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Federal Vehicle Lighting Requirements (FMVSS/CMVSS 108): Trucks, Buses, MPVs & Truck Tractors

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Federal Vehicle Lighting Requirements (FMVSS/CMVSS 108)

Core Critical Pre-Requirements

All lamps, reflex reflectors, and conspicuity treatment devices must be permanently installed in the specified locations and fully comply with FMVSS 108 (USA) / CMVSS 108 (Canada) standards.
  • Angle Requirement: The front/rear face of any device must be perpendicular to the vehicle centerline; the side face must be parallel to the centerline (unless photometrically certified for the actual installation angle).

  • Obstruction Rule: No vehicle component may block a lighting device from meeting its performance requirements—if blocked, a compliant auxiliary device must be installed.

  • Certification (Canada): Vehicle manufacturers and importers must provide formal certification test records to prove lighting component compliance with all prescribed requirements.

  • Marking Rules: US requires "DOT" lettering on headlamp lenses; US & Canada both mandate light source coding on all lamp lenses. For US daytime running lamps (DRLs) not using headlamps, "DRL" lettering is required on the lens.

Part 1: Mandatory Basic Lighting Equipment (All Trucks, Buses, MPVs)

Serial No.
Equipment & SAE Lens Coding
Functional Purpose
Mandatory Quantity
Color
Installation Location
Height from Ground (mm/in)
Key Notes
1
Headlamps - Lower Beam (H, HR)<br>Headlamps - Upper Beam (H, HR)
Forward road illumination (low/high beam)
Min 2 (each type)
White
Front, symmetrical, as far apart as practicable<br>4-lamp system: Lower beam = outboard/upper; Upper beam = inboard/lower
560-1370 (22-54)
US: "DOT" lettering on lens;<br>US & Canada: Light source code mandatory
-
Parking Lamps (P)
Indicate parked vehicle
Min 2
White/Yellow
Front, symmetrical, as far apart as practicable
380-1530 (15-60)
Only required for vehicles <2032mm in width
-
Daytime Running Lamps (Y2)
Indicate in-use vehicle
Min 2
White/Yellow
Front, symmetrical, as far apart as practicable
Min 380 (15); Max = DRL type-specific
Canada: mandatory;<br>US: optional;<br>US: "DRL" lettering if DRL is not a headlamp
-
Front Turn Signal/Hazard Warning Lamps (l)
Indicate turn direction / identify disabled vehicle
Min 2
Yellow
Front, symmetrical, as far apart as practicable
380-2110 (15-83)
-
2
Front Clearance Lamps (P2, PC\ , P3\, PC2*)
Show vehicle’s width
Min 2
Yellow
Front/near front, at vehicle’s widest point, symmetrical, forward-facing
As high as practicable
Only required for vehicles ≥2032mm in width;<br>* = Photometrically certified at installation angle
3
Front Identification Lamps (ID) (P2, P3)
Indicate presence of a wide vehicle
Exactly 3
Yellow
Front center, horizontally spaced 150-300mm (6-12in) apart
As high as practicable / on top of cab
-
4a
Front Side Marker Lamps (P2, PC\ , P3, PC2\)
Indicate vehicle’s presence and length (side front)
Min 2
Yellow
Each front side, as far forward as practicable
Min 380 (15)
* = Photometrically certified at installation angle
4b
Front Side Reflex Reflectors (A)
Supplement front side marker lamps
Min 2
Yellow
Front, symmetrical, as far forward as practicable, sideward-facing
380-1530 (15-60)
-
5a
Rear Side Marker Lamps (P2, PC\ , P3, PC2\)
Indicate vehicle’s presence and length (side rear)
Min 2
Red
Each rear side, as far back as practicable
Min 380 (15)
* = Photometrically certified at installation angle
5b
Rear Side Reflex Reflectors (A)
Supplement rear side marker lamps
Min 2
Red
Each rear side, as far back as practicable, sideward-facing
380-1530 (15-60)
Not required for Truck Tractors
6
Rear Clearance Lamps (P2, PC\ , P3, PC2\)
Show vehicle’s width
Min 2
Red
Rear/near rear, at vehicle’s widest point, symmetrical, rearward-facing
As high as practicable (may be lower if rear ID lamps are mounted at the top)
Only required for vehicles ≥2032mm in width;<br> Not required for Truck Tractors;<br>Cannot be combined with tail lamps;<br>* = Photometrically certified at installation angle
7
Rear Identification Lamps (ID) (P2, P3)
Indicate presence of a wide vehicle
Exactly 3
Red
Rear center, horizontally spaced 150-300mm (6-12in) apart, rearward-facing
Canada: Mounted at the top (may be lower if door header <25mm)<br>USA: As high as practicable
Only required for vehicles ≥2032mm in width;<br> Not required for Truck Tractors
8
Tail Lamps (T)
Indicate vehicle’s presence and width
Min 2
Red
Rear, symmetrical, as far apart as practicable
380-1830 (15-72)
-
-
Stop Lamps (S)
Indicate vehicle braking
Min 2
Red
Rear, symmetrical, as far apart as practicable
380-1830 (15-72)
-
-
Rear Turn Signal/Hazard Warning Lamps (I)
Indicate turn direction / identify disabled vehicle
Min 2
Red/Yellow
Rear, symmetrical, as far apart as practicable
380-2110 (15-83)
-
-
Rear Reflex Reflectors (A)
Show vehicle’s presence and width
Min 2
Red
Rear, symmetrical, as far apart as practicable, rearward-facing
380-1530 (15-60)
-
9
Backup Lamp (R)
Illuminate ground behind vehicle; alert road users
Min 1
White
Rear
No mandatory requirement
-
10
License Plate Lamp(s) (L)
Illuminate vehicle license plate
Min 1
White
Rear, above/at the sides of the license plate
No mandatory requirement
-
11
Center High Mounted Stop Lamp (U3)
Indicate vehicle braking (additional)
Min 1
Red
Rear, on the vehicle centerline
Min 860 (34)
Only required for vehicles <2032mm in width AND <4536kg in weight

Part 2: Additional Lighting/Conspicuity Requirements (Specific Vehicles)

2.1 Vehicles 9.1 m (30 ft.) in Length or Longer

Serial No.
Equipment & SAE Lens Coding
Functional Purpose
Mandatory Quantity
Color
Installation Location
Height from Ground (mm/in)
Key Notes
12a
Intermediate Side Marker Lamps (P2, PC)
Indicate presence of a long vehicle
Min 2
Yellow
Each side, near the vehicle center
Min 380 (15)
-
12b
Intermediate Side Reflex Reflectors (A)
Supplement intermediate side marker lamps
Min 2
Yellow
Each side, near the vehicle center, sideward-facing
380-1530 (15-60)
-

2.2 Truck Tractors (Conspicuity Marking Only)

Serial No.
Conspicuity Treatment & DOT Code
Functional Purpose
Mandatory Quantity
Color
Installation Location
Height Requirement
Optional Installation Rules
13
Rear Upper Body Marking (DOT-C, DOT-C2, DOT-C3, DOT-C4)
Enhance rear visibility (upper cab)
Exactly 2 pairs of 300mm long strips
White
Rear upper corners of the cab, rearward-facing
As high as practicable
Fairings are excluded from the height calculation
14
Rear Marking (DOT-C, DOT-C2, DOT-C3, DOT-C4)
Enhance rear visibility (lower rear)
Exactly 2 sections, min 600mm each
Red/White
Rear, rearward-facing: mounted on fenders/mud flap brackets / within 300mm below the top of mud flaps
As horizontal as practicable;<br>Max 1525 mm from the ground
If mud flaps are not used: mount on cab/frame-mounted brackets

Full Compliance Reference

This document is a summary of the lighting equipment requirements in FMVSS 108 (USA) and CMVSS 108 (Canada). For complete and official compliance details:
  • USA: Title 49 – Code of Federal Regulations, Section 571.108

  • Canada: Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations, Section 108


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