texas tail light laws

Sec. (2-a) "Golf cart" has the meaning assigned by Section 551.401. (2) pays a reimbursement fee not to exceed $10. Fog lights: Clear, unobtrusive lenses are legal. Or the trailer itself may not be longer than 35 feet (10.7 meters) in some places. FIRE EXTINGUISHER REQUIRED. (2) makes the plate clearly legible at a distance of 50 feet from the rear. Sec. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. (C) is entitled to possession of a motor vehicle as a lessee under a written lease agreement if the agreement is for a period of not less than three months. 2.17, eff. 547.321. 4, eff. Everything that complies with those standards is "legal. (c) Taillamps shall be mounted on the rear of the vehicle: (1) at a height from 15 to 72 inches; and. 547.334. Sec. 3171), Sec. (c) The parking brakes may be assisted by the service brakes or by another power source, unless a failure in the power source would prevent the parking brakes from operating as required by this section. 860 (H.B. Brake lights: Clear, unobtrusive lenses are legal. Weba tow truck with a mounted light bar which has turn signals and stop lamps in addition to those required by Sections 547.322, 547.323 and 547.324, Transportation Code. (5) displays other warning devices as required by Sections 547.504-547.507. 547.603. These lights must be visible in normal sunlight from at least 300 feet aft. (c) A person who operates a vehicle on a roadway or shoulder shall select a distribution of light or composite beam that is aimed and emits light sufficient to reveal a person or vehicle at a safe distance ahead of the vehicle, except that: (1) an operator approaching an oncoming vehicle within 500 feet shall select: (A) the lowermost distribution of light or composite beam, regardless of road contour or condition of loading; or, (B) a distribution aimed so that no part of the high-intensity portion of the lamp projects into the eyes of an approaching vehicle operator; and. 547.326. This would mean that, subjectively (or in the eyes of the law enforcement person), all illuminated license plate frames - especially the neon ones, are NOT LEGAL. 547.105. (5) a tow truck with a mounted light bar which has turn signals and stop lamps in addition to those required by Sections 547.322, 547.323, and 547.324, Transportation Code. (c) If a vehicle required to be equipped with a warning device is equipped with air and vacuum power to operate its brakes or the brakes on a towed vehicle, the warning devices required may be combined into a single device that is not a pressure or vacuum gauge. 11, eff. 547.004. (a) An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a siren, exhaust whistle, or bell: (1) of a type approved by the department; and. September 1, 2009. 165, Sec. PROVISIONS RELATING TO BRAKE REQUIREMENTS ON VEHICLES. Sec. (d) A motorcycle may not be operated at any time unless at least one headlamp on the motorcycle is illuminated. Sept. 1, 1995. (c) A person may not replace or require the replacement of glass in a door, window, or windshield of any motor vehicle if the replacement is not made with safety glazing material. Sec. The term includes equipment for: (A) road maintenance or construction, including: (i) equipment for snow removal, line striping, skid resistance testing, sweeping, spraying, guardrail repair, sign maintenance, and temporary traffic-control device placement or removal; (B) road construction or off-road use, including motor graders, road rollers, excavators, pneumatic tire equipment, movers, and tractors. (5) at least one rear red reflector that complies with the requirements of Section 547.325(b) and may be included as a part of the taillamp. (a) Unless sufficient light exists to reveal a person or vehicle at a distance of 1,000 feet, the operator of a vehicle described by Section 547.503(b) or an explosive cargo vehicle shall display warning devices that comply with the requirements of Section 547.502: (1) when lighted lamps are required; and. (b) Subsection (a) is not an exception for the lighting as provided by this chapter of: (1) front clearance lamps on the frontmost vehicle in the combination; or. ALTERNATIVE ROAD LIGHTING EQUIPMENT PERMITTED. (1) shall be mounted at the same level and spaced as widely apart as practicable on the front and on the rear of the vehicle; and. (c) A vehicle that is lawfully parked on a highway is not required to display lights at night-time if there is sufficient light to reveal a person or vehicle on the highway at a distance of 1,000 feet. 3646), Sec. 323), Sec. The department may adopt standards and specifications that: (1) supplement the standards and specifications provided by this chapter; (2) apply to lighting and warning device equipment required for a school bus; and. 1, eff. (b) A person who operates an explosive cargo vehicle at nighttime: (1) shall carry in the vehicle three red electric lanterns or three portable red emergency reflectors; and. Backside windows can be any darkness. (c) After entering its order, the department shall send written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, to each person the department notified under Section 547.205. In terms of taillights, all vehicles in Texas must also have at least two brake lights that emit a red or yellow light. (d) The same brake drums, brake shoes and lining assemblies, brake shoe anchors, and mechanical brake shoe actuation mechanism normally associated with wheel brake assemblies may be used for the parking brakes and service brakes. September 1, 2019. 3171), Sec. (6-a) "Service vehicle" means a highway or traffic maintenance vehicle that: (A) is owned and operated on a highway by or for a governmental agency and performs a function requiring the use of a lamp or illuminating device in accordance with the standards and specifications adopted under Section 547.105; or. ADDITIONAL LIGHTING EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS. 2837), Sec. (d) A person who sells or attaches to a motor vehicle a camper manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1972, shall equip the camper doors and windows with safety glazing material of a type approved by the department. For instance, in New York, license plate lights are also inspected. (a) A person commits an offense that is a misdemeanor if the person operates or moves or, as an owner, knowingly permits another to operate or move, a vehicle that: (1) is unsafe so as to endanger a person; (2) is not equipped in a manner that complies with the vehicle equipment standards and requirements established by this chapter; or. Sept. 1, 1997. (3) stopping from a speed of 20 miles per hour in a distance, measured from the location where the service brake pedal or control is activated, of not more than: (B) 30 feet for a motorcycle, moped, or single unit vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less; (i) a single unit vehicle with a manufacturer's gross weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds; (ii) a two-axle towing vehicle and trailer combination with a weight of 3,000 pounds or less; (iii) a bus that does not have a manufacturer's gross weight rating; and, (iv) the combination of vehicles in an operation exempted by Section 547.407(b); and. (2) the federal standards in that section in effect, if any, at the time the vehicle or motor vehicle was manufactured. 547.606. (b) This section does not apply to a truck-tractor operated alone or a pole trailer. Therefore, you should check your state`s local laws and regulations before applying the shade. 547.701. (c) The director may require an inspection of the braking system of a moped or a motorcycle equipped with a motor that has an engine piston displacement of 250 cubic centimeters or less and may disapprove a system that: (1) does not comply with the brake performance requirements in Section 547.408; or. (f) It is not an offense under this section for a person to offer for sale or sell a motor vehicle with a windshield or window that does not comply with this section. (c) If a motor vehicle displaying a slow-moving-vehicle emblem tows machinery, including an implement of husbandry, and the visibility of the emblem is not obstructed, the towed unit is not required to display a slow-moving-vehicle emblem. (1) mounted at the same level and spaced as widely apart as practicable on the front and on the rear of the vehicle; and. 547.101. 380, Sec. (2) has a means for readily draining accumulated oil or water. (1) "Installer" means a person who fabricates, laminates, or tempers a safety glazing material to incorporate, during the installation process, the capacity to reflect light or reduce light transmission. September 1, 2013. LIGHTING EQUIPMENT. (2) lighted only when the uppermost distribution of light is in use. (a) A motor vehicle may be equipped with no more than two auxiliary passing lamps. SAFETY BELTS REQUIRED. 547.323. The inspection criteria for tail lamps states: "Tail lamp. Inspect and reject if: lamp is obstructed by any part of the body." Transportation Code 502.409 prohibits attaching or displaying on a motor vehicle a number plate or registration insignia where: 919 (S.B. (2) a manual device to apply and release the brakes that is readily operable by a person seated in the operator's seat and arranged so that: (A) its emergency position or method of operation is clearly indicated; and. (b) A clearance lamp, identification lamp, side marker lamp, or reflector mounted on the rear or the side near the rear of the vehicle must be or reflect red. 547.406. (a) A motor vehicle may be equipped with video receiving equipment, including a television, a digital video disc player, a videocassette player, or similar equipment, only if the equipment is located so that the video display is not visible from the operator's seat unless the vehicle's transmission is in park or the vehicle's parking brake is applied. September 1, 2019. 547.402. For text effective December 13, 2021, see below.] (3) is equipped in a manner prohibited by this chapter. (a) A bus, truck, or truck-tractor that uses air to operate its brakes or the brakes of a towed vehicle shall be equipped with: (1) a warning signal, other than a pressure gauge, that is readily audible or visible to the vehicle operator and that shows when the air reservoir pressure is below 50 percent of the air compressor governor cut-out pressure; and. 1, eff. September 1, 2019. Residents of 165, Sec. Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 2.14, eff. (F) transmits information concerning the accident to a central communications system when the accident occurs. Stop lamps Required 547.324. Section 571.108; or. (4) is permanently installed between the material and the surface to which the material is applied. (d) A portable reflector unit must be designed and constructed to reflect a red light clearly visible at all distances from 100 to 600 feet under normal atmospheric conditions at night when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps. 547.616. (B) its use does not prevent operation of the automatic brakes. (a) The department shall prescribe standards for and approve testing facilities to: (1) review test data submitted by a manufacturer to show compliance with a department standard; and. APPLICABILITY. Vehicle lighting equipment is covered in Chapter 547 of the Texas Transportation Code, Subchapter D. 547.3215- Use of Federal Standard. 11 (H.B. A bus operated by or contracted for use by a school district for the transportation of schoolchildren shall be equipped with a three-point seat belt for each passenger, including the operator. (c) A court may dismiss a charge brought under this section if the defendant: (1) remedies the defect before the defendant's first court appearance; and. (b) A vehicle may not be equipped with and a person may not use on a vehicle a siren, whistle, or bell unless the vehicle is: (1) a commercial vehicle that is equipped with a theft alarm signal device arranged so that the device cannot be used as an ordinary warning signal; or. (2) state that the manufacturer must file a written request with the department for a hearing not later than the 30th day after the date the notice is received to obtain a hearing on the issue of compliance. (4) for the purpose of determining the need for or facilitating emergency medical response in the event of a motor vehicle accident. 547.332. 854 (H.B. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. COLOR REQUIREMENTS. Sec. June 14, 2019. 3087), Sec. SINGLE-BEAM LIGHTING EQUIPMENT PERMITTED. September 1, 2015. Sec. Sec. In this subsection, "school" means a privately or publicly supported elementary or secondary school, day-care center, preschool, or institution of higher education and includes a church if the church is engaged in providing formal education. (2) place in the following order and as soon as practicable within 15 minutes one lighted red electric lamp or portable red emergency reflector: (A) in the center of the lane occupied by the vehicle toward approaching traffic approximately 100 feet from the vehicle; and. A stop lamp must be visible from a distance of not less than 300 feet to the rear in normal sunlight. Whether it is dark window tinting, modifying your exhaust system so you can drag race, or altering your car's appearance by adding neon lights to the bottom, certain (c) An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the defendant has been previously convicted of an offense under this section. 3171), Sec. SUBCHAPTER H. LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. 882 (H.B. In many states, your vehicle is required to pass an inspection on a regular basis that goes beyond emissions testing. 752 (H.B. OFFENSE RELATING TO VIOLATION OF SPECIAL-USE PROVISIONS. (c) A manufacturer shall certify to the department that the sunscreening device made or assembled by the manufacturer complies with the light transmission and luminous reflectance specifications established by Subsection (b) for sunscreening devices in combination with a window. Additional information on lighting can be found in the Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 547, Subchapters D & E. The inspection criteria for tail lamps states: "Tail lamp. September 1, 2007. TAILLAMPS REQUIRED. Sec. (2) a bus purchased by a school district that is a model year 2018 or later if the board of trustees for the school district: (A) determines that the district's budget does not permit the district to purchase a bus that is equipped with the seat belts required by this subsection; and. Sec. Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 547; Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 548; Legislation. Sec. (e) If vehicles are traveling in combination, only the stoplamps on the rearmost vehicle are required to emit a light for the distance specified in Subsection (d). (2) that emits a sound audible under normal conditions at a distance of at least 500 feet. (2) if a person, including an installer or manufacturer, places on or attaches to the windshield or side or rear window of a motor vehicle a transparent material that alters the color or reduces the light transmission. (1) cite the standard that the item allegedly violates; (2) state that the manufacturer of the item has been notified and may request a hearing on the issue of compliance before a stated date; (3) state that if the manufacturer or another person requests a hearing, the person may appear at the hearing; (4) state that if the manufacturer does not request a hearing, the person may request a hearing by filing a written request with the department not later than the 30th day after the date notice is received; and. They are not legal in Texas. The lights, both front and rear, are made by the manufacturer to meet this safety standard. September 1, 2009. A motor vehicle, including a motor vehicle used to tow another vehicle, shall be equipped with a mirror located to reflect to the operator a view of the highway for a distance of at least 200 feet from the rear of the vehicle. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. Sec. 3832), Sec. (2) is not moved at a time or under a condition specified by Section 547.302(a). 61), Sec. Sec. Red reflectors required on the rear of a vehicle may be incorporated with the tail lamp assembly. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person who operates, outside an urban district or on a divided highway, a truck, bus, or truck-tractor or a motor vehicle towing a house trailer shall carry in the vehicle: (A) at least two red flags at least 12 inches square; and, (B) standards to support the flags; and. (b) In addition to the single control device required by Section 547.403, a vehicle used to tow another vehicle equipped with vacuum brakes shall be equipped with a second control device that: (1) is used to operate the brakes on a towed vehicle in an emergency; (2) is independent of brake air, hydraulic, or other pressure and independent of other controls, unless the braking system is arranged to automatically apply the towed vehicle's brakes if the pressure for the second control device on the towing vehicle fails; and. Sept. 1, 1995. Much like Texas, California law is more generous with vehicle tints, but it does restrict the colors amber, red and blue for your auto lights. 323), Sec. You made an alteration to factory installed tail lights. 882 (H.B. 1345 (S.B. (A) that conform to and are placed on the bus in accordance with specifications adopted under Section 34.002, Education Code; and, (B) that are operated under rules adopted by the school district; and, (A) that conform to regulations adopted under Section 34.002, Education Code; and. (3) at the time adopted, correlate with and conform as closely as possible to specifications approved by the Society of Automotive Engineers. All vehicles on Texas roads must have working signals, tail lamps, reflectors and other nonwhite lights that meet Texas law requirements. 3, eff. (d) As an alternative to the use of electric lamps or red reflectors and except as provided by Subsection (e), the operator of a vehicle described by Section 547.503(b) may display a lighted fusee to comply with the requirements of Subsection (b)(1) or liquid-burning flares to comply with the requirements of Subsections (b)(2) and (c). An offense under this subsection is a Class C misdemeanor. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. SERVICE BRAKES REQUIRED. Sec. 30.117(a), eff. September 1, 2019. 9.02, eff. Sec. An attached illuminated device or sticker, decal, emblem, or other insignia that is not authorized by law and that interferes with the readability of the letters or numbers on the plate or the name of the state in which the vehicle is registered. If a person has previously been convicted of an offense under this section, an offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $200 and not more than $1,000 for each violation. DOT does not test equipment unless they act against those who don't meet standards. (b) A truck-tractor or truck used to tow a vehicle equipped with vacuum brakes, or a truck with at least three axles that is equipped with vacuum brakes, shall be equipped with a warning signal, other than a gauge showing vacuum, that is readily audible or visible to the vehicle operator and that shows when the vacuum in the reservoir or reserve capacity is less than eight inches of mercury. An alternate or additional material, particularly something dark, would impair its effectiveness. A means for readily draining accumulated oil or water prohibits attaching or on... Or displaying on a motor vehicle may be equipped with no more than two auxiliary passing lamps than 35 (... Have at least one headlamp on the motorcycle is illuminated for the purpose determining! 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