Connecticut General Statutes 14-96q – Permits for colored or flashing lights. Exceptions. Fee
(a) A permit is required for the use of colored or flashing lights on all motor vehicles or equipment specified in this section except: (1) Motor vehicles not registered in this state used for transporting or escorting any vehicle or load, or combinations thereof, which is either oversize or overweight, or both, when operating under a permit issued by the Commissioner of Transportation pursuant to § 14-270; or (2) motor vehicles or equipment that are (A) equipped with lights in accordance with this section, (B) owned or leased by the federal government, the state of Connecticut, or any other state, commonwealth or local municipality, and (C) registered to such governmental entity. When used in this section the term “flashing” shall be considered to include the term “revolving”.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 14-96q
- Commissioner: includes the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and any assistant to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles who is designated and authorized by, and who is acting for, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles under a designation. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Maintenance vehicle: means any vehicle in use by the state or by any town, city, borough or district, any state bridge or parkway authority or any public service company, as defined in §. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Motor vehicle: means any vehicle propelled or drawn by any nonmuscular power, except aircraft, motor boats, road rollers, baggage trucks used about railroad stations or other mass transit facilities, electric battery-operated wheel chairs when operated by persons with physical disabilities at speeds not exceeding fifteen miles per hour, golf carts operated on highways solely for the purpose of crossing from one part of the golf course to another, golf-cart-type vehicles operated on roads or highways on the grounds of state institutions by state employees, agricultural tractors, farm implements, such vehicles as run only on rails or tracks, self-propelled snow plows, snow blowers and lawn mowers, when used for the purposes for which they were designed and operated at speeds not exceeding four miles per hour, whether or not the operator rides on or walks behind such equipment, motor-driven cycles, as defined in §. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Officer: includes any constable, state marshal, inspector of motor vehicles, state policeman or other official authorized to make arrests or to serve process, provided the officer is in uniform or displays the officer's badge of office in a conspicuous place when making an arrest. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Person: includes any individual, corporation, limited liability company, association, copartnership, company, firm, business trust or other aggregation of individuals but does not include the state or any political subdivision thereof, unless the context clearly states or requires. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Registration: includes the certificate of motor vehicle registration and the number plate or plates used in connection with such registration. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Registration number: means the identifying number or letters, or both, assigned by the commissioner to a motor vehicle. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- State: means any state of the United States and the District of Columbia unless the context indicates a more specific reference to the state of Connecticut. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Vehicle: includes any device suitable for the conveyance, drawing or other transportation of persons or property, whether operated on wheels, runners, a cushion of air or by any other means. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
(b) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, or such other person specifically identified in this section, is authorized to issue permits for the use of colored or flashing lights on vehicles in accordance with this section, at the commissioner’s or such person’s discretion. Any person, firm or corporation other than the state or any metropolitan district, town, city or borough shall pay an annual permit fee of twenty dollars to the commissioner for each such vehicle. Such fee shall apply only to permits issued by the commissioner.
(c) A flashing blue light or lights may be used on a motor vehicle operated by an active member of a volunteer fire department or company or an active member of an organized civil preparedness auxiliary fire company who has been issued a permit by the chief executive officer of such department or company to use a flashing blue light or lights while on the way to or at the scene of a fire or other emergency requiring such member’s services. Such permit shall be on a form provided by the commissioner and may be revoked by such chief executive officer or successor. The chief executive officer of each volunteer fire department or company or organized civil preparedness auxiliary fire company shall keep on file, on forms provided by the commissioner, the names and addresses of members who have been authorized to use a flashing blue light or lights as provided in this subsection. Such listing shall also designate the registration number of the motor vehicle on which authorized a flashing blue light or lights are to be used.
(d) A green light or lights, including a flashing green light or lights, may be used on a motor vehicle operated by an active member of a volunteer ambulance association or company who has been issued a permit by the chief executive officer of such association or company to use such a light or lights, while on the way to or at the scene of an emergency requiring such member’s services. Such permit shall be on a form provided by the commissioner and may be revoked by such chief executive officer or successor. The chief executive officer of each volunteer ambulance association or company shall keep on file, on forms provided by the commissioner, the names and addresses of members who have been authorized to use a flashing green light or lights as provided in this subsection. Such listing shall also designate the registration number of the vehicle on which the authorized flashing green lights are to be used.
(e) The commissioner may issue a permit for a flashing red light or lights which may be used on a motor vehicle or equipment (1) used by paid fire chiefs and their deputies and assistants, up to a total of five individuals per department, (2) used by volunteer fire chiefs and their deputies and assistants, up to a total of five individuals per department, (3) used by members of the fire police on a stationary vehicle as a warning signal during traffic directing operations at the scene of a fire or emergency, (4) used by chief executive officers of emergency medical service organizations, as defined in § 19a-175, the first or second deputies, or if there are no deputies, the first or second assistants, of such an organization that is a municipal or volunteer or licensed organization, (5) used by local fire marshals, or (6) used by directors of emergency management.
(f) The commissioner may issue a permit for a yellow or amber light or lights, including a flashing yellow or amber light or lights, which may be used on motor vehicles or equipment that are (1) specified in subsection (e) of this section, (2) maintenance vehicles, or (3) vehicles transporting or escorting any vehicle or load or combinations thereof, which is or are either oversize or overweight, or both, and being operated or traveling under a permit issued by the Commissioner of Transportation pursuant to § 14-270. A yellow or amber light or lights, including a flashing yellow or amber light or lights, may be used without obtaining a permit from the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles on wreckers registered pursuant to § 14-66, on vehicles of carriers in rural mail delivery service or on vehicles operated by construction inspectors employed by the state of Connecticut, authorized by the Commissioner of Transportation, used during the performance of inspections on behalf of the state. The Commissioner of Transportation shall maintain a list of such authorized construction inspectors, including the name and address of each inspector and the registration number for each vehicle on which the light or lights are to be used.
(g) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may issue a permit for a white light or lights, including a flashing white light or lights, which may be used on a motor vehicle or equipment as specified in subdivision (1), (2), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (e) of this section. A vehicle being operated by a member of a volunteer fire department or company or a volunteer emergency medical technician may use flashing white head lamps, provided such member or emergency medical technician is on the way to the scene of a fire or medical emergency and has received written authorization from the chief law enforcement officer of the municipality to use such head lamps. Such head lamps shall only be used within the municipality granting such authorization or from a personal residence or place of employment, if located in an adjoining municipality. Such authorization may be revoked for use of such head lamps in violation of this subdivision. For the purposes of this subsection, the term “flashing white lights” shall not include the simultaneous flashing of head lamps.
(h) The commissioner may issue a permit for emergency vehicles, as defined in subsection (a) of § 14-283, to use a blue, red, yellow, or white light or lights, including a flashing light or lights or any combination thereof, except as provided in subsection (k) of this section.
(i) The commissioner may issue a permit for ambulances, as defined in § 19a-175, which may, in addition to the flashing light or lights allowed in subsection (h) of this section, use flashing lights of other colors specified by federal requirements for the manufacture of an ambulance. If the commissioner issues a permit for any ambulance, such permit shall be issued at the time of registration and upon each renewal of such registration.
(j) A green, yellow or amber light or lights, including a flashing green, yellow or amber light or lights or any combination thereof, may be used on a maintenance vehicle owned and operated by the Department of Transportation.
(k) No person, other than a police officer or inspector of the Department of Motor Vehicles operating a state or local police vehicle, shall operate a motor vehicle displaying a steady blue or steady red illuminated light or both steady blue and steady red illuminated lights that are visible externally from the front of the vehicle.
(l) Use of colored and flashing lights except as authorized by this section shall be an infraction.