Dipped headlights in Europe

Toll roads. Traffic rules. Fuel prices.

Requirements for using dipped headlights

Use dipped headlights during the day is compulsory in many European countries. They serve as daytime running lights. Their use is aimed at improving vehicle visibility for pedestrians and other road users.

On the map below blue color shows the countries in which using of dipped headlights in the daytime optional, but red - is necessary.

Using dipped headlights in Europe

Rules of using dipped headlights in Europe
Country Compulsory Fines Comment
Austria no compulsory for motorcycles
Azerbaijan no compulsory for motorcycles
Albania no
Andorra no compulsory for motorcycles
Armenia no
Belarus no compulsory for motorcycles; compulsory when towing a trailer
Belgium no compulsory for motorcycles
Bulgaria yes BGN 20 (€ 10)
Bosnia and
Herzegovina
yes BAM 30 (€ 15) In the event of an accident the fine will be increased several fold
Great Britain no
Hungary yes HUF 10,000 (€ 25) compulsory outside built-up areas and for motorcycles
Germany no only recommended; compulsory for motorcycles
Greece no compulsory for motorcycles
Georgia no
Denmark yes DKK 500 (€ 67)
Ireland no compulsory for motorcycles
Iceland yes ISK 5,000 (€ 33)
Spain no compulsory for motorcycles
Italy yes € 38 compulsory outside built-up areas; compulsory for motorcycles
Cyprus no
Latvia yes € 10
Lithuania yes € 86
Liechtenstein no
Luxembourg no only recommended; compulsory for motorcycles
North
Macedonia
yes MKD 2,000 (€ 33)
Malta no
Moldova yes MDL 450 (€ 24) compulsory from the November,1 to the March,31; compulsory for motorcycles
Netherlands no
Norway yes NOK 2,000 (€ 172)
Poland yes PLN 200 (€ 46)
Portugal no compulsory for motorcycles
Romania yes RON 134 (€ 27) compulsory outside built-up areas
Serbia yes RSD 3,000 (€ 26)
Slovakia yes € 65
Slovenia yes € 40
Turkey no
Ukraine yes compulsory from the October,1 to the April,30
Finland yes € 50
France no only recommended; compulsory for motorcycles
Croatia yes € 30 compulsory from the October, 1 to the March, 31
Montenegro yes € 30
Czech
Republic
yes CZK 2,000 (€ 79)
Switzerland yes CHF 40 (€ 41)
Sweden yes SEK 1,200 (€ 104)
Estonia yes € 200
Russia yes RUB 500 (€ 5)

Use of fog lamps during the daytime instead dipped headlights is prohibited.

From February 1, 2011, according to UNECE №87, all new vehicles must be equipped with daytime running lights. There is no requirement to retro-fit DRLs (Daytime Running Lights) to existing cars.