Can You Legally Drive with Dome Lights On in Colorado?

I've heard countless tales that were similar to my childhood stories. 

Get our free mobile app

I remember being a kid and driving to the grocery store with my mom. My mom was driving at night, and I needed to find something in the car. 

Naturally, I turned the dome light on to look for it. My mom immediately scolded me, saying, "It's illegal to turn that light on when driving!"

"Are you trying to get me a ticket?"

I've heard similar stories from friends, co-workers, and loved ones.

Is driving with your dome light on in Colorado illegal? The answer may surprise you.

After researching, I found zero Colorado laws about the dome lights in your vehicle. I am officially calling this dome-gate. 

Policygenius said this:

No, contrary to popular belief, it isn't illegal to drive with your interior lights on. That said, driving with interior lights on can make it hard to see and can lead to accidents.

Some Lights Are, In Fact, Illegal Though

Colorado state law section 42-12-204 covers Colorado's lamps, lights, and device vehicle laws.

The section of laws covers exterior lights and customizable lights. However, it does not mention anything about your dome light. 

I checked with the Colorado DMV and found no record or trace of dome lights being illegal in Colorado either. 

It's An Extremely Common Myth

If you believed that this was a law, do not feel stupid. I thought that this was an actual law my entire life. I believed it to be true until my girlfriend and I were coming back from the movies one night, and she dropped change on the ground.

Would I recommend going around with your dome light on? No, it can be distracting. You won't get a citation for it though.