Commercial Semi Truck Lighting Guide

Buying the right aftermarket semi truck lighting is important to any owner-operator or fleet owner who prioritizes their rig’s performance and style. But which one is the right choice? 

In this guide, we’ll cover the three primary types of lights: LED, Halogen, and HID - alongside style choice options for interior cab lighting, turn signal lights, and marker accent lighting.

We’ll also cover DOT rules/regulations and use cases for the type of truck driving you’re doing.

Semi Truck Headlights 101 – The Big 3 Bulb Types

HID vs Halogen vs LED: What’s the Difference?

Halogen: Most common, cheapest light bulb with a short life span. By far, the most common bulb style is found in trucks, big rigs, and commuter cars. These lights come in a wide variety of color and hue settings. 

HID (Xenon): Cooler white-blue light hue, needs ballasts, and offers 2–3x more light output than halogen. They take a few seconds to warm up and emit the full brightness (which changes the hue thanks to the Xenon gas).

LED: Most efficient; bright, crisp white light; long-lasting (15,000–30,000 hrs+), low heat, instant-on, low power draw; may ice over in winter unless heated. These come with plug-and-play kits, which can include ballasts, bulbs, and built-in fans. LEDs get the best energy efficiency because they emit light without much heat output. 

Heated LED headlights: Solves the icing problem; ideal for extremely cold climates.

LED (light emitting diodes) have become the industry-wide staple in commercial truck lighting. However, HID (usually bright white or blue) headlights are a close second.

The majority of headlights on older truck models are halogen. But newer truck models largely lean on LEDs. 

Lighting:	HALOGEN	LED	HID (XENON)
Light Output	weakest ouput	second-strongest	strongest output
Energy Efficiency	Least efficient	Max efficiency	More efficient
Lifespan & Durability	under 1,000 hrs	50k-100k > hrs	500-1,000 hrs
Warm-up Time	instant	instant	longest

Exterior Lighting Breakdown for Class 8 Trucks

LED Clearance & Marker Lights

Rear cab marker lighting is designed to prevent collisions by improving nighttime visibility. 

Marker accent lighting can be placed nearly ANYWHERE on your truck - especially any stainless steel trim pieces or chassis-mounted side fairings. 

Adding lighting to some areas of the truck is more functional than others.

Adding step tool box lights will help you see where you step in the dark. Pretty useful. 

The Top Marker Light Style Options

The style choices for semi truck cab lighting/marker lighting are nearly limitless. You can have multiple diodes, dual-function setups that will switch colors, and black, chrome or clear housings with various bulb colors. 

These lighting options vary dramatically, be it the number of diodes, the pattern, shape, or lens style. 

Glo Light marker lights ofer a distinctive glowing effect that utilizes different lense shapes, sometimes flat rounded lenses or watermelon style lenses. 

Color changing dual function lighting styles allow you to meet the legal requirements for truck light colors while adding more personalization and style to your truck. 

Mirage style LED lighting has a textured lens pattern that creates an infinity-mirror effect, adding greater dimensionality to the light's appearance. 

Spyder lights are the most common of all LED marker lights. These provide a very modern, sleek look at night.

These are used pretty much all over the truck: marker/clearance, turn signal, underglow, step box, and even some headlight designs. 

Abyss marker lights are similar to mirage lights, both of which offer a similar infinity vision effect. This style is also used for turn lights, brake lights, and backup lights. 

Tunnel style marker lights add some dimensionality and visual depth that can give a retro vibe wherever you choose to place it. 

Mirror Accent Lighting

Reflective mirror light backings can pair nicely with the rest of your clearance/marker light upgrades, matching the overall tone of your rig. 

Underglow LED Strip Lighting

These are strictly decorative lights that attach along the chassis frame and are a stylish option for greater levels of aftermarket customization. 

Air Breather Light Panels

Air cleaner light panels can be fitted with all sorts of LED lighting styles, from watermelon lights, penny lights, or round/oval light options. You can customize the light spacing, shapes, color, and size diameter for your make/model. 

Rear-facing air breather light panels can be dual-purpose, serving as turn signal lights and marker lights at the same time. 

Turn Signals & Combo Fender-Mount Lights

Fender-mounted combo lights can serve as both a marker light and turn signal light, depending on how you want to set up your wiring. 

Front and rear-fender semi truck lights are yet another great option that can drastically add to your visibility and style.

Fender-mounted clearance/turn lights can mount on top of the fender or come integrated with pre-fit light-hole cutouts in stainless steel or fiberglass fender material. 

Some styles feature a double-facing light - red color lens for the back and an amber lens for the front. 

Yes, like most exterior lights, you can choose the shape you want, rounded or squared! 

You can even add small oval or rounded lights to your front fender guards. 

License Plate Frame Accent Lighting

License plate trim lighting serves as a great finishing touch to exterior marker lighting upgrades for your truck's rear.

The available style options can vary quite a bit, from the light spacing, shape/size, and trim finish. 

Try an oval or square shape lighting style on the bottom or top of the license frame surround trim. 

Try going with a full-width Glo lighting style on the bottom portion of the license trim. 

Back-Up Semi Truck Lighting 

Rear T-Bar Lighting

Whether you're upgrading with a stainless steel bar or a smaller rear panel, the lighting fixture styles you can choose from are 100% up to you - down to the shape, spacing, diameter size, and more. 

Fog Lights vs Driving Lights

Interior Sleeper Cab Lighting Breakdown

Interior cab lighting can accentuate any part of your truck, from the cab roof to the driver or passenger-side handles, and flooring.

The style of interior accent trim lighting depends on what your particular make/model design will allow for. You can customize it by color (no regulatory color requirements inside your own cab), shape, spacing, and base finish (stainless steel or powder coated). 

If you're doing a sleeper cab conversion and you're looking to truly customizing your interior space, you can add lighting to the various trim cutouts for your windows or speakers while you're at it. 

You can personalize your style even more by adjusting your interior cab light color options in hues like purple, green, amber, red, white, or any other color mixtures that might match your interior upholstery, trim accent pieces, and covers. 

You can even do some backlit flooring lighting in the cab space. 

Interior sleeper cab lighting can help you truly build out a unique ride. 

You can select for the type of finish on your housing/base (polished stainless steel or painted aluminum)- and swap out your lens style, be it a grakon, beehive, bullet, or watermelon style lighting setup. 

Quick-Hit List of DOT/FMVSS Truck Lighting Requirements

• Headlights: White, two minimum; high and low beam required.
• Turn Signals: Amber front, red or amber rear; visible at wide angles.
• Brake Lights: Red, two required; must be bright and function with the brake pedal.
• Tail Lights: Red, steady burn with headlights.
• Clearance Lamps: Amber (front/top corners), red (rear/top corners) for trucks over 80” wide.
• ID Lamps: Three-lamp cluster (amber front, red rear) for wide vehicles.
• Side Marker Lamps: Amber (front/center), red (rear); required for longer vehicles.
• Reflectors: Amber (front/sides), red (rear/sides); must be visible at night.
• License Plate Light: White lamp must illuminate plate from 50 ft.
• Backup Light: At least one white light activated in reverse.

Understanding Color Laws & Legal Limits

DOT/SAE Color Regulations for Truck Lights

Light Position	DOT/SAE Color	Light Uses
Front-Facing	White/Yellow	Headlamps, turn signals
Side-Facing	Amber	Clearance, marker, turn signal
Rear-Facing	Red	Tail, stop, rear turn lights
Blue/Green/Purple	Emergency Only	Only allowed as dual light setup

Common Violations to Avoid

• Amber rear stop or tail lights
• Blue lights on non-emergency rigs (unless they're blue/amber duo lights)

Truck Show vs Compliance Lighting 

• Show trucks often add extra lights for aesthetic purposes
• Decorative lighting must follow DOT color rules - amber front/side, but never blue 

Snap-Shot of Regulatory/Safety Rules for Truck Lights 

• All lighting must meet DOT/FMCSA regulations.
• Only use approved colors: white/amber front/sides, red rear.
• No flashing, colored, or blinding lights unless legally allowed (e.g., strobes for roadside emergencies).
• FMCSA annual inspections require all lights to function properly.
• DOT-compliant lights should have "DOT" or "SAE" markings on the lens.

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DOT Compliance and Inspection Readiness

Here's what you need to know to pass inspection and stay safe on the road.

FMCSA Lighting Requirements for Class 7 & 8 Trucks

The law says your truck must have certain lights and reflectors. These aren't optional. They're there for visibility and safety—yours and everyone else’s.

Where Your Lights and Reflectors Should Be

• Front: Amber clearance lights on the top corners. Headlights, turn signals, and marker lights.
• Sides: Amber marker lights near the front, red near the rear. Side reflectors too.
• Rear: Red tail lights, brake lights, and clearance lights. Also, reflectors and a license plate light.
• Top Rear (over 80 inches wide): Three red identification (ID) lights in the center.

Reflective Tape & Height Rules

• Use red and white reflective tape on the sides and rear of your trailer.
• Tape must be placed between 15 and 60 inches off the ground.
• Make sure it's clean and not peeling. Faded tape won't cut it at inspection time.

Prepping for Your Annual Inspection? Here's a Quick Checklist:

• All lights turn on properly (headlights, signals, brake lights, marker lights)
• Lenses are clean and not cracked
• Reflectors are visible and securely mounted
• Reflective tape is applied correctly and still sticks
• No exposed wires or corrosion
• All aftermarket lights are DOT or SAE approved

FINAL TIP: Always check the lens. If it doesn’t say DOT or SAE, don’t install it. It won’t pass inspection, and it could get you ticketed. Even worse, it could be too dim (or too bright) and create a safety hazard.

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Choosing Aftermarket Truck Lights That Fit

Want to upgrade your lighting? You can get pretty much any aftermarket light fixture you can think of at 4 State Trucks. 

Plug-and-Play vs Custom Wiring

• Plug-and-play (most products) is easy. Just connect it, and you’re good to go.
• Custom wiring takes more time but gives you more control—great for custom builds.

Know your skill level. Don’t fry your system trying to wire a $25 light.

Sealed & Waterproof? Always.

Your lights take a beating—rain, snow, salt, vibration. Choose sealed, weatherproof housings every time. Look for IP67 or IP68 ratings so you know they’re built to last.

Tips for Shopping for Aftermarket Lighting Upgrades

You can easily shop for a full aftermarket lighting upgrade for your rig, whether it’s replacing your headlights, interior cab lights, or adding more exterior marker lights to your truck, from the bumper, hood, and fender to the air breathers panels. Shop for your make/model to find the right fitment for your new lights.