Upgrading lights is still allowed for vehicle inspection, but what should car owners pay attention to?

Eliminate regulations on front light types

According to the old regulations (Circular 16/2021/TT-BGTVT), headlights of the wrong type were considered a major defect (MaD) and the car would not be granted an Inspection Certificate. This content is no longer in the new regulations.

Specifically, according to Appendix II of Circular 2/2023/TT-BGTVT, the installation of lights no longer concerns the type such as halogen, projector, LED or laser, but only needs to meet the criteria of light intensity, beam shape, dark-light boundary...

Tighten regulations on light quality

If Circular 16/2021 of the Ministry of Transport identifies headlights with reflectors, opaque lenses, or cracks as MiD defects, then in the new circular, it is a MaD defect, meaning that the vehicle will not be granted an Inspection Certificate. Such a change is reasonable, because cracked or opaque details inside the front lighting system can affect the lighting ability, causing unsafety when the vehicle is on the road.

Different regulations on light color

The inspection regulations on the light color of the lights have also changed compared to before. According to the old regulations, headlights with light colors other than white or pale yellow were considered MaD defects, but in the new circular, it is only a minor defect (MiD), and the vehicle is still granted an inspection certificate.

Meanwhile, the regulations on the light color of turn signals, brake lights and license plate lights remain the same, yellow/red, red and white respectively. Changing the color of brake lights is still considered a MaD defect, while changing the color of license plate lights is still accepted for vehicle inspection.

Changes in reverse light regulations

The old circular stipulated that the reverse lights must have white light, if changed it would be considered a MaD defect, but now it is only a MiD defect, still accepted for registration.

Meanwhile, if previously, the broken or unlit reverse lights when reversing were considered a MaD error, now they are only considered a MiD error and are still accepted for vehicle inspection. This relaxation is quite confusing, as the reverse lights are an important safety indicator, signaling to other vehicles that a vehicle is reversing so that they can proactively avoid and give way, especially when it is dark.

Car lights are one of the most frequently upgraded details by car owners, for aesthetic or safety reasons. Photo: Vierkant Offroad

Among the above changes in vehicle inspection regulations, the removal of regulations on front light types has not only received approval from car owners, but also from vehicle light businesses.

One of them is Mr. Duc Phuc (Long Bien, Hanoi), who owns a 2005 minivan with original halogen lights but has been replaced with LED bulbs to ensure visibility when participating in traffic, especially on cross-Vietnam journeys passing through many national and provincial highways where the street lighting system is weak or even lacking.

He said that in the past, with the old, strict and unreasonable regulations on headlight types, before each time he took his car for inspection, he often had to go to auto repair garages or go to forums and groups to borrow or rent a "genuine" headlight set to install on his car. Now, with the new regulations "unleashing" the upgrading of car lights, he no longer has to spend time and money like that, and can rest assured to bring his car with new lights installed for inspection, just making sure it complies with lighting standards.

Many auto interior garages also "breathed a sigh of relief" at this change in vehicle inspection regulations. "Upgrading to beautify the car according to personal preferences, or simply to improve lighting is a completely legitimate need of car owners. The authorities issuing clearer regulations will help vehicle owners to be less confused and garages will have a basis to do it right," said Mr. Duc Hung, owner of an auto interior facility in Ha Dong (Hanoi).

According to the new regulations, when upgrading the front lights of a vehicle, the light intensity must not be less than 10,000cd, the high beam with the center of the highest light intensity area must not be above the horizontal line, and must not be below 2% with the light having a height of 850mm from the ground,...

Specifically as follows: