Which lighting is mandatory on a semi-trailer?

In this complete guide, we cover the rules and legislation on lighting on a semi-trailer. With it, you can ensure that the semi-trailer complies with European legislation.

In this blog, you will read:

• What lighting is mandatory on a 12V semi-trailer
• Where the lighting should be placed (mounting rules)

What is mandatory on a semi-trailer?

The mandatory lighting on a semi-trailer consists of:

• At the front: 2 white reflectors.
• At the back:
  • 2 red rear lights
  • 2 brake lights
  • 2 direction indicators, amber
  • Licence plate light, white. At least one light illuminating the entire plate
  • 2 red reflectors in triangular shape.
    Height: minimum 0.35 metres and maximum 1.50 metres above the road surface
• On the sides: 1 amber reflector, in the middle third of the semi-trailer.

These are the basic requirements that apply to a semi-trailer less than 160 cm wide and up to 6 metres long.

Semi-Trailer requirements between 160 cm and 210 cm wide

Front:

• Reflectors: Two white retroreflectors
  Placement: Symmetrical on both sides of the centre.
  Height: Minimum 0.25 metres and maximum 0.90 metres above the road surface.

• City lights: Two white lights (mandatory if the semi-trailer was put into service after 30 June 1967).
  Placement: Symmetrical on either side of the centre.
  Height: No specific height requirement, appropriate to the design.

Rear:

Side:

• At least 1 amber reflector per side, preferably in the middle part of the semi-trailer. Height: Between 0.25 metres and 1.50 metres above the road surface. If constructively not possible otherwise: Maximum 2.10 metres above the road surface.

Additional rules semi-trailer wider than 210 cm

Semi-Trailer longer than 6 metres but shorter than 9 metres

Additional requirements apply to semi-trailers longer than 6 metres but shorter than 9 metres. The sides must have amber side marker lights, evenly distributed along the length. The distance between two marker lights may not exceed 3 metres. The first marker light must be placed no further than 1 metre from the front, and the last light no further than 1 metre from the rear. In addition, each side must have at least one amber reflector placed in the same locations as the side marker lights. As with shorter semi-trailers, reflectors and marker lights must be located at a height between 0.25 metres and 1.50 metres above the road surface. If not otherwise structurally possible, they may be placed up to 2.10 metres above the road surface.

Semi-Trailer longer than 9 metres

Trailers longer than 9 metres are subject to stricter requirements to improve visibility. On the sides, amber side marker lights must be evenly spaced. The distance between two marker lights must not exceed 2 metres, so that the semi-trailer remains clearly visible even in darkness or poor visibility. The first side marker light must be placed no further than 1 metre from the front of the semi-trailer, and the last light no further than 1 metre from the rear.

In addition to the side marker lights, each side must have at least one amber reflector. These reflectors must be placed in the same locations as the side marker lights. The reflectors and marker lights must be located at a height between 0.25 metres and 1.50 metres above the road surface. If the construction of the semi-trailer does not make it possible to stay within these height requirements, they may be mounted at a maximum height of 2.10 metres above the road surface.

On closed semi-trailers with a height of more than 1.80 metres, side marker lights should be placed both at the bottom (between 0.25 metres and 1.50 metres) and as high as possible near the top edge. This ensures that the contours of the semi-trailer, both above and below, are clearly visible to other road users. If technically not otherwise possible, the upper marker lights may be mounted at a height of up to 2.10 metres.

Note: from 2025, side lighting must flash along with heavy semi-trailers (O3 and O4)

From 1 January 2025, newly registered semi-trailers of category O3 and O4 will be required to have side marker lights flashing synchronously with the direction indicators. This amendment from UNECE Regulation R48 (Revision 11) improves visibility when turning or changing lanes.

The flashing function may also be performed with a separate side direction indicator - this is technically permissible. This change in the law only applies to new vehicles from 2025, existing semi-trailers do not have to be retrofitted.

Frequently asked questions from practitioners

Is side lighting on a semi-trailer mandatory?

Yes, it is mandatory to fit side marker lights on a semi-trailer if the vehicle was put into service after 31 December 1997 and is longer than 6 metres.

For trailers brought into service before 31 December 1997, it is not mandatory to have side marker lights, even if the semi-trailer is longer than 6 metres. This obligation only applies to trailers authorised after this date and exceeding 6 metres in length.

Where must side marker lights be fitted on the vehicle?

According to the rules for lighting on a semi-trailer, side marker lights must be fitted on each side of the semi-trailer. Mounting takes place in the middle third of the vehicle. Furthermore, it is important that the distance between the side lighting and the retroreflectors does not exceed 4 metres. In addition, the distance from the most forward side marker lights and retroreflector to the extreme front of the vehicle must not exceed 4.00 metres.

Finally, it is important that the distance between the most rear-facing side marker lights and the most rear-facing retroreflector to the extreme rear of the vehicle does not exceed 1 metre.

This is subject to the exception that if the vehicle does not exceed 6m in length, also known as bare chassis, if the length of the vehicle is divided into three equal parts, one side marker light on the front third and one side marker light on the rear third of the length of the vehicle. In this situation, one side marker light present is also sufficient.

Furthermore, side marker lights and amber retroreflectors must be fitted at a height of no less than 0.25m and no more than 1.5m above the road surface. If the construction of the vehicle makes it impossible, the side marker lights may be fitted at a height of more than 1.5m. However, they may not be placed higher than 2.10m above the road surface.

Are contour lights on a semi-trailer mandatory?

Having contour lights on a semi-trailer is mandatory under certain circumstances. Before we dive further into what contour lights are and what rules apply to them, it is good to answer another question earlier. What is contour lights? Contour lights are a synonym for LED marker lights. This category of LED lighting on a semi-trailer occurs at the front, side and rear of the semi-trailer. When talking about the legal requirements of contour lighting on a semi-trailer, the following rules apply.

Contour lights on front and rear of semi-trailer

For semi-trailers wider than 2.10 metres, two marker lights must be fitted on both the front and rear of the semi-trailer. As normally, the colour of the front of the semi-trailer must be white and the colour of the LED marker lights at the rear must be red.

Contour lights on the side of the semi-trailer

Orange/amber yellow LED marker lights must be placed on the side of the semi-trailer if the semi-trailer is longer than six (6) metres.

What reflectors are mandatory on a semi-trailer?

Reflectors aim to make the semi-trailer more visible in other ways besides lighting. Reflectors also help other road users better judge how wide and how long the semi-trailer is. Thus, on a dark road, this may not always be easily visible. There are requirements for reflectors on every 12V semi-trailer.

Mandatory reflectors on a semi-trailer:

• Two (2) white reflectors at the front (not triangular). These reflectors must be mounted a minimum of 250mm and a maximum of 900mm from the ground;
• One (1) orange/yellow reflector on both sides of the semi-trailer (not triangular). Again, these reflectors must be mounted a minimum of 250mm and a maximum of 900mm from the ground. An additional rule for lighting on trailers is that the reflectors must not be more than one metre from the rear. There should also be no more than three metres between reflectors on the side.
• Two (2) red reflectors at the rear. The red reflectors must be mounted at least 350mm high from the ground and cannot be higher than 1500mm. For the distribution of the reflectors, there must be at least 600mm between them. For 12V trailers narrower than 1300mm, there must be at least 400mm between the two reflectors.

If you want to make your semi-trailer even more visible, it is also possible to mount additional reflectors on the 12V semi-trailer. This is not compulsory according to the rules for lighting on a semi-trailer, but it is certainly possible. However, it is strongly recommended to use the correct spacing. This is generally not checked very strictly, but it is good to follow the rules. Besides reflectors, you also have reflective tape. This looks nice on a semi-trailer and can also provide even better visibility.

Types of reflectors on a semi-trailer

Reflectors come in different dimensions and shapes. The shape of reflectors is important because it contains different functions. It is also important to mount the right reflector in the right place. Reflectors mainly come in three shapes, namely round, rectangle and triangle reflectors. The round and rectangular reflectors come in different colours. Thus, the round reflector comes in red, orange/yellow and white, the rectangular reflector comes in orange/yellow and white and the obligatory triangular reflector is only made in red. Some LED lights in our range already have the reflector built in.

Is side marker lighting mandatory on a semi-trailer?

LED side marker lights on semi-trailers up to a maximum width of 1.6m are not mandatory under the semi-trailer lighting rules. However, for this category of semi-trailers, it is important to indicate the width of the semi-trailer in a different way. This is done using the reflectors described above. When a semi-trailer is wider than 1.6m, side marker lights are mandatory on a semi-trailer.

Exceptions for certain countries

Although the general guidelines are followed in most European countries, there may be specific additional requirements or interpretations from country to country. he is therefore advisable to always consult local laws and regulations or contact the relevant authorities to ensure that your vehicle meets all national legal requirements.

Netherlands

• Responsible authority: Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer (RDW)
• Relevant regulations: Vehicle Regulations, Article 5.12.51
• Website: nl

Germany

• Responsible authority: Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA)
• Relevant regulations: Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung (StVZO)
• Information on admission: www.kba.de

Italy

• Responsible authority: Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti
• Relevant regulations: Codice della Strada, Articolo 151
• Website: it

France

• Authority responsible: Ministère de l'Intérieur
• Relevant regulations: Code de la Route, Article R313-1
• Website: www.interieur.gouv.fr

United Kingdom

• Responsible authority: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)
• Relevant regulations:Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989, Regulation 18
• Website: www.gov.uk/dvsa

Background information on legislation

The European Economic Commission for the United Nations (UNECE) sets the basic standards that apply to vehicles, including trailers. This is done through the so-called ECE regulations.

These regulations describe in detail the mandatory lighting requirements for semi-trailers, including the placement, colour and functionality of lighting and reflectors.

Each country bases its national regulations on these UNECE standards. However, national authorities may set additional requirements or exceptions specific to that country.

Examples of such bodies are the RDW in the Netherlands, the TÜV in Germany and the DVSA in the UK. These bodies check whether vehicles (including semi-trailers) meet the standards and grant approval for admission on public roads.

The TRALERT® choice

If you are looking for lighting for your semi-trailer, we recommend this complete set from TRALERT®. The set includes rear lights, marker lights, licence plate lights and side marker lights, allowing you not only to hit the road safely, but also stylishly with our careful selection.

Better Light Work Safer!

Connecting semi-trailer lighting?

In this blog above, you were able to read all about the different rules governing lighting on a semi-trailer. Besides having lighting, it is also very important to connect it correctly. There are different types of cables and connections that apply here. Want to know more about connecting semi-trailer lighting? And the corresponding wiring diagrams? Then read our other article on semi-trailer lighting.

Disclaimer:

At TRALERT®, we do our best to keep the information in this article as accurate and up-to-date as possible, including the regulations surrounding vehicle lighting. However, legislation can change regularly, and although we make every effort to implement these changes in a timely manner, it is possible that certain updates or adjustments have not yet been incorporated into this article. We therefore always advise our readers to check the current legislation with their local government or regulatory bodies, especially when it comes to exceptions or specific national regulations. TRALERT® is not liable for any damages or fines resulting from outdated or incomplete information in this article.

If in doubt, always contact the competent authority to ensure that your vehicle meets all legal requirements.