Virginia Vehicles Permitted to Use Emergency Vehicle Lights
46.2-1022
Flashing blue, red and blue, blue and white, or red, white and blue warning lights.
Certain Department of Military Affairs vehicles and certain Virginia National Guard vehicles designated by the Adjutant General, when used in state active duty to perform particular law-enforcement functions, Department of Corrections vehicles designated by the Director of the Department of Corrections, and law-enforcement vehicles may be equipped with flashing, blinking, or alternating blue, blue and red, blue and white, or red, white, and blue combination warning lights of types approved by the Superintendent. Such warning lights may be of types constructed within turn signal housings or motorcycle headlight housings, subject to approval by the Superintendent.
46.2-1023
Flashing red or red and white warning lights.
Fire apparatus, forest warden vehicles, emergency medical services vehicles, vehicles of the Department of Emergency Management, vehicles of the Department of Environmental Quality, vehicles of the Virginia National Guard Civil Support Team when responding to an emergency, vehicles of county, city, or town Departments of Emergency Management, vehicles of the Office of Emergency Medical Services, animal warden vehicles, and vehicles used by security personnel of the Huntington Ingalls Industries, Bassett-Walker, Inc., the Winchester Medical Center, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Wallops Flight Facility, and, within those areas specified in their orders of appointment, by special conservators of the peace and policemen for certain places appointed pursuant to §§ 19.2-13 and 19.2-17 may be equipped with flashing, blinking, or alternating red or red and white combination warning lights of types approved by the Superintendent. Such warning lights may be of types constructed within turn signal housings or motorcycle headlight housings, subject to approval by the Superintendent.
46.2-1025
Flashing amber, purple, or green warning lights.
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;
3. Vehicles used for the principal purpose of removing hazardous or polluting substances from state waters and drainage areas on or along public highways;
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, ambulances, and rescue and life-saving vehicles, provided the amber lights are used in addition to lights permitted under 46.2-1023and 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 transport petroleum products, provided the amber light is mounted on the rear of the vehicle and is lit only when the vehicle'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 46.2-1175.1, is in operation;
12. Vehicles used by law-enforcement agency personnel in the enforcement of laws governing motor vehicle parking;
13. 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;
14. 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;
15. Vehicles used for farm, agricultural, or horticultural purposes, or any farm tractor;
16. Vehicles owned and used by construction companies operating under Virginia contractors licenses;
17. 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;
18. Vehicles used by radio or television stations for remote broadcasts,provided that the amber lights are not lit while the vehicle is in motion;
19. Vehicles used by municipal safety officers in the performance of their official duties. For the purpose of this subdivision, "municipal safety officers" means municipal employees responsible for managing municipal safety programs and ensuring municipal compliance with safety and environmental regulatory mandates;
20. Vehicles used as pace cars, security vehicles, or fire-fighting 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; and
21. 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.
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, fire-fighting, or rescue 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.