Broken Headlight Ticket in Texas: What the Law Says
A broken headlight ticket in Texas is an equipment citation, and the Transportation Code allows a court to dismiss it if you fix the defect before your first court appearance. If the headlight needs more than a bulb, we repair it by mail anywhere in the U.S., with a free quote first.
From $400 per headlight — final price in your free quote. Packing and shipping instructions come with your quote.
Can you get a ticket for a broken headlight in Texas?
Yes. Under Section 547.004(a)(2) of the Texas Transportation Code, it is an offense to drive a vehicle that “is not equipped in a manner that complies with the vehicle equipment standards and requirements established by this chapter.”
A headlight out at night is easy to see from another car, so it can get you pulled over. Your citation names the offense and the court that handles it.
What Texas headlight law requires
Chapter 547 sets the equipment rules. These sections cover a dark or damaged headlight:
- Section 547.321: “A motor vehicle shall be equipped with at least two headlamps.” and “At least one headlamp shall be mounted on each side of the front of the vehicle.”
- Section 547.302(a): required lamps must be lighted “at nighttime” and “when light is insufficient or atmospheric conditions are unfavorable so that a person or vehicle on the highway is not clearly discernible at a distance of 1,000 feet ahead.”
- Section 547.333(a): the driver must be able to “select at will between distributions of light projected at different elevations”, which means a working low beam and high beam.
A headlight that does not light can leave your vehicle short of these rules, even if the other side is bright.
Fixing the headlight before your court date
Section 547.004(c) says a court may dismiss the charge if the defendant:
- “remedies the defect before the defendant's first court appearance”, and
- pays a reimbursement fee capped by the same subsection.
The word is “may”, so the decision belongs to the court. Under Section 547.004(d), this option does not apply to an offense involving a commercial motor vehicle.
Before you appear, ask the court on your citation what proof of the repair it accepts.
No yearly safety inspection, but the headlight still has to work
House Bill 3297 ended regular safety inspections for noncommercial vehicles in Texas, effective January 1, 2025. Commercial motor vehicles still need an annual inspection under Section 548.201, and some counties still run emissions testing.
Chapter 547 did not change. Without a yearly check, nobody points out a dark or cracked headlight until an officer does.
When a new bulb will not clear the ticket
- A halogen or xenon headlight that went dark: try a new bulb first. That is often the whole fix.
- A cracked or broken lens: the lens can be replaced on your original housing. See Headlight Lens Replacement Service.
- A broken housing or snapped tabs after a hit: see Broken Headlight Repair.
- An LED headlight or DRL that went out: there is no bulb to swap. Tell us the symptom and we'll confirm whether the LED or DRL module can be repaired.
A repair keeps your original headlight, so it fits your car or truck the way it did and matches the light on the other side.
Getting a Texas headlight fixed by mail before court
From $400 per headlight — final price in your free quote
Repair starts only after you approve your written quote. We confirm the turnaround time in your quote.
Mail-in repair means the headlight travels both ways, so ask for your quote as soon as you have the citation. Packing and shipping instructions come with your quote.
Every step is in How Mail-In Headlight Repair Works.
Texas headlight ticket questions
Will the court dismiss my headlight ticket if I fix it?
It can. Section 547.004(c) lets a court dismiss the charge if you remedy the defect before your first court appearance and pay a reimbursement fee. Ask the court on your citation what it needs from you.
Can I be cited for a cracked headlight that still lights?
Section 547.004 covers a vehicle that is unsafe or not equipped as Chapter 547 requires, and whether a crack leads to a citation is up to the officer. A cracked lens can also let water in, so it is worth repairing either way.
This guide is general information about the Texas Transportation Code, not legal advice. Sources: Texas Constitution and Statutes (Transportation Code Sections 547.004, 547.302, 547.321, 547.333 and 548.201) and House Bill 3297 of the 88th Legislature.
Get the headlight working before your court date
Tell us your vehicle, the court date on your citation and a few photos of the headlight. You get a written quote before you ship anything.