The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989

(Regulations 18 and 20)

SCHEDULE 12

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.

PART II Rrequirements relating to optional stop lamps

Any number may be fitted, and the requirements prescribed by these Regulations in respect of any which are fitted are all those specified in Part I except–

(a) those specified in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3; and

(b) in the case of a stop lamp fitted to a pedal cycle, those specified in paragraphs 5 and 8; and

(c) in the case of a stop lamp fitted to a motor vehicle not being a motor bicycle, first used on or after 1st April 1991 either centrally or in such a manner as to project light through the rear window the intensity of the light emitted to the rear of the vehicle shall be not less than 20 candelas and not more than 60 candelas when measured from directly behind the centre of the lamp in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.