sensibly within the height and spacing rules, and they are wired to come on with the engine and go off (or dim) with the headlamps.

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 a New Zealand 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.

Fitting optional lighting is controlled by the lighting rules, so get advice if unsure and tell 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 WoF

New Zealand has no MOT. Light vehicles are inspected for a Warrant of Fitness (WoF) and heavy vehicles for a Certificate of Fitness (CoF), to standards set by NZTA Waka Kotahi, and both check lights.

In outline, DRLs are treated like this:

Situation	What happens
New vehicle with DRLs working	No issue
DRLs fitted (factory or retrofit) but not working	Likely WoF or CoF failure
Older vehicle with no DRLs	No issue; DRLs not required
Retrofit kit that is not approved or does not switch off with the headlamps	Not acceptable

Check NZTA Waka Kotahi’s Vehicle Inspection Requirements Manual (VIRM) if you need to know exactly how a particular DRL fault is treated at a WoF or CoF.

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

Lighting for tractors and self-propelled agricultural machines in New Zealand is set by the Land Transport Rules, with specific provisions for agricultural vehicles covering headlamps, position lamps, rear lamps, stop lamps, direction indicators and, in various situations, amber warning lamps or beacons. DRLs are not a requirement. 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 during 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. Where NZTA rules require an amber warning lamp or beacon on your machine (for example when oversize or operating slowly on the road), a DRL does not replace it. Check NZTA Waka Kotahi’s agricultural vehicle guidance for your tractor.
4. Trailers and implements: DRLs are not fitted to trailers. Agricultural trailers carry rear lamps, stop lamps, indicators, reflectors and number plate lighting, plus front position lamps on wider trailers.

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 New Zealand?

DRLs are not compulsory in New Zealand, but if they are fitted they must work and switch off when the headlamps are on. White is the safe colour, and lamps should be approved to a recognised standard such as an E-mark with RL.

Are yellow DRLs legal in New Zealand?

White is the safe choice. Amber or yellow running lights are not approved as DRLs under ECE rules, and while some NZ guidance allows amber, check NZTA’s current requirements before fitting them.

Can I fit aftermarket daytime running lights?

Yes, if the lamps are approved (for example 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. It is worth telling your insurer.

Are DRLs checked at a WoF?

Yes, where they are fitted. Fitted DRLs must work and switch correctly, otherwise the vehicle can fail its WoF. The same applies at a CoF for heavy 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, using dipped headlights during the day is a good habit.