Columbia Lamps on parked vehicles ordinance (§ 14-293)
Chapter 14: Motor Vehicles and Traffic · Article V. Stopping, Standing and Parking
In short: Between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise, a vehicle parked or stopped on a roadway or shoulder needs a white or amber light visible 500 feet to the front and a red light visible 500 feet to the rear, unless there's enough light to see people or objects 500 feet away. Motor-driven cycles are exempt, and any lit headlamps on a parked vehicle must be dimmed.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
(a) Whenever a vehicle is lawfully parked upon a street or highway during the hours between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise and in the event there is sufficient light to reveal any person or object within a distance of five hundred (500) feet upon such street or highway, no lights need be displayed upon such parked vehicle.
(b) Whenever a vehicle is parked or stopped upon a roadway or shoulder adjacent thereto, whether attended or unattended, during the hours between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise and there is not sufficient light to reveal any person or object within a distance of five hundred
(500) feet upon such highway, such vehicle so parked or stopped shall be equipped with one (1) or more lamps meeting the following requirements: at least one (1) lamp shall display a white or amber light visible from a distance of five hundred (500) feet to the front of the vehicle, and the same lamp or at least one (1) other lamp shall display a red light visible from a distance of five hundred (500) feet to the rear of the vehicle, and the location of such lamp or lamps shall always be such that at least one (1) lamp or combination of lamps meeting the requirements of this section is installed as near as practicable to the side of the vehicle which is closer to passing traffic. The foregoing provisions shall not apply to a motordriven cycle.
(c) Any lighted head lamps upon a parked vehicle shall be depressed or dimmed.
Official source: City of Columbia official Code of Ordinances (online): look up Sec. 14-293
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.