Trucks, Buses & MPVs Regulations
The following information is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For full and up-to-date information, visit 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 equirements 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.
Select a vehicle image to review the specific requirements for that vehicle type and refer to the chart below.
BASIC EQUIPMENT REQUIRED ON ALL TRUCKS, BUSES & MPVs
| DESCRIPTION | MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area | Equipment | (SAE Lens Coding) | Functional Purpose | Quantity | Color | Location | Height mm (in.) from the ground |
| 1 | Headlamps – Lower Beam | (H, HR) Attention: US: “DOT” lettering required on lens Attention: US & Canada: light source code required on lens |
Forward road illumination | Min. 2 | White | On the front – symmetrical – as far apart as practicable (If 4 lamp system – outboard or above upper beams) |
560-1370 (22-54) |
| Headlamps – Upper Beam | (H, HR) Attention: US: “DOT” lettering required on lens Attention: US & Canada: light source code required on lens |
Forward road illumination | Min. 2 | White | On the front – symmetrical ( If 4 lamp system – inboard or below lower beams ) |
560-1370 (22-54) | |
| Parking Lamps-Attention: Required only on vehicles less than 2032mm wide | (P) | Indicate parked vehicle | Min. 2 | White or Yellow | Front – symmetrical – as far apart as practicable | 380-1530 (15-60) | |
| Daytime Running Lamps – Attention: for Canada required, for US optional. |
(Y2) Attention: for US, “DRL” lettering required on lens if device is not headlamp |
Indicate in-use vehicle | Min. 2 | White or Yellow | Front – symmetrical – as far apart as practicable | 380 (15) minimum Maximum depends on type of DRL | |
| Front Turn Signal/Hazard Warning Lamps | (l) | Indicate direction of turn / identify disabled vehicle | Min. 2 | Yellow | Front – symmetrical – as far apart as practicable | 380-2110 (15-83) | |
| 2 | Front Clearance Lamps– Attention: Required for vehicles 2032mm wide or wider |
(P2, PC* or P3*,PC2) *photometrically certified at installation angle |
Show vehicle’s width | Min. 2 | Yellow | At widest point – symmetrical – on the front or near the front – facing forward | As high as practicable |
| 3 | Front Identification Lamps (ID) | (P2 or P3) | Indicate presence of a wide vehicle | Exactly 3 | Yellow | On the front – center – horizontally spaced 150 mm (6 in.) to 300 mm (12 in.) apart | As high as practicable or on top of cab |
| 4a | Front Side Marker Lamps | (P2, PC* or P3 ,PC2*) *photometrically certified at installation angle |
Min. 2 | Yellow | Each side at front – as far forward as practicable | 380 (15) minimum | |
| 4b | Front Side Reflex Reflectors | (A) | Front and Rear side marker lamps / side | Min. 2 | Yellow | At front – symmetrical – as far forward as practicable – facing sideward | 380-1530 (15-60) |
| 5a | Rear Side Marker Lamps ** | (P2, PC* or P3, PC2*) *photometrically certified at installation angle |
Reflex reflector indicate vehicle’s presence and length | Min. 2 | Red | Each side at rear – as far back as practicable | 380 (15) minimum |
| 5b | Rear Side Reflex Reflectors** ** not required on Truck Tractors |
(A) | Min. 2 | Red | Each side at rear – as far back as practicable – facing sideward | 380-1530 (15-60) | |
| 6 | Rear Clearance Lamps Attention: Required for vehicles 2032mm wide or wider, but not required on Truck Tractors |
(P2, PC* or P3, PC2*) *photometrically certified at installation angle |
Show vehicle’s width – MAY NOT be combined with tail lamps |
Min. 2 | Red | At widest point – symmetrical – on the rear or near the rear – facing rearward | As high as practicable-may be lower only if rear ID lamps are at the top |
| 7 | Rear Identification Lamps (ID) Attention: Required for vehicles 2032mm wide or wider, but not required on Truck Tractors |
(P2 or P3 ) | Indicate presence of a wide vehicle | Exactly 3 | Red | Rear – center – horizontally spaced 150 mm (6 in.) to 300 mm (12 in.) apart, facing rearward | in Canada : at the top – maybe lower if door header narrower than 25mm in USA: as high as practicable |
| 8 | Tail Lamps | (T) | Indicate vehicle’s presence and width | Min. 2 | Red | On the rear – symmetrical – as far apart as practicable | 380-1830 (15-72) |
| Stop Lamps | (S) | Indicate braking | Min. 2 | Red | On the rear – symmetrical – as far apart as practicable | 380-1830 (15-72) | |
| Rear Turn Signal/Hazard Warning Lamps | ( I) | Indicate direction of turn/ identifies disabled veh. | Min. 2 | Red or Yellow | On the rear – symmetrical – as far apart as practicable | 380-2110 (15-83) | |
| Rear Reflex Reflectors | (A) | Show vehicle’s presence and width | Min. 2 | Red | On the rear – symmetrical – as far apart as practicable – facing rearward | 380-1530 (15-60) | |
| 9 | Backup Lamp | (R) | Illuminate ground behind the vehicle and alert road users | Min. 1 | White | Rear | No requirement |
| 10 | License Plate Lamp(s) | (L) | Illuminates license plate | Min. 1 | White | On the rear – above or at the sides of license plate | No requirement |
| 11 | Center High Mounted Stop Lamp Attention: Required for vehicles less than 2032mm wide and 4536kg |
(U3) | Indicates braking | Min. 1 | Red | On the rear – centerline of the vehicle | 860 (34) minimum |
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR SPECIFIC VEHICLES
VEHICLES 9.1 m (30 ft.) LONG OR LONGER
| DESCRIPTION | MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area | Equipment | (SAE Lens Coding) | Functional Purpose | Quantity | Color | Location | Height mm (in.) from the ground |
| 12a | Intermediate Side Marker Lamps | (P2 or PC) | Indicate presence of a long vehicle | Min.2 | Yellow | Each side near center | 380 (15) minimum |
| 12b | Intermediate Side Reflex Reflectors | (A) | Indicate presence of a long vehicle | Min.2 | Yellow | Each side near center – facing sideward | 380-1530 (15-60) |
TRUCK TRACTORS
| DESCRIPTION | MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area | Conspicuity Treatment | DOT Code | Quantity | Color | Location | Height | Options |
| 13 | Rear Upper Body Marking | DOT-C, DOT-C2, DOT-C3, or DOT-C4 | Exactly 2 pairs of 300mm long strips | White | Rear upper corners of cab – facing rearward | As high as practicable excluding fairings | |
| 14 | Rear Marking | DOT-C, DOT-C2, DOT-C3, or DOT-C4 | Exactly 2 sections of min. 600mm each | Red/White | Rear – facing rearward – on fenders, on mud flaps brackets, or within 300mm below of the top of mud flaps | As horizontal as practicable and not higher than 1525 mm from the ground | If mud flaps not used – on the cab or frame mounted brackets |
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) and Section 108 of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (Canada).
State or Provincial regulations, where they may apply, have not been included.
For more information contact:
Transport Canada: Motor Vehicle Safety Enforcement Branch
Attention: Marcin Gorzkowski
Fax: (613) 998-4831
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Office of Safety Performance Standards
Attention: Rich VanIderstine
Fax: (202) 366-4329