Federal Lighting Requirements and Locations
Federal Lighting Equipment Location Requirements
Direct from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration www.nhtsa.gov
IMPORTANT NOTE: Every lamp, reflex reflector, and conspicuity treatment (device) must be permanently attached in the location specified below and must comply with all applicable requirements prescribed for it by FMVSS/CMVSS 108. The face of any device on the front/rear and sides should be, respectively perpendicular and parallel to vehicle centerline, unless it is photometrically certified at installation angle. No part of the vehicle shall prevent an device from meeting its prescribed requirements unless an auxiliary device meeting all prescribed requirements is installed.
*Photometrically certified at installation angle
Basic Equipment Required On All Trailers Under 80’’ Wide
|
Description |
Mandatory Requirements |
||||||
|
Area |
Equipment |
SAE Lens Coding |
Functional Purpose |
Quantity |
Color |
Location |
Height from the ground (in.) |
|
1 |
Tail Lamps |
(T) |
Indicates vehicle presence & width |
Minimum 2 |
Red |
On rear- symmetrical-as far apart as practicable |
15’’-72’’ |
|
1 |
Stop Lamps |
(S) |
Indicates braking |
Minimum 2 |
Red |
On rear- symmetrical-as far apart as practicable |
15’’-72’’ |
|
1 |
Rear Turn Signal Lamps |
(I) |
Indicates direction of turn |
Minimum 2 |
Red or Yellow |
On rear- symmetrical-as far apart as practicable |
15’’-83’’ |
|
1 |
Rear Reflex Reflectors |
(A) |
Indicates vehicle presence & width |
Minimum 2 |
Red |
On rear-symmetrical-as far apart as practicable-facing rearward |
15’’-60’’ |
|
2 |
License Plate Lamp(s) |
(L) |
Illuminates license plate |
Minimum 1 |
White |
On rear-above or at the sides of license plate |
N/A |
|
3 |
Rear Side Marker Lamps |
(P2, PC* or P3*) |
Indicates vehicle presence & width |
Minimum 2 |
Red |
Each side at rear – as far back as practicable |
15’’-60’’ max |
|
3 |
Rear Side Reflex Reflectors |
(A) |
Indicates vehicle presence & width |
Minimum 2 |
Red |
Each side at rear – as far back as practicable-facing sideward |
15’’-60’’ |
|
4a |
Front Side Marker Lamps |
(P2, PC* or P3, PC2*) |
Indicates vehicle presence & width |
Minimum 2 |
Yellow |
Each side at front – as far back as practicable |
15’’ minimum |
|
4b |
Front Side Reflex Reflectors |
(A) |
Indicates vehicle presence & width |
Minimum 2 |
Yellow |
Each side at front– as far back as practicable-facing sideward |
15’’-60’’ |
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENTFOR TRAILERS EXCEEDING THE FOLLOWING PARAMETERS
Length 30ft or Longer
|
Description |
Mandatory Requirements |
||||||
|
Area |
Equipment |
SAE Lens Coding |
Functional Purpose |
Quantity |
Color |
Location |
Height from the ground (in.) |
|
5a |
Intermediate Side Marker Lamps |
(P2 or P3) |
Indicate presence of long vehicle |
Minimum 2 |
Yellow |
Each side near center-facing sideward |
15’’ minimum |
|
5b |
Intermediate Side Reflex Reflectors |
(A) |
Indicate presence of long vehicle |
Minimum 2 |
Yellow |
Each side near center-facing sideward |
15’’-60’’ |
Basic Equipment Required On All Trailers Over 80’’ Wide
|
Description |
Mandatory Requirements |
|||||||
|
Area |
Equipment |
SAE Lens Coding |
Functional Purpose |
Quantity |
Color |
Location |
Height from the ground (in.) |
|
|
6 |
Rear Clearance Lamps |
(P2, PC* or P3, PC2*) |
Show’s vehicles width-MAY NOT be combined with tail lamps |
Minimum 2 |
Red |
At widest point-symmetrical-on the rear or near the rear-facing rearward |
As high as practical-lower only if ID lamps are at the top |
|
|
7 |
Rear Identification Lamps |
(P2 or P3) |
Indicate presence of wide vehicle |
Exactly 3 |
Red |
On the rear-center, facing rearward-horizontally spaced 6’’ to 12’’ apart |
As high as practicable |
|
|
8 |
Front Clearance Lamps |
(P2, PC* or P3, PC2*) |
Show vehicle’s width |
Minimum 2 |
Yellow |
At widest point-symmetrical-as far forward as practicable-facing forward |
As high as practicable |
|
Basic Equipment Required On All Trailers Over 80’’ Wide and GVWR 10,000 lbs. or Greater
|
Description |
Mandatory Requirements |
||||||
|
Area |
Equipment |
DOT Coding |
Quantity |
Color |
Location |
Height from the ground (in.) |
|
|
9 |
Rear Upper Body Marking |
DOT-C, DOT-C2, DOT-C3, or DOT-C4 |
Exactly 2 pairs of 300mm long strips |
White |
On the rear upper corners-facing rearward |
At the top |
|
|
10 |
Bumper Bar Marking |
DOT-C, DOT-C2, DOT-C3, or DOT-C4 |
Continuous |
Red / White |
On the rear bumper bar’s horizontal element-full-width-facing rearward |
No Requirement |
|
|
11 |
Rear Lower Body Marking |
DOT-C, DOT-C2, DOT-C3, or DOT-C4 |
Continuous |
Red / White See options |
On the rear-full width of the vehicle-facing rearward |
As horizontal as practicable and as close as practicable to the range of 375 to 1525 mm from the ground |
|
|
12 |
Side Marking |
DOT-C, DOT-C2, DOT-C3, or DOT-C4 |
See Location |
Red / White See options below |
On rear-symmetrical-as far apart as practicable-facing rearward |
As horizontal as practicable and as close as practicable to the range of 375 to 1525 mm from the ground |
|
OPTIONS: Reflex reflectors may not be required if they are replaced, in their required location, with conspicuity treatment. Rear lower body and side conspicuity treatment may also be solid white, solid yellow, or white and yellow
