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UK headlights are angled towards the left-hand kerb, so in France, where you drive on the right, your dipped beam shines into the eyes of oncoming drivers. You need to stop that before you drive off the ferry or train. Many newer cars can do it with a setting in the menu, some are designed not to need any change, and the rest need headlamp beam deflectors: stickers on the headlight glass. Check your car’s handbook first, because you may not need deflectors at all.
Do you need beam deflectors? Find out
Based on manufacturers' handbooks and GOV.UK, checked 9 October 2026. Your handbook is the authority for your car.
Why you need to adjust your headlights
Dipped headlights don’t shine straight ahead. They throw more light to the side of the road you drive on, so you can see the kerb and signs without dazzling oncoming traffic. In a UK car that means a beam angled up to the left, which in France points straight at drivers coming towards you.
Kia’s owner’s manual sums up the rules: under European (UN ECE) regulations, headlights that could dazzle drivers in a country that drives on the other side must be changed, using an automatic system, adhesive sheets or by aiming them lower. GOV.UK lists headlight converter stickers among the things you may need to drive abroad. In practice, every UK car needs one of the four solutions below.
The four ways to sort your headlights
| What your handbook says | What to do | Examples from manufacturers’ handbooks |
|---|---|---|
| There’s a setting | Switch it on in the car’s menu before you drive in France, and off when you’re home | Kia and Hyundai: “Travel Mode” under Setup, Vehicle, Lights. Volvo: “Temporary Right Hand Traffic” under Exterior Lights |
| No change needed | Nothing: the headlights are designed not to dazzle | Some Kia models’ manuals say exactly this |
| A dealer must change them | Book the dealer before your trip, and again to switch back | Some cars with xenon or adaptive headlights |
| Fit converters or deflectors | Stick deflectors on the headlight glass in the positions shown for your model | Most cars with halogen headlights |
Settings and wording differ between models and years, even from the same manufacturer, so check the handbook for your own car rather than going by the make. Many manufacturers put their handbooks online.
How to fit headlamp beam deflectors
- Buy a kit that covers your car. Good kits include a fitting guide or template showing the exact position for each make and model, and say whether they suit halogen, xenon or LED headlights.
- Clean and dry the headlight glass. The deflectors won’t stay on a wet or dirty lens.
- Find the position. Use the template, measuring from the points it shows. Position matters: a deflector in the wrong place may do nothing at all.
- Stick them on both headlights, smoothing out any air bubbles.
- Fit them before you leave the ferry or train. Many people fit them in the queue at the port. Do it before you set off in France, even in daylight, because you may need dipped headlights in tunnels or rain.
- Peel them off when you get home. In the UK they’d reduce your view of the kerb.
Don’t make your own from black tape. Wheels-Alive, the motoring site, warns it can absorb light and heat, causing hot spots that can crack or discolour the lens.
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Check your headlights before you go
Whichever method your car uses, check it works before you leave home. After dark, park facing a wall or garage door a few metres away, switch on your dipped headlights and look at the top edge of the beam. A UK beam has a step that rises to the left. With deflectors fitted or your car’s setting switched on, that step should be gone or reversed, with the light kept low on the right-hand side. If nothing has changed, the deflectors are in the wrong place or the setting isn’t on.
Taking them off and switching back
When you’re back in the UK, peel the deflectors off by hand, starting at a corner, and clean off any adhesive with a soft cloth. Don’t use a metal scraper or strong solvent on the lens: most modern headlight lenses are plastic and scratch easily. If your car has a setting, switch it back to driving on the left. Volvo’s handbook, for example, says its bending lights don’t work while the temporary setting is on.
LED, xenon and matrix headlights
Modern projector headlights, whether xenon, LED or matrix LED, are where most of the confusion comes from. Many have a setting in the menu, and some are designed not to dazzle at all, so they need nothing. Others need deflectors in a different position from older halogen lights, or a visit to the dealer. The handbook is the only reliable guide: if it doesn’t say, ask a dealer for your make before you buy anything.
Motorhomes, vans and motorbikes
The same rule applies to motorhomes and vans. Check the base vehicle’s handbook, as the headlights come from the vehicle maker, not the motorhome converter. For a motorbike, check the bike’s handbook in the same way, and see our driving in France kit guide for the rest of what you need.
Hire cars
A car hired in France already has headlights set for driving on the right, so you don’t need to do anything. A UK car hired or leased for the trip needs adjusting just like your own.
Headlamp beam deflectors: do you need them for France? FAQs
Do I need headlamp beam deflectors in France?
You need to stop your headlights dazzling oncoming drivers. Many newer cars do this with a setting in the menu, and some are designed not to need any change. If your handbook doesn't mention either, fit beam deflectors.
Do LED headlights need beam deflectors?
Not always. Many cars with LED or matrix headlights have a setting, such as Kia's and Hyundai's Travel Mode, and some are designed not to dazzle at all. Others need deflectors in a specific position, or a dealer visit. Check your handbook.
Where do headlamp beam deflectors go?
On the headlight glass, in the exact position shown on the fitting guide for your make and model. Position matters, so measure carefully from the template.
When should I fit beam deflectors?
Before you drive off the ferry or train in France, even in daylight, since you may need dipped headlights in tunnels or rain. Take them off when you get back to the UK.
How do I find out if my car has a travel mode?
Look in your handbook under headlights or lights, or search for 'travel', 'touring' or 'driving abroad'. In many newer cars it's in the settings menu, for example under Lights or Exterior Lights. If you can't find it, ask a dealer.
Can I make my own deflectors with tape?
It's not a good idea. Black tape can absorb light and heat, which can crack or discolour the lens, and it may not put the beam in the right place.
What happens if I don't adjust my headlights?
You'll dazzle oncoming drivers, which is dangerous and goes against European rules on headlights. Adjusting them takes minutes, so do it before you drive in France.
Do I need deflectors for a hire car in France?
No. A car hired in France is set up for driving on the right. A UK hire or lease car taken to France needs adjusting like your own car.
Do motorhomes need beam deflectors?
They need the same treatment as cars. Check the base vehicle's handbook for a setting, or fit deflectors in the position shown for that vehicle.
Are headlamp beam deflectors a legal requirement in France?
No French law names deflectors, but under European rules your headlights mustn't dazzle drivers in a country that drives on the other side. Deflectors are one way to do that; a setting in the car is another. GOV.UK lists headlight converter stickers among the things you may need abroad.
How can I check my beam deflectors are working?
After dark, park facing a wall a few metres away with your dipped lights on. A UK beam has a step that rises to the left. With deflectors fitted correctly, or your car's setting on, that step should be gone or reversed.
Will beam deflectors damage my headlights?
Proper deflector stickers peel off by hand. Don't use tape, which can make the lens overheat, and don't scrape off adhesive with metal tools or strong solvents, as most headlight lenses are plastic.