Columbia Lights on vehicles—Generally ordinance (§ 14-133)
Chapter 14: Motor Vehicles and Traffic · Article III. Motor Vehicles
In short: Vehicles must use headlights and tail lights from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, and whenever people and vehicles can't be clearly seen 500 feet ahead. Oversized vehicles (over 7 feet wide or 2-ton capacity or more) left in the roadway at night need a light visible from front and rear for 200 feet, unless enough light reveals them at 200 feet.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
(a) Vehicles being operated. All vehicles being operated on the streets of the city between the time of onehalf hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise and at any other time when there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the street at a distance of five hundred (500) feet ahead, shall be equipped with and have in operation, headlights and tail lights, as provided by state law.
(b) Oversized vehicles when parked. No oversized vehicle shall be left standing in the roadway between the time of one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise without displaying thereon at least one (1) light visible from both the front and rear for a distance of at least two hundred (200) feet; provided, however, that such lights shall not be required when there is sufficient light to reveal such oversized vehicle for a distance of two hundred (200) feet upon such street. For the purpose of this section, an oversized vehicle shall be defined as a vehicle over seven (7) feet wide or having a capacity of two (2) tons or more.
Official source: City of Columbia official Code of Ordinances (online): look up Sec. 14-133
Text from Supplement 139 (September 3, 2026).
Last checked November 1, 2026. The city's official copy controls; this page is a reading copy, not legal advice.