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The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989

S.I. 1989/1796 · Made 28 September 1989 · Extends to England, Wales and Scotland

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 31 May 2023.

ROAD TRAFFIC

Made 28th September 1989

Laid before Parliament 11th October 1989

Coming into force 1st November 1989

The Secretary of State for Transport, in exercise of the powers conferred by–C1

  1. (a)

    section 81 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, in so far as these Regulations revoke enactments having effect as if they had been made under that section;

  2. (b)

    section 41 as read with section 43 of that Act as regards all other provisions of these Regulations,

and all other enabling powers, and after consultation with representative organisations in accordance with section 195 of that Act, hereby makes the following Regulations:–

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Regulations applied (31.5.2023) by S.I. 2003/1998, art. 58 (as inserted by The Road Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (General) (Amendment) Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/524), arts. 1(1), 4)

Contents

  1. Part I: PRELIMINARY
  2. 1Commencement, citation and revocations
  3. 2Statement under section 43(3) of the Road Traffic Act 1988
  4. 3Interpretation
  5. 3AEquivalent standards
  6. 4Exemptions—General
  7. 4AExemptions—Vehicle Examiners
  8. 5Exemptions—Temporarily imported vehicles and vehicles proceeding to a port for export
  9. 6Exemptions—Vehicles towing or being towed
  10. 7Exemptions—Military vehicles
  11. 8Exemptions—Invalid carriages
  12. 9Exemptions—Vehicles drawn or propelled by hand
  13. 9AExemptions—Tramcars
  14. 9BModifications in relation to vehicles approved under the Motor Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 1996
  15. 10Provision as respects Trade Descriptions Act 1968 Repealed
  16. Part II: REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE FITTING OF LAMPS, REFLECTORS, REAR MARKINGS AND DEVICES
  17. 11Colour of light shown by lamps and reflectors
  18. 12Movement of lamps and reflectors
  19. 13Lamps to show a steady light
  20. 14Filament lamps
  21. 15General requirements for electrical connections
  22. 16Restrictions on fitting blue warning beacons, special warning lamps and similar devices
  23. 17Obligatory warning beacons
  24. 17ASigns on buses carrying children
  25. 18Obligatory lamps, reflectors, rear markings and devices
  26. 19Restrictions on the obscuration of certain obligatory lamps and reflectors
  27. 20Optional lamps, reflectors, rear markings and devices
  28. 20AApplication of the ECE conspicuity requirements
  29. 21Projecting trailers and vehicles carrying overhanging or projecting loads or equipment
  30. 22Additional side marker lamps
  31. Part III: REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE MAINTENANCE AND USE OF LAMPS, REFLECTORS, REAR MARKINGS AND DEVICES
  32. 23Maintenance of lamps, reflectors, rear markings and devices
  33. 23AReview
  34. 24Requirements about the use of front and rear position lamps, rear registration plate lamps, side marker lamps and end-outline marker lamps
  35. 25Requirements about the use of headlamps and front fog lamps
  36. 26Requirements about the use of warning beacons
  37. 27Restrictions on the use of lamps other than those to which regulation 24 refers
  38. Part IV: TESTING AND INSPECTION OF LIGHTING EQUIPMENT AND REFLECTORS
  39. 28Testing and inspection of lighting equipment and reflectors
  40. Signature
  41. Schedule 1OBLIGATORY LAMPS, REFLECTORS, REAR MARKINGS AND DEVICES
  42. Schedule 2
  43. IRequirements relating to obligatory front position lamps and to optional front position lamps to the extent specified in part ii
  44. 12Paragraph 12
  45. 13Paragraph 13
  46. Part II: Requirements relating to optional front position lamps
  47. 1Paragraph 1
  48. 2Paragraph 2
  49. 3Paragraph 3
  50. Schedule 3
  51. Part I: requirements relating to obligatory dim-dip devices and running lamps
  52. 1Paragraph 1
  53. 2Paragraph 2
  54. 3Paragraph 3
  55. 4Paragraph 4
  56. IIRequirements relating to optional dim-dip devices and running lamps
  57. Schedule 4
  58. IRequirements relating to obligatory dipped-beam headlamps and to optional dipped-beam headlamps to the extent specified in part ii
  59. Part II: Requirements relating to optional dipped-beam headlamps
  60. 1Paragraph 1
  61. 2Paragraph 2
  62. Schedule 5
  63. IRequirements relating to obligatory main-beam headlamps and to optional main-beam headlamps to the extent specified in part ii
  64. 10Paragraph 10
  65. 12Paragraph 12
  66. 13Paragraph 13
  67. IIRequirements relating to optional main-beam headlamps
  68. Schedule 6requirements relating to optional front fog lamps
  69. 12Paragraph 12
  70. 13Paragraph 13
  71. Schedule 7
  72. IRequirements relating to obligatory direction indicators and to optional direction indicators to the extent specified in part ii
  73. 10Paragraph 10
  74. 11Paragraph 11
  75. 12Paragraph 12
  76. 13Paragraph 13
  77. Part II: Requirements relating to optional direction indicators
  78. 1Paragraph 1
  79. 2Paragraph 2
  80. 3Paragraph 3
  81. IIIPart III
  82. Schedule 8requirements relating to obligatory and optional hazard warning signal devices
  83. Schedule 9
  84. IRequirements relating to obligatory side marker lamps and to optional side marker lamps to the extent specified in part ii
  85. IIRequirements relating to optional side marker lamps
  86. Schedule 10
  87. IRequirements relating to obligatory rear position lamps and to optional rear position lamps to the extent specified in part ii
  88. 12Paragraph 12
  89. 13Paragraph 13
  90. IIRequirements relating to optional rear position lamps
  91. Schedule 11
  92. IRequirements relating to obligatory rear fog lamps and to optional rear fog lamps to the extent specified in part ii
  93. 12Paragraph 12
  94. 13Paragraph 13
  95. Part II: Requirements relating to optional rear fog lamps
  96. 1Paragraph 1
  97. 2Paragraph 2
  98. Schedule 12
  99. IRequirements relating to obligatory stop lamps and to optional stop lamps to the extent specified in part ii
  100. 10Paragraph 10
  101. 12Paragraph 12
  102. 13Paragraph 13
  103. IIRrequirements relating to optional stop lamps
  104. Schedule 13
  105. IRequirements relating to obligatory end-outline marker lamps and to optional end-outline marker lamps to the extent specified in part ii
  106. 12Paragraph 12
  107. 13Paragraph 13
  108. IIRequirements relating to optional end-outline marker lamps
  109. Schedule 14
  110. IRequirements relating to Obligatory Reversing Lamps
  111. IIrequirements relating to optional reversing lamps
  112. 12Paragraph 12
  113. Schedule 15requirements relating to obligatory rear registration plate lamps
  114. 12Paragraph 12
  115. 13Paragraph 13
  116. Schedule 16requirement relating to obligatory and optional warning beacons
  117. 2Paragraph 2
  118. 3Paragraph 3
  119. 11Paragraph 11
  120. Schedule 17
  121. IRequirements relating to obligatory side retro reflectors and optional side retro reflectors to the extent specified in part ii
  122. 9Paragraph 9
  123. IIREQUIREMENTS RELATING TO OPTIONAL SIDE RETRO REFLECTORS
  124. Schedule 18
  125. IRequirements relating to obligatory rear retro reflectors and optional rear retro reflectors to the extent specified in part ii
  126. 8Paragraph 8
  127. 9Paragraph 9
  128. Part II: REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO OPTIONAL REAR RETRO REFLECTORS
  129. 1Paragraph 1
  130. 2Paragraph 2
  131. 3.Paragraph 3.
  132. Schedule 19
  133. IREQUIREMENTS RELATING TO OBLIGATORY REAR MARKINGS AND OPTIONAL REAR MARKINGS TO THE EXTENT SPECIFIED IN PART II
  134. 7Paragraph 7
  135. 8Paragraph 8
  136. IIREQUIREMENTS RELATING TO OPTIONAL REAR MARKINGS
  137. IIIRE AR MARKINGS PRESCRIBED FOR MOTOR VEHICLES FIRST USED BEFORE 1 APRIL 1996 AND TRAILERS MANUFACTURED BEFORE 1 OCTOBER 1995
  138. Part: ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE ABOVE DIAGRAMS
  139. 1Paragraph 1
  140. 2Paragraph 2
  141. 3Paragraph 3
  142. 4Paragraph 4
  143. 5Paragraph 5
  144. 6Paragraph 6
  145. IVRE AR MARKINGS PRESCRIBED FOR MOTOR VEHICLES WHENEVER FIRST USED AND TRAILERS WHENEVER MANUFACTURED
  146. Schedule 20
  147. IRequirements relating to obligatory pedal retro reflectors and optional pedal retro reflectors to the extent specified in part ii
  148. 7Paragraph 7
  149. IIRequirements relating to optional pedal retro reflectors
  150. Schedule 21
  151. IRequirements relating to obligatory front retroreflectors and to optional front retro reflectors to the extent specified in part ii
  152. 8Paragraph 8
  153. 9Paragraph 9
  154. IIRequirements relating to optional front retro reflectors
  155. Schedule 21ASchedule 21A
  156. Schedule 22Diagram showing where unlit parking is not permitted near a junction
  157. Schedule 23Schedule 23
  158. Schedule 24Requirements relating to daytime running lamps
  159. Explanatory note