Trailer Lighting Guide - Rules & Regulations

Whether you are building a trailer from scratch, restoring one, or looking to update your existing trailer, it is important to know the laws and regulations regarding trailer lighting. By meeting the requirements for trailer lighting, you can reduce the risk of being pulled over or creating a dangerous situation for you and others on the road. We have created a guide to help you understand the proper lighting components needed for each trailer type.

Note: These are general guidelines for trailer lighting regulations. For a full list of information on trailer lighting, visit the Code of Federal Regulations.

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Mandatory Lights Needed

• All Trailers

A. Stop/Brake Lights

B. Tail Lights

C. Turn Signals

E. License Plate Light

F. Reflectors

G. Side Marker Lights

H. Clearance Lights

Type 1

• Trailers Less Than 80” Wide and Less Than 30-Feet Long

A. 2x Stop/Brake Lights

B. 2x Tail Lights

C. 2x Turn Signals

D. License Plate Light

E. 2x Rear Reflectors

F. 2x Rear Side Reflectors

G. 2x Rear Side Marker Lights

H. 2x Front Side Reflectors

I. 2x Front Side Marker Lights

• Trailers Less Than 30” Wide
  • Only 1x Stop/Brake Light, 1x Tail Light, and 1x Rear Reflector are required and should be mounted in the rear center of the trailer.

• Trailers Less Than 72” Long
  • Front Side Marker Lights and Front Side Reflectors are not required.

Illustration Purposes Only - Not An Exact Diagram

Type 2

• Trailers 80” or More in Width, Less Than 30-Feet Long, and Less Than 5 Tons

A. 2x Stop/Brake Lights

B. 2x Tail Lights

C. 2x Turn Signals

D. License Plate Light

E. 2x Rear Reflectors

F. 2x Rear Side Reflectors

G. 2x Rear Side Marker Lights

H. 2x Front Side Reflectors

I. 2x Front Side Marker Lights

Illustration Purposes Only - Not An Exact Diagram

Type 3

• Trailers 80” or More in Width, Shorter Than 30-Feet Long, and Greater Than 5 Tons

A. 2x Stop/Brake Lights

B. 2x Tail Lights

C. 2x Turn Signals

D. License Plate Light

E. 2x Rear Reflectors

F. 2x Rear Side Reflectors

G. 2x Front Side Reflectors

H. 2x Front Side Marker Lights

I. 2x Rear Side Marker Lights

J. 2x Front Clearance Lights

K. Rear Identification Light

L. Conspicuity Reflective Tape Treatment

• EXCEPTION: Boat Trailers
  • A pair of dual-face lights with red and amber sides can serve as front and rear clearance lights.

• Conspicuity Reflective Tape Treatment Complying with DOT Regulations
  • Consists of red and white reflective strips
  • Must be placed on the sides of the trailer from front to rear horizontally
  • Must be placed on the lower rear bumper bar from end to end
  • Must have two pairs of reflective white strips on the upper right and left rear corners
  • DOT-C2 tape can be cut into two 1” strips to clear bolts, rivets, etc.
  • Strips of tape cannot have one color exceed ⅔ of the total length of the strip
  • When using reflectors instead of tape, install 2-3 red and white alternating reflectors with the center point not exceeding more than 4” from the center point of the next reflector
  • Edges of red or white tape must be mounted at least 3” away from any required red or amber lights
  • Must be compliant with these standards:
    • DOT-C Rectangular Reflectors
    • DOT-C2 50 mm wide retroreflective sheeting
    • DOT-C3 775 mm wide retroreflective sheeting
    • DOT-C4 100 mm wide retroreflective sheeting

• Conspicuity Tape Treatment Mounting Information

1. Strip of Red & White Reflectors or Tape Mounted on the Sides of the Trailer

• Must be mounted on both sides of the trailer
• Must cover no less than 50% of the trailer’s lengthMust extend as far as possible to the front and rear of the trailer
• Must be mounted 15”-60” above the ground when measured from the reflector’s center with the trailer unloaded

2. Strip of Red & White Reflectors or Reflective Tape Along the Bottom Rear of Trailer

• Must be mounted 15”-60” above the ground when measured from the reflector’s center with the trailer unloaded
• Must cover the full width of the lower body portion of the trailer reaching as far as possible to each end

3. A Pair of White Reflective Strips at Each Upper Corner of the Top Rear of the Trailer

• The strips must be mounted as close as possible to the edges of the trailer
• Each reflective strip must be 12” in length
• On flat trailers, the reflective strips can be placed on the rear-facing section of the trailer’s bulkhead. Platform trailers with no top rear-facing section are not required to have this portion.
• Each pair must consist of a horizontal and a vertical reflective strip

4. Strip of Red & White Reflectors or Reflective Tape Along the Rear Bumper Bar

• Must cover the full width of the rear bumper bar section of the trailer

Illustration Purposes Only - Not An Exact Diagram

Type 4

• Trailers 30-Feet or Longer

A. 2x Stop/Brake Lights

B. 2x Tail Lights

C. 2x Turn Signals

D. License Plate Light

E. 2x Rear Reflectors

F. 2x Rear Side Reflectors

G. 2x Front Side Reflectors

H. 2x Front Side Marker Lights

I. 2x Rear Side Marker Lights

J. 2x Front Clearance Lights

K. Rear Identification Light

L. Conspicuity Reflective Tape Treatment

M. 2x Intermediate Clearance Lights

N. 2x Intermediate Reflectors

• Trailers 30-Feet or Longer, 80” or Wider
  • All of the above with the addition of:
    • 2x Rear Clearance Lights
    • 2x Front Clearance Lights

• EXCEPTION: Boat Trailers
  • A pair of dual-face lights with red and amber sides can serve as front and rear clearance lights. 

Illustration Purposes Only - Not An Exact Diagram

Trailer Lighting Mounting Measurements

Additional Terms & Information

Sources Cited

• S, A. (n.d.). Trailer Lighting Requirements | Etrailer.com. TRAILER LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS. 
• Custerproducts.com. (n.d.). 
• ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/c