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Texas Law Reference

Texas Transportation Code chapter 547: required headlamps, taillamps, stoplamps and brakes

The official text of the Texas statutes on when a vehicle must display its lights, the headlamps, taillamps, stoplamps and turn signal lamps it must have, and the brakes it must be equipped with and maintain, with a plain-language explanation and how a Texas crash report records vehicle defects. Text last checked October 30, 2026.

11 min readPublished October 30, 2026Last updated October 30, 2026Edited by Joseph Budzinski, CTO, InjuryClaimGuide

The short answer

Texas Transportation Code chapter 547 is the state's vehicle equipment code. Section 547.302(a) says a vehicle "shall display each lighted lamp and illuminating device required by this chapter to be on the vehicle" at nighttime and when light is insufficient or conditions are unfavorable (Transp. Code §547.302). A motor vehicle must be equipped with at least two headlamps (§547.321), taillamps (§547.322), stoplamps (§547.323) and turn signal lamps (§547.324), and brakes "shall be maintained in good working order" (§547.402). A Texas crash report records lighting and brake defects in its own Vehicle Defects list (TxDOT code sheet CR-3CS).

This entry provides general informational guidance and is not legal advice.

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Key facts (as of October 30, 2026)

  • When lights are on. At nighttime, and when light is insufficient or atmospheric conditions are unfavorable so that a person or vehicle is not clearly discernible at a distance of 1,000 feet ahead (§547.302(a)).
  • Headlamps. At least two, one on each side of the front, mounted at a height from 24 to 54 inches (§547.321).
  • Taillamps. At least two, red, plainly visible at 1,000 feet from the rear, plus a white light on the rear license plate (§547.322).
  • Stoplamps. At least two on the rear, red or amber, visible at least 300 feet in sunlight and displayed when the service brake is applied (§547.323).
  • Turn signal lamps. Electric flashing lamps to the front and rear and on the side toward which the turn is made (§547.324).
  • Brakes. Required on a motor vehicle, with brakes on each wheel except as listed, kept in good working order (§547.401, §547.402).
  • On the crash report. Vehicle defect codes 5 to 10, and contributing-factor codes 21 and 56, are in lists 39 and 38 (CR-3CS).
  • Last amended in 2025. The history line for §547.323 lists Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., ch. 359 (S.B. 1493) as its most recent amendment.

What do §547.004 and §547.302 say?

The official text of Tex. Transp. Code §547.004(a) and subsections (a) to (c) of §547.302, as published by the Texas Legislature:

Sec. 547.004. GENERAL OFFENSES. (a) A person commits an offense that is a misdemeanor if the person operates or moves or, as an owner, knowingly permits another to operate or move, a vehicle that:

(1) is unsafe so as to endanger a person;

(2) is not equipped in a manner that complies with the vehicle equipment standards and requirements established by this chapter; or

(3) is equipped in a manner prohibited by this chapter.

Source: Tex. Transp. Code §547.004, statutes.capitol.texas.gov.

Sec. 547.302. DUTY TO DISPLAY LIGHTS. (a) A vehicle shall display each lighted lamp and illuminating device required by this chapter to be on the vehicle:

(1) at nighttime; and

(2) when light is insufficient or atmospheric conditions are unfavorable so that a person or vehicle on the highway is not clearly discernible at a distance of 1,000 feet ahead.

(b) A signaling device, including a stoplamp or a turn signal lamp, shall be lighted as prescribed by this chapter.

(c) At least one lighted lamp shall be displayed on each side of the front of a motor vehicle.

Subsection (d) of §547.302 limits how many headlamps and bright auxiliary lamps may be lighted at one time on the front of a motor vehicle to four (§547.302). Section 547.004(c) lets a court dismiss a charge under the section if the defendant remedies the defect before the first court appearance and pays a reimbursement fee; the fee is not printed here, and subsection (d) says that dismissal rule does not apply to an offense involving a commercial motor vehicle (§547.004).

Source: Tex. Transp. Code §547.302, statutes.capitol.texas.gov. Text last checked October 30, 2026.

What do §§547.321 to 547.324 say about required lamps?

Sec. 547.321. HEADLAMPS REQUIRED. (a) A motor vehicle shall be equipped with at least two headlamps.

(b) At least one headlamp shall be mounted on each side of the front of the vehicle.

(c) Each headlamp shall be mounted at a height from 24 to 54 inches.

Source: Tex. Transp. Code §547.321, statutes.capitol.texas.gov.

Sec. 547.322. TAILLAMPS REQUIRED. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or vehicle that is towed at the end of a combination of vehicles shall be equipped with at least two taillamps.

(d) A taillamp shall emit a red light plainly visible at a distance of 1,000 feet from the rear of the vehicle.

(f) A taillamp or a separate lamp shall be constructed and mounted to emit a white light that:

(1) illuminates the rear license plate; and

(2) makes the plate clearly legible at a distance of 50 feet from the rear.

(g) A taillamp, including a separate lamp used to illuminate a rear license plate, must emit a light when a headlamp or auxiliary driving lamp is lighted.

Source: Tex. Transp. Code §547.322, statutes.capitol.texas.gov.

Sec. 547.323. STOPLAMPS REQUIRED. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer shall be equipped with at least two stoplamps.

(c) A stoplamp shall be mounted on the rear of the vehicle.

(d) A stoplamp shall emit a red or amber light, or a color between red and amber, that is:

(1) visible in normal sunlight at a distance of at least 300 feet from the rear of the vehicle; and

(2) displayed when the vehicle service brake is applied.

Source: Tex. Transp. Code §547.323, statutes.capitol.texas.gov.

Sec. 547.324. TURN SIGNAL LAMPS REQUIRED. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer shall be equipped with electric turn signal lamps that indicate the operator's intent to turn by displaying flashing lights to the front and rear of a vehicle or combination of vehicles and on that side of the vehicle or combination toward which the turn is to be made.

Source: Tex. Transp. Code §547.324, statutes.capitol.texas.gov. Text last checked October 30, 2026.

The sections have further subsections, such as the pre-1960 exceptions, mounting rules for taillamps and turn signal lamps and the color and visibility distances they must meet; this entry quotes only the parts above. The rule on when a driver must signal a turn is in a different chapter and is quoted in the turning and signaling entry.

What do §547.383, §547.401 and §547.402 say?

Section 547.383(a) requires a vehicle, other than a moped or a motorcycle with an engine piston displacement of 250 cubic centimeters or less, to be equipped with at least one lamp, or a combination of lamps, that emits a white or amber light visible at a distance of 1,000 feet from the front and a red light visible at a distance of 1,000 feet from the rear, and subsection (b) requires a vehicle of that kind that is "parked or stopped on a roadway or shoulder at a time specified in Section 547.302(a)" to display such a lamp. Subsection (c) says a vehicle lawfully parked on a highway is not required to display lights at night-time "if there is sufficient light to reveal a person or vehicle on the highway at a distance of 1,000 feet" (§547.383).

Sec. 547.401. BRAKES REQUIRED. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or combination of those vehicles shall be equipped with brakes that comply with this chapter.

Source: Tex. Transp. Code §547.401, statutes.capitol.texas.gov.

Subsection (b) of §547.401 says a trailer, semitrailer or pole trailer is not required to have brakes if its gross weight is 4,500 pounds or less, or if it is heavier than 4,500 pounds but not heavier than 15,000 pounds and is drawn at a speed of not more than 30 miles per hour (§547.401).

Sec. 547.402. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF BRAKES. (a) Required brakes shall operate on each wheel of a vehicle except:

(1) special mobile equipment;

(2) a vehicle that is towed as a commodity when at least one set of the towed vehicle's wheels is on the roadway, if the combination of vehicles complies with the performance requirements of this chapter; and

(3) a trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer with a gross weight heavier than 4,500 pounds but not heavier than 15,000 pounds drawn at a speed of more than 30 miles per hour, if the brakes operate on both wheels of the rear axle.

(d) Brakes shall be maintained in good working order and adjusted to operate on wheels on each side of the vehicle as equally as practicable.

Source: Tex. Transp. Code §547.402, statutes.capitol.texas.gov. Text last checked October 30, 2026.

Subsections (b) and (c) of §547.402 cover trucks with at least three axles and trailers with surge or inertia brake systems (§547.402). Equipment rules specific to commercial motor vehicles are not covered here; the chapter 644 entry covers commercial motor vehicle safety.

What does it mean in plain language?

  • The chapter is an equipment code. It says what a vehicle must be equipped with and when the equipment must be used. Chapter 545 says how a driver must drive.
  • Lights depend on conditions. The duty to display lighted lamps applies at nighttime and when light is insufficient or atmospheric conditions are unfavorable so that a person or vehicle on the highway is not clearly discernible at a distance of 1,000 feet ahead.
  • Each lamp has its own section. Headlamps, taillamps, stoplamps and turn signal lamps each have their own requirements for number, mounting, color and visibility.
  • Brakes are required and maintained. Section 547.401 requires them on a motor vehicle; §547.402(d) says they "shall be maintained in good working order".
  • Equipment offenses can reach an owner. Section 547.004(a) applies to a person who operates a vehicle and to an owner who "knowingly permits another to operate or move" a vehicle that is unsafe so as to endanger a person or not equipped as the chapter requires.
  • A traffic offense. Chapter 547's general offense is a misdemeanor (§547.004(a)); failing to perform an act the traffic subtitle requires is also an offense (§542.301).

How does a crash report record lights and brakes?

  • A separate list. TxDOT's CR-100 says the vehicle defects section "is designed for the investigating officer to record if Vehicle Defects contributed to the crash for each unit", and adds "They may not have enough evidence to file a traffic charge but does have enough data to render an opinion as to the contributing factors of the crash" (CR-100, Version 29.0).
  • Six defect codes. In list 39 of the code sheet, code 5 is "Defective or No Headlamps", 6 is "Defective or No Stop Lamps", 7 is "Defective or No Tail Lamps", 8 is "Defective or No Turn Signal Lamps", 9 is "Defective or No Trailer Brakes" and 10 is "Defective or No Vehicle Brakes" (CR-3CS, 4/1/2023).
  • How TxDOT defines them. CR-100 describes code 5 as when "a vehicle is not equipped with headlamps or when headlamps are defective to any extent that they contribute to the crash", citing "Section 547.302 and 547.321"; code 6 as "When the lack or malfunction of stop lamps contributes to the crash", citing "Section 547.323"; and code 8 as "When the lack of or malfunction of turn signals contributes to the crash", citing "Section 547.324". Code 10 is "When the lack of or malfunction of brakes on motor vehicles or motorcycles contributes to the crash", citing "Section 547.401 and 547.402".
  • Tail lamps. For code 7, CR-100 says "Consideration should be given to factors in the crash such as time of day and lighting conditions and not statute requirements", citing "Section 547.322".
  • Two contributing-factor codes. In list 38, code 21 is "Drove Without Headlights", defined as when "lighting conditions or time of day dictates use of headlights for safe operation to perceive actual hazards and a lack of compliance contributes to the crash", citing "Section 547.302(a)"; code 56 is "Parked without Lights", defined as when a vehicle "is parked without lights in violation of any provision of Section 547.383 and the action contributes to the crash".
  • An opinion, not a charge. Vehicle defect and contributing-factor codes on a CR-3 are the investigating officer's opinion. The guide to reading a Texas crash report explains the other fields and code lists.
  • Civil claims are separate. Chapter 547 says what a vehicle must be equipped with. It does not say whether or how an equipment defect matters in a civil injury claim; Texas's rules on dividing responsibility among the people involved are in chapter 33 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code, which the §33.001 entry quotes.

What applies in Houston and Harris County?

  • Statewide rules. Chapter 547 applies on Houston streets and Harris County roads and freeways as everywhere in Texas.
  • No local rule found. No City of Houston or Harris County ordinance on vehicle lights or brakes was read for this entry, and none is listed.
  • Same crash report. A crash investigated by the Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff's Office or another agency is reported on the same CR-3 form; the Houston crash report guide lists how each local agency says to request a copy.
  • Related entries. The commercial motor vehicle entry covers commercial motor vehicle safety, and the truck accidents guide covers the topic more broadly.

When was this checked, and can it change?

The text above was last checked on October 30, 2026, against the official text published by the Texas Legislature, and the TxDOT code sheet and instructions were read the same day. The Legislature can amend a statute in any session. It convenes in regular session on the second Tuesday in January of each odd-numbered year (Gov't Code §301.001), so the next regular session begins on January 12, 2027. This entry is scheduled to be rechecked against the official text by April 2027 and again after the 2027 regular session ends.

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Frequently asked questions

When must a vehicle's lights be on in Texas?
Under Tex. Transp. Code §547.302(a), a vehicle shall display each lighted lamp and illuminating device required by chapter 547 to be on the vehicle at nighttime and when light is insufficient or atmospheric conditions are unfavorable so that a person or vehicle on the highway is not clearly discernible at a distance of 1,000 feet ahead. Subsection (b) says a signaling device, including a stoplamp or a turn signal lamp, shall be lighted as the chapter prescribes.
How many headlamps must a Texas vehicle have?
Section 547.321 says a motor vehicle shall be equipped with at least two headlamps, at least one headlamp shall be mounted on each side of the front of the vehicle, and each headlamp shall be mounted at a height from 24 to 54 inches.
What do the Texas taillamp and stoplamp rules require?
Section 547.322 requires at least two taillamps (one for a passenger car or truck manufactured or assembled before model year 1960), mounted at a height from 15 to 72 inches, that emit a red light plainly visible at a distance of 1,000 feet from the rear, plus a white light that illuminates the rear license plate. Section 547.323 requires at least two stoplamps mounted on the rear that emit a red or amber light, or a color between red and amber, visible in normal sunlight at a distance of at least 300 feet and displayed when the vehicle service brake is applied.
Does Texas law require turn signal lamps on a vehicle?
Section 547.324(a) says a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer or pole trailer shall be equipped with electric turn signal lamps that indicate the operator's intent to turn by displaying flashing lights to the front and rear of the vehicle and on the side toward which the turn is to be made, with an exception for certain passenger cars or trucks less than 80 inches wide manufactured or assembled before model year 1960.
What do Texas statutes say about brakes?
Section 547.401(a) says a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer or combination of those vehicles shall be equipped with brakes that comply with the chapter, with an exception in subsection (b) for certain light trailers. Section 547.402(a) says required brakes shall operate on each wheel of a vehicle except as listed, and subsection (d) says brakes shall be maintained in good working order and adjusted to operate on wheels on each side of the vehicle as equally as practicable.
How does a Texas crash report record vehicle defects such as lights and brakes?
TxDOT's code sheet (Form CR-3CS, 4/1/2023) has a Vehicle Defects list (list 39) with codes 5, Defective or No Headlamps, 6, Defective or No Stop Lamps, 7, Defective or No Tail Lamps, 8, Defective or No Turn Signal Lamps, 9, Defective or No Trailer Brakes and 10, Defective or No Vehicle Brakes, and the contributing-factor list has 21, Drove Without Headlights and 56, Parked without Lights. TxDOT's CR-100 instructions tie each code to the sections this entry quotes.
Does a lighting or brake defect decide who is responsible for a crash?
No. Chapter 547 sets equipment requirements for vehicles. It does not decide responsibility for any crash or the outcome of any claim, and a crash report's vehicle defect and contributing-factor codes are the investigating officer's opinion. Texas's proportionate responsibility rules are in Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code chapter 33. An attorney can advise you about your specific situation.

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