The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989

PART I Requirements relating to obligatory stop lamps and to optional stop lamps to the extent specified in part ii

1.  Number– (a) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (b) or (c):	Two
(b) A solo motor bicycle, a motor bicycle combination, an invalid carriage and a trailer drawn by a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination:	One
(c) Any other motor vehicle first used before 1st January 1971 and any other trailer manufactured before that date:	One
2.  Position– (a) Longitudinal:	No requirement
(b) Lateral– (i) Maximum distance from the side of the vehicle– (A) Where two stop lamps are fitted:	One on each side of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle
(B) Where only one stop lamp is fitted:	On the centre-line or off side of the vehicle (disregarding any sidecar forming part of a motor bicycle combination)
(ii) Minimum separation distance between two obligatory stop lamps:	400 mm
(c) Vertical– (i) Maximum height above the ground– (A) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (B):	1500 mm or, if the structure of the vehicle makes this impracticable, 2100 mm
(B) A motor vehicle first used before 1st January 1971, a trailer manufactured before that date and a motor vehicle having a maximum speed not exceeding 25 mph:	No requirement
(ii) Minimum height above the ground– (A) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (B):	350 mm
(B) A motor vehicle first used before 1st January 1971 and a trailer manufactured before that date:	No requirement
3.  Angles of visibility– (a) A motor vehicle first used on or after 1st January 1971 and a trailer manufactured on or after that date– (i) Horizontal:	45° to the left and to the right
(ii) Vertical– (A) Except in a case specified in sub-paragraph (B) or (C):	15° above and below the horizontal
(B) Where the highest part of the illuminated area of the lamp is less than 1500 mm above the ground:	15° above and 10° below the horizontal
(C) Where the highest part of the illuminated area of the lamp is less than 750 mm above the ground:	15° above and 5° below the horizontal
(b) A motor vehicle first used before 1st January 1971 and a trailer manufactured before that date:	Visible to the rear
4.  Alignment:	To the rear
5.  Markings– (a) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (b) or (c):	An approval mark
(b) A motor vehicle first used before 1st February 1974 and a trailer manufactured before that date:	No requirement
(c) A solo motor bicycle and a motor bicycle combination, in each case first used before 1st April 1986, and a trailer manufactured before 1st October 1985 drawn by a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination:	No requirement
6.  Size of illuminated area:	No requirement
7.  Colour:	Red
8.  Wattage– (a) A stop lamp fitted to a motor vehicle first used before 1st January 1971 or a trailer manufactured before that date and a stop lamp bearing an approval mark:	No requirement
(b) Any other stop lamp:	15 to 36 watts
9.  Intensity:	No requirement

10.  Electrical connections–

(a) Every stop lamp fitted to–

(i) a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination first used on or after 1st April 1986 shall be operated by the application of every service brake control provided for the use of the rider;

(ii) any other motor vehicle, shall be operated by the application of the service braking system.

(b) Every stop lamp fitted to a trailer drawn by a motor vehicle shall be operated by the application of the service braking system of that motor vehicle.

11.  Tell-tale:

No requirement

12.  Other requirements–

• Where two stop lamps are required to be fitted, they shall form a pair.

13.  Definitions–

• In this Schedule “approval mark” means–

  (a)

  in relation to a solo motor bicycle, a motor bicycle combination or a trailer drawn by a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination, a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 50A of Schedule 2 to those Regulations; and

  (b)

  in relation to any other vehicle, either–

  (i)

  a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 5 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 7 or, if combined with a rear position lamp, at item 8 of Schedule 4 to those Regulations; or

  (ii)

  a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 7B or, if combined with a rear position lamp, at item 7C of Schedule 2 to those Regulations.