Florida Emergency Vehicle Light Laws: The New Blue Light Rule for Fire Apparatus

Key takeaways

• Florida Statute § 316.2397 was amended by Chapter 2024-29, Laws of Florida, to permit blue lights on certain fire department vehicles. The long-standing rule that blue was reserved to police vehicles in Florida is no longer a complete statement of the law.
• Under Florida Statute § 316.2397(2)(b), government-owned fire department vehicles, excluding vehicles of the fire patrol or volunteer fire departments, with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 24,000 pounds may display blue lights if authorized in writing by the fire chief of the government agency and if displayed only on the rear of the vehicle.
• Florida Statute § 316.2397(1) prohibits driving or moving any vehicle displaying a red, red and white, or blue light visible from directly in front of the vehicle, except for the vehicles provided for in that section.
• Vehicles of the fire department and fire patrol in Florida, including vehicles of volunteer firefighters as permitted under § 316.2398, may show or display red or red and white lights.
• Under Florida Statute § 316.2398(5), a member of a volunteer fire department who uses red lights in violation of that section must be dismissed from the department.
• Florida wreckers, mosquito control fog and spray vehicles, and emergency vehicles of governmental departments or public service corporations may display amber lights when in actual operation or when a hazard exists, but not while traveling to or from the operation. 

For decades, the short answer on Florida was simple: blue means police, and nothing else. Courts said so repeatedly, and every published guide repeated it. That answer is now out of date.

Chapter 2024-29, Laws of Florida, originating as HB 463, amended Florida Statute § 316.2397 to create a blue light exception for large government-owned fire apparatus. The restructured subsection (2) now reads as a prohibition with an exception list rather than a flat police-only rule.

Changes Issued in 2024

The prior text of subsection (2) stated that it was expressly prohibited for any vehicle or equipment, except police vehicles, to show or display blue lights, with a carve-out for Department of Corrections and county correctional agency vehicles responding to emergencies.

The current text states that it is expressly prohibited for any vehicle or equipment to show or display blue lights, except for a list. Paragraph (2)(b) of that list covers government-owned fire department vehicles, excluding vehicles of the fire patrol or volunteer fire departments, with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 24,000 pounds, if authorized in writing by the fire chief of the government agency and if shown or displayed only on the rear of such vehicles.

Subsection (3)(a) was conformed to match, so that fire department and fire patrol vehicles may show red or red and white lights, and blue lights may be shown on fire department vehicles in accordance with paragraph (2)(b).

Three conditions govern the new authorization, and all three must hold. The vehicle must be government-owned and over 24,000 pounds GVWR. The fire chief must authorize it in writing. The blue must be displayed only on the rear. Volunteer fire department vehicles and fire patrol vehicles are expressly excluded.

Color By Class in Florida

Volunteer Firefighters & The Dismissal Provision

Florida conditions volunteer red light use through § 316.2398, which includes authorization from the department chief and a requirement that the permit be carried while the warning signals are in use.

Section 316.2398(5) then does something no other state in this series does. It provides that a member of a volunteer fire department who uses red lights in a vehicle in violation of that section shall be dismissed from the department.

That is a mandatory employment consequence written into the traffic code. It is worth putting in front of any Florida volunteer considering an unauthorized install, and it is a strong reason to keep documentation of the chief's authorization with the vehicle.

Amber & The Travel Restriction

Florida's amber authorization under § 316.2397(3)(e) covers wreckers, mosquito control fog and spray vehicles, and emergency vehicles of governmental departments or public service corporations, when in actual operation or when a hazard exists.

The statute is explicit that the lights are not for use going to and from the scene. This is a narrower window than many states allow, and it is a common enforcement point for tow operators running amber on the highway between calls.

Impersonation Is a Separate Offense

Florida also addresses blue light misuse outside the traffic code. Section 843.081 restricts the use of blue rotating or flashing lights on non-government-owned vehicles, with limited allowances tied to licensed sellers and repairers of law enforcement equipment. Blue in Florida remains a controlled color even after the 2024 amendment, which is exactly why the new fire apparatus authorization was written so narrowly.

Buying for Florida

Departments now specifying rear blue on qualifying apparatus should plan the circuit separately so the blue can be isolated, which means switches and controllers matter as much as the heads themselves. Full-size light bars and surface and grille-mount lightheads can both be configured for rear-only blue.

Volunteer firefighters running red under § 316.2398 should look at dash and window mount lights and hide-away LEDs.

Florida's wrecker and roadside recovery market is one of the largest in the country. Start with tow light bars, amber lights, and traffic advisor arrow sticks.

Frequently asked questions

Can fire trucks have blue lights in Florida?

Some can. Under Florida Statute § 316.2397(2)(b), as amended by Chapter 2024-29, Laws of Florida, government-owned fire department vehicles other than fire patrol or volunteer fire department vehicles, with a gross vehicle weight rating over 24,000 pounds, may display blue if the fire chief authorizes it in writing and the blue is shown only on the rear.

Are blue lights still police-only in Florida?

No. That was accurate before the 2024 amendment. Section 316.2397(2) now reads as a general prohibition with an exception list covering police vehicles, qualifying government fire department vehicles, and Department of Corrections or county correctional agency vehicles responding to emergencies.

What happens if a Florida volunteer firefighter misuses red lights?

Florida Statute § 316.2398(5) provides that a member of a volunteer fire department who uses red lights in violation of that section shall be dismissed from the department.

When can a Florida wrecker use amber lights?

Under § 316.2397(3)(e), when in actual operation or when a hazard exists. The statute specifies the lights are not to be used going to and from the scene.

Last Updated & Disclaimer

Last reviewed: September 2026. This page summarizes Fla. Stat. §§ 316.2397, 316.2398 and related provisions for general informational purposes. It is not legal advice. Statutes are amended and agency requirements change. Confirm current requirements with the official sources linked above, your department or agency, and the relevant state motor vehicle authority before purchasing or installing warning equipment.