Are ECE headlights legal for road use in North America?
Under ECE and EEC regulations, a motor vehicle equipment item approved in any ECE or EEC member country is acceptable for use in any other country that permits or requires vehicles and vehicle components conforming to ECE or EEC safety regulations. This includes most European nations, as well as Japan, Australia, and South Africa (see list below). Canada also recognises ECE compliant lighting as safe for road use, but the US does not. LHD vs. RHD Because some nations like Japan, the UK, and Australia have the steering wheel mounted on the right side of the car (RHD, for Right Hand Drive) and other countries have the steering wheel mounted on the left (LHD, for Left Hand Drive) E Code lights are marked for ‘directionality’ – whether the beam pattern is designed for RHD or LHD. A JDM car with stock headlights, for example, can’t be safely driven on a road in a LHD country because the beam pattern would rise toward oncoming traffic rather than to the side for sign illumination. ECE lights
