# 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

Extent: E+W+S

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

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/12/part/I (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/road-vehicles-lighting-regulations-1989/schedule-12/part-I
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.