I've got a 2000 impreza 2.5rs and I'm starting to get into modifications and upgrades for it, but i don't really know much about them yet. I was looking at getting these tail lights: http://www.input-it.co.uk/subaru/afterburnerlights.htm but i'm not sure if they'd be street legal here in the US. Also, are the clear corners for the front lights legal? and the side blinkers in clear too? I really dont know much about lights and the legalities so any help is appreciated. Thanks

either that or I'm looking at the Alteza lights, i like them a lot too. are either of these street legal?

please for the love of god dont' get altezza's!!!!!!!1lc

i'll just say..if you have to ask...then they're not. if they don't come w/ a USDOT appoved card/stamp...then they're not. and since that's a UK addy...i'm gonna say no w/o even looking

I would be surprised if there are any states in the US that have a provision allowing aftermarket/replacement lights. In that sense, even replacements that have a "DOT" marker on it might not be considered legal.

Having said that, it may be difficult to differentiate between OEM and aftermarket taillights these days, unless the officer issuing the ticket is quite familiar with that particular car model.

Subjective preferences aside, I would be more concerned about whether the features of any aftermarket replacement complies with your local vehicle code (which should be available online via your state or state DOT web page). For example, you may want to check what the allowed colors for sidemarkers are (for your clear corner question), or whether you need to have a side facing retroreflector in any particular color on the rear quarter panels (since those afterburner style doesn't seem to have any side facing retroreflectors).

Also, it would help to read reviews of the product from those that have it. Some aftermarket products may leak, or have parts of it melt, or have the bulb fall off the poorly designed socket. For that particular taillight, you might have better luck finding a review in a UK counterpart of NASIOC.

ok thanks for that information, im trying to find the stuff on the Maryland DOT site but i can't seem to find it. are there any aftermarket lights that you guys have heard of that are definitely street legal and are pretty popular among impreza owners?

ok thanks for that information, im trying to find the stuff on the Maryland DOT site but i can't seem to find it. are there any aftermarket lights that you guys have heard of that are definitely street legal and are pretty popular among impreza owners?
the sti JDM V6 taillights... they're exactly the same as your stock ones but there's no amber, it's red and white.

other than this, there is NO popular aftermarket light. we, collectively, hate altezzas and anything aftermarket for taillights.

but it's your car. tie a damn blow-up doll to it for all I care, however you want to accessorize it is up to you.

I'm pretty sure that in maryland, most aftermarket car accessories are illegal.

are there any aftermarket lights that you guys have heard of that are definitely street legal
I don't claim to be an expert on this, but I've looked around a bit.

Afaik, aftermarket taillights can obtain a certification, which allows them to place a "DOT" certified mark. What this means is the taillights meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) for taillamp lenses. This includes the brightness & color of the different components (brake, turn, etc.).

However, I don't know whether DOT certification implies legality. At the very least, those that are not DOT certified are probably illegal.

Perhaps someone in the loop of state/federal regulation and SEMA efforts could chime in and give you a more definite answer. If you're interested, www.sema.org would be a starting point.