Are Wipers Required in California

[Redlinejoev]

I'm at the point in my build where drilling the holes is needed to install the wipers. It occured to me how cool the roadster would look without them so now contemplating the installation altogether. Can anyone tell me if wipers are legally required in California please? Has anyone else gone without the wipers?

[i.e.427]

While there is a requirement for them in the CA. vehicle code (waiting for our retired, resident CHP officer to cite the vehicle code), there is no inspection during the registration process that will pertain to the wipers. You are not going to purposely drive an open roadster in the rain. My own car and a number of others in SoCal have cars on the road without wipers. On the plus side, they don't work really well anyhow........................ if you call that a plus.

Frank

[JohnK]

I will second what Frank said. Per the vehicle code they are required, but nowhere in the titling or registration process does anyone ever specifically check for them. I chose to install them because I think they give the car a more “production car” look. I told myself that I would never actually drive the roadster on a day where I would need them, but as it turns out the first two times I drove it I ended up needing them :) Thankfully, I did not install the FFR wiper kit, but something else that works much better.

[Jeff Kleiner]

So John, let me make sure that I understand…you installed an accessory that you never intend to use, and not only did you install it you upgraded it? And we all wonder why we can’t stick to our projected budgets:D :D :D

Jeff

[Hoooper]

CHP looked for wipers on mine and hassled me about not having them but ultimately the other officers at the station convinced the inspecting officer to just ignore it and sign me off since its obviously not going to be driven in the rain

[Daddy O]

Just did CHP inspection last week at the Torrance location. No mention or concern about not having wipers. The whole inspection in general was a non-event. They used the F5R serial as the vin and did not even put the car on a lift. Just ran the engine number and completed form 124. Did not even have to rivet on a vin plate. Just my experience ymmv.

[JohnK]

So John, let me make sure that I understand…you installed an accessory that you never intend to use, and not only did you install it you upgraded it? And we all wonder why we can’t stick to our projected budgets:D :D :D

Jeff

Pretty much, yeah. :)

OK, OK... in fairness, I installed an accessory that I hoped never to have to use but I upgraded it nonetheless. It's a disease. Go big or go home, right?!

[Jeff Kleiner]

Pretty much, yeah. :)

OK, OK... in fairness, I installed an accessory that I hoped never to have to use but I upgraded it nonetheless. It's a disease. Go big or go home, right?!

:)

Jeff

[Alan_C]

After replacing the FFR wheel housings with replacements from Finish Line, the wipers worked fine. Although installed during my safety inspection, no one asked if they WORK. In my case I fixed the wipers for the buyer of my car.
Rain X does a lot to shed water from the windshield with or without wipers.

[Redlinejoev]

Hey everybody, just wanted to say thanks for all your responses. It helps make my decision much easier. It so nice to know this community is always ready to help one another and I'm glad to be a part of it, thanks again guys.

Joe

[lewma]

I put wipers on my MK4 and the CHP was not interested in them at all. I have them on my coupe too just incase they are noticed in the inspection but really have no plans using them.

[Ted G]

I recently got all my inspections done (Brake and Light, CHP vin, BAR) and there was no check of wipers. I do not have them on my roadster. Like John said, it's more of a personal choice as you will likely never use them.

[Joel Hauser]

This is what the California vehicle code says:

(a) Every motor vehicle, except motorcycles, equipped with a windshield shall also be equipped with a self-operating windshield wiper.
(b) Every new motor vehicle first registered after December 31, 1949, except motorcycles, shall be equipped with two windshield wipers, one mounted on the right half and one on the left half of the windshield, except that any motor vehicle may be equipped with a single wiper so long as it meets the wiped area requirements in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards Governing Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems.
(c) This section does not apply to snow removal equipment equipped with adequate manually operated windshield wipers.
(d) This section does not apply to an autonomous vehicle, as defined in Section 38750, that is not capable of operation by a human driver seated in the vehicle, provided that this exemption is consistent with, or authorized by, any applicable federal law, regulation, or exemption thereto.
Cal. Veh. Code § 26706 (West)

That stinks, doesn't it? In NY we can get by with a a single manually operated wiper. Maybe if you build a self driving roadster you can get by without wipers? Or maybe not bother with a windshield? Or maybe the folks at the inspection stations and the police have a little empathy for the home built car owners.

""Oh, they used to laugh at me when I refused to ride On all those double-decker buses All because there was no driver on the top" Twisted, by Dante Ross / Inga Willis / Maya Jones

Good luck
Joel

[JohnK]

This is what the California vehicle code says:

(a) Every motor vehicle, except motorcycles, equipped with a windshield shall also be equipped with a self-operating windshield wiper.
(b) Every new motor vehicle first registered after December 31, 1949, except motorcycles, shall be equipped with two windshield wipers, one mounted on the right half and one on the left half of the windshield, except that any motor vehicle may be equipped with a single wiper so long as it meets the wiped area requirements in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards Governing Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems.
(c) This section does not apply to snow removal equipment equipped with adequate manually operated windshield wipers.
(d) This section does not apply to an autonomous vehicle, as defined in Section 38750, that is not capable of operation by a human driver seated in the vehicle, provided that this exemption is consistent with, or authorized by, any applicable federal law, regulation, or exemption thereto.
Cal. Veh. Code § 26706 (West)

That stinks, doesn't it? In NY we can get by with a a single manually operated wiper. Maybe if you build a self driving roadster you can get by without wipers? Or maybe not bother with a windshield? Or maybe the folks at the inspection stations and the police have a little empathy for the home built car owners.

""Oh, they used to laugh at me when I refused to ride On all those double-decker buses All because there was no driver on the top" Twisted, by Dante Ross / Inga Willis / Maya Jones

Good luck
Joel

It has been pointed out already several times that the CA vehicle code requires wipers. It has also been pointed out that nowhere in the titling/registration process does anyone check for them. Many in CA have built and registered roadsters without wipers, without problem. Not sure what exactly you think "stinks."

[facultyofmusic]

One of my buddies brought a glass cleaning squeegee to the inspection of his Lotus 7 and the ref gave him a pass and a good laugh. Find a known good ref and all will be fine. :)

[Dave Tabor]

I do not and never had them on my Coupe in CA...

[TERRYL]

I have them on mine but nobody looked at them during the inspection process. The brake and light inspector said there might be a change to a "safety Inspection" in the future, but not yet.