Keeping Your Headlight Units Clean & Clear
This section is designed to explain the rule around keeping your headlight units clean.
There is a handful of road users that are unaware that they need to keep their headlamp units clear.
They usually discover this MOT rule after they’ve failed or at least had an advisory.
A clean and clear headlight isn’t something to take lightly and the rules should always be adhered to.
UK Law & Regulations: Clear Headlamps
We’ve read the MOT testing guidelines, revised the MOT inspection manual and couldn’t find a single regulation relating to keeping a headlight clean or clear.
The only mention of having a clean headlight is referred to in The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989, Regulation 23.
Whilst this regulation is the only one mentioning a clean headlamp unit, it’s important to know that you will fail an MOT with dirty or hazy headlamps.
Every lamp unit needs to be clean, clear and should allow the light to pass through unobstructed.
If your headlights are yellow, hazy or oxidised then this will affect the beam pattern / light output.
Basically, anything that reduces the light output will result in a “Major”.
Author: Dean Michael