Electrical: LED replacement bulbs - general discussion

[Jungle_Jim]

Hi all

On the subject of LED legality, today I finally got a reply from the Dept Of Transport. I'd contact the DVLA etc and they'd told me to contact IVS - International Vehicle Standards at the Dept of Transport. I will paste the contents... (In a nutshell they are illegal)

".....
Before a vehicle can be sold or registered in the UK the performance of the lamps and the associated approved light sources are assessed as individual components to ensure that they comply with the requirements. Also the performance of the whole system is verified when installed in the vehicle. The approval process involves specialist equipment that is neither available nor practical in an MOT environment. The assessments carried out during the MOT test are not comparable and cannot be used as a proxy to verify the performance of unapproved components such as retrofit LED light sources.

The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 as amended which govern the lighting of road vehicles requires that when a filament lamp is replaced only approved replacements can be fitted and there are currently no approved LED replacement light sources for lamps that were designed for filament bulbs. (my bold)

Also the size, shape and position of the typically very small light emitting surface of the light source is critical to ensuring that the performance is within the tolerance of the approved specifications. In addition as part of the approval process the manufacturers of approved components are required to ensure that when mass produced the performance of components does not vary. Therefore it is essential that when a light source is replaced due to failure for example, an approved light source of the same type is used.

In conclusion, for vehicle used on the road it is best to buy lamps which have been approved for use in your vehicle and they will be marked with an appropriate E Mark. Please note that the Department cannot give an authoritative interpretation of the law; which is a matter for the courts. Enforcement of road traffic law is an operational matter for individual Chief Police Officers and their officers can issue verbal warnings, fixed penalty notices or report the motorist for formal prosecution.
...."

[davidcheshire]

How firm is that ruling from the Govt Dept? Does it apply to every single vehicle as the legislation stands at the moment?

The attachment below shows the 1989 No 1796 Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations, Part II, Para 14, regarding the prohibition on the replacement of filament lamps by any other form of lamp on any vehicle "first used on or after 1st April 1986".

The online version of the Regulations does not show subsequent amendments, only its original form.

Does anyone know if the cut-off date of 1st April 1986 has been back-dated? If it has not, my 1984 240, as improved with some LEDs, is totally legal on-road. And I would not want to take it off-road in any event.