Trailer Lighting & Reflective Tape Marking Requirements Poster – DOT / NHTSA

MPORTANT NOTE: Every lamp, reflex reflector, and conspicuity treatment (device) must be permanently attached in the location listed below and meet all FMVSS/CMVSS 108 requirements. Any device on the front, back, or sides of the car should have its face perpendicular to the vehicle’s centerline or parallel to it, unless it is photometrically certified at the installation angle. No part of the vehicle can stop a device from meeting its requirements unless an extra device is installed that meets all of the requirements. In Canada, manufacturers and importers of vehicles must have the right certification test records to show that the lights meet all requirements.

BASIC LIGHTING SPECIFIED FOR ALL TRAILERS

DESCRIPTION	MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
Area	Equipment	(SAE Lens Coding)	Functional Purpose	Quantity	Color	Location	Height mm (in.) from the ground
1	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)
2	License Plate Lamp(s)	(L)	Illuminates license plate	Minimum 1	White	On the rear – above or at the sides of license plate	No requirement
3	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)
4a	Front Side Marker Lamps	(P2, PC* or P3, PC2*) * photometrically certified at installation angle	Minimum 2	Yellow	Each side at front – as far forward as practicable	380 (15) minimum
4b	Front Side Reflex Reflectors	(A)	Minimum 2	Yellow	Each side at front – as far forward as practicable facing sideward	380-1530 (15-60)

ADDITIONAL LIGHTING SPECIFIED FOR TRAILERS EXCEEDING THE FOLLOWING PARAMETERS

LENGTH 9.1 m (30 ft.) OR LONGER

DESCRIPTION	MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
Area	Equipment	(SAE Lens Coding)	Functional Purpose	Quantity	Color	Location	Height mm (in.)  from the ground
5a	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
5b	Intermediate Side Reflex Reflectors	(A)	Indicate presence of a long vehicle	Minimum 2	Yellow	Each side near center – facing sideward	380-1530 (15-60)

LIGHTING REQUIRED FOR TRAILERS WITH A WIDTH 2.032 m (80 in.) OR WIDER

DESCRIPTION	MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
Area	Equipment	(SAE Lens Coding)	Functional Purpose	Quantity	Color	Location	Height
6	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
7	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
8	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

TRAILER LIGHTING REQUIRED FOR WIDTHS 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
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	Reflex reflectors may not be required if they are replaced, in their required location, with conspicuity treatment Optional in CanadaRear lower body and side conspicuity treatment may also be solid white, solid yellow, or white and yellow.
10	Bumper Bar Marking	Continuous	Red/White	On the rear bumper bar’s horizontal element – full width – facing rearward	No requirement
11	Rear Lower Body Marking	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	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).