Until December 2018 I was in the auto repair field and did NC Inspections. Here is a cut and paste from the online Safety Inspection Rules.
(f) Back-Up Lamps. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than two back-up lamps either separately or in
combination with other lamps but any such back-up lamp shall not be lighted when the motor vehicle is in a forward motion
nor shall the back-up lamp emit any color other than white. A back-up lamp is not a mandatory requirement.
History Note: Authority G.S. 20-2; 20-39; 20-183.3;
Eff. October 1, 1994.
Granted law enforcement in some less free states, say Virginia, may balk at my backup light conversion. My brother-in-law has a shop in the Suffolk area, it's amazing what VA State Patrol deems to be a safety violation.
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In my experience knowing what the actual requirements are is worth solid gold.
If you're absolutely in the right, there's nothing like needing able to prove it when it most counts.
Which means...pick your battles.
The time to "fight" such a thing as this isn't on the street when the officer is writing the citation, for example. If he's going to cite you for something, he'll just come up with something else, or maybe now that you've hammered him with a possible way out he'll have the time to come up some other, lesser known, aspect about the citation that you're not aware of.
Take your ticket while smiling inside. Arm yourself with the actual letter of the law and whatever other qualifications you have. Then present yourself professionally and respectfully in front of the judge in traffic court with these.
The judge values honesty, respect, and facts. They don't like bullsh*t, lies, and spending a lot of time on minor traffic cases when they have a long list to get through.
Judge: "How do you plead?"
You: "Not guilty, Your Honor. And here's why. The citation was for (read the citation). As a state licensed inspector, I'm familiar with the vehicle code requirements for this because such modifications are common and must be evaluated in accordance with the relevant statutes. This is the applicable statute, Your Honor (produce printed copy for the judge). The statute reads (brief synopsis) which means aftermarket lamp replacements must meet (explain). The modifications in my citation are clearly in accordance with this statute."
That's pretty much the end of it.