                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

FLASHING AMBER, PURPLE, OR GREEN WARNING LIGHTS (§ 46.2-1025)

A. The following vehicles may be equipped with flashing, blinking, or
alternating amber warning lights of types approved by the Superintendent:

   1. Vehicles used for the principal purpose of towing or servicing disabled
   vehicles;

   2. Vehicles used in constructing, maintaining, and repairing highways or
   utilities on or along public highways, or in assisting with the management of
   roadside and traffic incidents, or performing traffic management services
   along public highways;

   3. Vehicles used for the principal purpose of removing hazardous or polluting
   substances from state waters and drainage areas on or along public highways,
   or state vehicles used to perform other state-required environmental
   activities, provided that the amber lights are not lit while the vehicle is in
   motion;

   4. Vehicles used for servicing automatic teller machines, provided the amber
   lights are not lit while the vehicle is in motion;

   5. Vehicles used in refuse collection, provided the amber lights are lit only
   when the vehicles are engaged in refuse collection operations;

   6. Vehicles used by individuals for emergency snow-removal purposes;

   7. Hi-rail vehicles, provided the amber lights are lit only when the vehicles
   are operated on railroad rails;

   8. Fire apparatus and emergency medical services vehicles, provided the amber
   lights are used in addition to lights permitted under &#xA7; 46.2-1023 and are
   so mounted or installed as to be visible from behind the vehicle;

   9. Vehicles owned and used by businesses providing security services, provided
   the amber lights are not lit while the vehicle is being operated on a public
   highway;

   10. Vehicles used to collect and deliver the United States mail, provided the
   amber lights are lit only when the vehicle is actually engaged in such
   collection or delivery;

   11. Vehicles used to collect and deliver packages weighing less than 150
   pounds by a national package delivery company that delivers such packages in
   all 50 states, provided that the amber lights are lit only when the vehicle is
   stopped and its operator is engaged in such collection and delivery;

   12. Vehicles used to transport petroleum or propane products, provided the
   amber light is mounted on the rear of the vehicle and is lit when parked while
   making a delivery of petroleum or propane products, or when the
   vehicle&#8217;s back-up lights are lit and its device producing an audible
   signal when the vehicle is operated in reverse gear, as provided for in &#xA7;
   46.2-1175.1, is in operation;

   13. Vehicles used by law-enforcement agency personnel in the enforcement of
   laws governing motor vehicle parking;

   14. Government-owned law-enforcement vehicles, provided the lights are used
   for the purpose of giving directional warning to vehicular traffic to move one
   direction or another and are not lit while the vehicle is in motion;

   15. Chase vehicles when used to unload a hot air balloon or used to load a hot
   air balloon after landing, provided the amber lights are not lit while the
   vehicle is in motion;

   16. Vehicles used for farm, agricultural, or horticultural purposes, or any
   farm tractor;

   17. Vehicles owned and used by construction companies operating under Virginia
   contractors licenses;

   18. Vehicles used to lead or provide escorts for bicycle races authorized by
   the Department of Transportation or the locality in which the race is being
   conducted;

   19. Vehicles used by radio or television stations for remote broadcasts,
   provided that the amber lights are not lit while the vehicle is in motion;

   20. Vehicles used by municipal safety officers in the performance of their
   official duties. For the purpose of this subdivision, &#8220;municipal safety
   officers&#8221; means municipal employees responsible for managing municipal
   safety programs and ensuring municipal compliance with safety and
   environmental regulatory mandates;

   21. Vehicles used as pace cars, security vehicles, or firefighting vehicles by
   any speedway or motor vehicle race track, provided that the amber lights are
   not lit while the vehicle is being operated on a public highway;

   22. Vehicles used in patrol work by members of neighborhood watch groups
   approved by the chief law-enforcement officer of the locality in their
   assigned neighborhood watch program area, provided that the vehicles are
   clearly identified as neighborhood watch vehicles, and the amber lights are
   not lit while the vehicle is in motion;

   23. Vehicles that are not tow trucks as defined in &#xA7; 46.2-100, but are
   owned or controlled by a towing and recovery business, provided that the amber
   lights are lit only when the vehicle is being used at a towing and recovery
   site;

   24. Vehicles used or operated by federally licensed amateur radio operators
   (i) while participating in emergency communications or drills on behalf of
   federal, state, or local authorities or (ii) while providing communications
   services to localities for public service events authorized by the Department
   of Transportation where the event is being conducted;

   25. Publicly owned or operated transit buses;

   26. Vehicles used for hauling trees, logs, or any other forest products when
   hauling such products, provided that the amber lights are mounted or installed
   so as to be visible from behind the vehicle;

   27. Vehicles authorized to use amber lights pursuant to &#xA7; 46.2-1025.1;
   and

   28. Vehicles used by a local department of social services to respond to a
   request for assistance from law-enforcement agency personnel.

B. Except as otherwise provided in this section, such amber lights shall be lit
only when performing the functions which qualify them to be equipped with such
lights.

C. Vehicles used to lead or provide escorts for funeral processions may use
either amber warning lights or purple warning lights, but amber warning lights
and purple warning lights shall not simultaneously be used on the same vehicle.
The Superintendent of State Police shall develop standards and specifications
for purple lights authorized in this subsection.

D. Vehicles used by police, firefighting, or emergency medical services
personnel as command centers at the scene of incidents may be equipped with and
use green warning lights of a type approved by the Superintendent. Such lights
shall not be activated while the vehicle is operating upon the highway.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 46-273; 1954, c. 310; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-267; 1960,
cc. 156, 391; 1962, c. 512; 1966, cc. 655, 664; 1968, c. 89; 1972, c. 7; 1974,
c. 537; 1976, c. 6; 1977, c. 72; 1978, cc. 311, 357; 1980, c. 337; 1981, c. 338;
1984, cc. 440, 539; 1985, cc. 248, 269, 287, 462; 1986, cc. 124, 127, 229; 1987,
cc. 347, 370; 1988, cc. 339, 351; 1989, c. 727; 1991, c. 465; 1992, cc. 93, 410,
805; 1995, c. 727; 1997, c. 149; 1998, cc. 134, 417; 1999, cc. 18, 72, 232;
2000, cc. 84, 121, 278; 2003, c. 93; 2005, c. 574; 2010, c. 127; 2011, c. 268;
2014, c. 54; 2015, cc. 41, 502, 503; 2016, cc. 198, 226; 2017, cc. 326, 333;
2019, cc. 112, 145; 2023, c. 613; 2024, c. 95; 2025, c. 82.