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Federal Lighting Equipment Location Requirements
NOTE: All information provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For full and up-to-date information, visit https://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 any device from meeting its prescribed requirements unless an auxiliary device meeting all prescribed requirements is installed. IN CANADA: Manufacturers and importers of vehicles must have the proper certification test records demonstrating compliance of lighting components with all prescribed requirements.
BASIC EQUIPMENT REQUIRED ON ALL TRAILERS
| DESCRIPTION | MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area | Equipment | (SAE Lens Coding) | Functional Purpose | Quantity | Color | Location | Height mm (in.) from the ground |
  |
Tail Lamps | (T) | Indicate vehicle's presence and width | Minimum 2 | Red | On the rear - symmetrical - as far apart as practicable | 380-1830 (15-72) |
| Stop Lamps | (S) | Indicate braking | Minimum 2 | Red | On the rear - symmetrical - as far apart as practicable | 380-1830 (15-72) | |
| Rear Turn Signal Lamps | (I) | Indicate direction of turn | Minimum 2 | Red or Yellow | On the rear - symmetrical - as far apart as practicable | 380-2110 (15-83) | |
| Rear Reflex Reflectors | (A) | Indicate vehicle's presence and width | Minimum 2 | Red | On the rear - symmetrical - as far apart as practicable- facing rearward | 380-1530 (15-60) | |
  |
License Plate Lamp(s) | (L) | Illuminates license plate | Minimum 1 | White | On the rear - above or at the sides of license plate | No requirement |
|
Rear Side Marker Lamps | (P2,PC* or P3, PC2*) *photometrically certified at installation angle |
Front and rear side marker lamps / side reflex reflectors indicate vehicle's presence and length | Minimum 2 | Red | Each side at rear - as far back as practicable | 380-1530 (15-60) no max. for veh. under 2.032m(80") wide |
| Rear Side Reflex Reflectors | (A) | Minimum 2 | Red | Each side at rear - as far back as practicable facing sideward | 380-1530 (15-60) | ||
  |
Front Side Marker Lamps | (P2, PC* or P3, PC2*) * photometrically certified at installation angle |
Front and rear side marker lamps / side reflex reflectors indicate vehicle's presence and length | Minimum 2 | Yellow | Each side at front - as far forward as practicable | 380 (15) minimum |
  |
Front Side Reflex Reflectors | (A) | Minimum 2 | Yellow | Each side at front - as far forward as practicable facing sideward | 380-1530 (15-60) | |
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR TRAILERS EXCEEDING THE FOLLOWING PARAMETERS
| DESCRIPTION | MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area | Equipment | (SAE Lens Coding) | Functional Purpose | Quantity | Color | Location | Height mm (in.) from the ground |
 |
Intermediate Side Marker Lamps | (P2 or P3) | Indicate presence of a long vehicle | Minimum 2 | Yellow | Each side near center - facing sideward | 380(15) minimum |
|
Intermediate Side Reflex Reflectors | (A) | Indicate presence of a long vehicle | Minimum 2 | Yellow | Each side near center - facing sideward | 380-1530 (15-60) |
WIDTH 2.032 m (80 in.) OR WIDER
| DESCRIPTION | MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area | Equipment | (SAE Lens Coding) | Functional Purpose | Quantity | Color | Location | Height mm (in.) from the ground |
 |
Rear Clearance Lamps | (P2, PC*or P3, PC2*) * photometrically certified at installation angle |
Show vehicle's 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 practicable - may be lower only if ID lamps are at the top |
|
Rear Identification Lamps | (P2 or P3) | Indicate presence of a wide vehicle | Exactly 3 | Red | On the rear - center, facing rearward - horizontally spaced 150 mm (6 in.) to 300 mm (12 in.) apart | in Canada : at the top - maybe lower if door header narrower than 25 mm in USA: as high as practicable |
 |
Front Clearance Lamps | (P2, PC*or P3, PC2*) * photometrically certified at installation angle |
Show vehicle's width | Minimum 2 | Yellow | At widest point - symmetrical - as far forward as practicable - facing forward | As high as practicable |
WIDTH 2.032 m (80 in.) OR WIDER AND GVWR 4536 kg (10,000 lb.) OR MORE
| DESCRIPTION | MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area | Conspicuity Treatment | DOT Coding | Quantity | Color | Location | Height | OPTIONS |
 |
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 | Reflex reflectors may not be required if they are replaced, in their required location, with conspicuity treatment Optional in Canada Rear lower body and side conspicuity treatment may also be solid white, solid yellow, or white and yellow. |
 |
Bumper Bar Marking | Continuous | Red/White | On the rear bumper bar's horizontal element - full width - facing rearward | No requirement | ||
|
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 | |
 |
Side Marking | see location | Red/White see options | Each side - facing sideward - continuous, or evenly spaced over minimum of 50% of length, starts and ends as close to the front and rear or vehicle as practicable | As horizontal as practicable and as close as practicable to the range of 375 to 1525 mm from the ground | ||
This table summarizes lighting equipment requirements contained in Federal/Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108. For complete compliance requirements consult Title 49 - Code of Federal Regulations-Section 571.108 (USA) or Section 108 of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (Canada).