Semi-Trailer Details

U.S./CANADA FEDERAL LIGHTING GUIDE - Semi-Trailer Details

The U.S./Canada Federal Lighting Guide poster provides a full description of the lighting and identification codes.

For detailed descriptions of lighting requirements, select the number that corresponds to the area of the vehicle you wish to review.

1Head lamp

Required on all vehicles
Lamp or reflective device Location Height Color Number
Head lamp
(not required on trailer)		 Front 22"-56"
55.9–137.2 cm		 White 2 or 4

One on each side of vertical centerline, at same height, as far apart as practicable.

2Tail lamp

Required on all vehicles
Lamp or reflective device Location Height Color Number
Tail lamp Rear 15"-72"
380–1829 mm
 Red 2 or more

One on each side of vertical centerline, at same height, as far apart as practicable.

3Turn signal lamp

Required on all vehicles
Lamp or reflective device Location Height Color Number
Turn signal lamp Front 15"-83"
380–2108 mm
 Amber 2 or more
Rear
(not required on truck-tractor if front turn signals are double-faced and visible from the rear)		 15"-83"
380–2108 mm
 Red or Amber 2 or more
  • One on each side of vertical centerline, at same height, as far apart as practicable

4Hazard lamp

Required on all vehicles
Lamp or reflective device Location Height Color Number
Hazard lamp
(same lamp as turn signal)		 Front 15"-83"
380–2108 mm
 Amber 2 or more
Rear 15"-83"
380–2108 mm
 Red or Amber 2 or more

One on each side of vertical centerline, at same height, as far apart as practicable.

5Stop lamp

Required on all vehicles
Lamp or reflective device Location Height Color Number
Stop lamp Rear 15"-72"
380–1829 mm
 Red 2 or more
  • One on each side of vertical centerline, at same height, as far apart as practicable

6License plate lamp

Required on all vehicles
Lamp or reflective device Location Height  Color Number
License plate lamp Rear, at license plate No requirement White 1 or more

7Side marker lamp

Required on all vehicles
Lamp or reflective device Location Height Color Number
Side marker lamp Side, near front 15" min.
380 mm min.
 Amber 1 each side


Side, near rear
(not required on truck-tractor)
 15" min.
380 mm min.
 Red 1 each side

60" (1524 mm) maximum on rear of trailers 80" (2032 mm) or more in width.

8Backup lamp

Required on all vehicles
Lamp or reflective device Location Height  Color Number
Backup lamp
(not required on trailer)		 Rear No requirement White 1 or more

9Rear reflector

Required on all vehicles
Lamp or reflective device Location Height  Color Number
Rear Reflector Rear 15"-60"
380–1524 mm
 Red 2 or more

One on each side of vertical centerline, at same height, as far apart as practicable.

10Side reflector

Required on all vehicles
Lamp or reflective device Location Height  Color Number
Side reflector Side, near front 15"-60"
380–1524 mm
 Amber 1 each side


Side, near rear
(not required on truck-tractor)
 15"-60"
380–1524 mm
 Red 1 each side

11Intermediate side marker lamp

Required on all vehicles
Lamp or reflective device Location Height  Color Number
Intermediate side lamp
(if vehicle overall length is
30'/9.1 m or greater)
 Side, near center
(side, near the midpoint between front and rear side marker lamps)		 15" min.
380 mm min.
 Amber 1 each side

12Intermediate side reflector

Required on all vehicles
Lamp or reflective device Location Height  Color Number
Intermediate side reflector
(if vehicle overall length is 30' / 9.1 m or greater) 
 Side, near center
(side, near the midpoint between front and rear side reflector)
 15"-60"
380–1524 mm
 Amber 1 each side

13Parking lamp

Required on all vehicles
Lamp or reflective device Location Height  Color Number
Parking lamp
(only if vehicle is less than
80"/2032 mm wide)
 Front
(not required on trailer)		 15"-72"
380–1829 mm
 Amber or White 2 or more

One on each side of vertical centerline, at same height, as far apart as practicable.

14Identification lamp

Required on all vehicles 80 inches (2032 mm) or wider
Lamp or reflective device Location Height Color Number
Identification lamp Front, spaced 6–12" or 152–300 mm on center (not required on trailer)
 As high as practicable Amber 3
Rear, spaced 6–12" or 152–300 mm on center (not required on truck-tractor)
 As high as practicable Red 3

Front identification lamps may be mounted either on the cab roof above the windshield or on the top of the body.

15Clearance lamp

Required on all vehicles 80 inches (2032 mm) or wider
Lamp or reflective device Location Height  Color Number
Clearance lamp Front at widest point to indicate overall width of vehicle As high as practicable Amber 2
Rear, at widest point to indicate overall width of vehicle
(not required on truck-tractor)		 As high as practicable Red 2
  • One on each side of vertical centerline, at same height, as far apart as practicable
  • Clearance lamps may be installed at a location other than on the front or rear if necessary to indicate the overall width of a vehicle or for protection from damage during normal operation of the vehicle; and, at such a location, they need not meet the photometric output at any test point that is 45 degrees inboard

16Center high mounted stop lamp (CHMSL)

Required on Trucks, buses and multipurpose passenger vehicles less than 80 inches (2032 mm) in overall width & with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs (4536 kg) or less
Lamp or reflective device Location Height  Color Number
Center high mounted stop lamp (CHMSL) Rear, on the vertical centerline of the vehicle 34" min. 
864 mm min.		 Red 1
  • CHMSL cannot be combined with any other Lamp or reflective device other than with a cargo lamp
  • CHMSL cannot be combined optically with any cargo lamp

17Conspicuity systems

REQUIRED ON TRAILERS 80 inches (2032 mm) OR MORE IN OVERALL WIDTH WITH A GVWR OF MORE THAN 10,000lbs (4536 kg) 
Lamp or reflective device Location Height Color Number
Conspicuity systems On sides and rear of trailer 15" min. /60" max.
380 mm min./
1524 mm max.
 Red and white See Section 8.2
of F/CMVSS 108
Rear upper corners of trailer As high as practicable White 1 each side
See Section 8.2
of F/CMVSS 108
  • Edge of red sheeting cannot be closer than 3" (75 mm) to the edge of any luminous lens area of any amber lamp.
  • Edge of white sheeting cannot be located closer than 3" (75 mm) to the edge of any luminous lens.
  • Trailers equipped with conspicuity systems conforming to Section 8.2 need not be equipped with reflectors.

18Conspicuity systems

REQUIRED ON TRUCK-TRACTORS
Lamp or reflective device Location Height Color Number
Conspicuity systems Rear upper corners of cab As high as practicable White 1 each side
See Section 8.2
of F/CMVSS 108
Rear, on fenders, mudflap
brackets or within 11.8" (300 mm)
below top of mudflaps
 As horizontal as
practicable, not higher
than 60" (1524 mm)
from the ground		 Red and white 1 each side
See Section 8.2
of F/CMVSS 108
  • If the vehicle is certified with temporary mudflap support brackets, the strips shall be mounted on the mudflaps or on plates transferable to permanent mudflap support brackets.
  • For truck-tractors without mudflaps, the strips may be mounted outboard of the frame on brackets behind the rear axle or on brackets ahead of the rear axle and above the top of the tires at unladen vehicle height, or they may be mounted directly or indirectly to the back of the cab as close to the outer edges as practicable, above the top of the tires, and not more than 60" (1524 mm) above the road surface at unladen vehicle height.
  • For strips mounted on the back of the cab, no more than 25% of their cumulative area may be obscured by vehicle equipment as determined in a rear orthogonal view.