Is the Center Brake Light Required?

In most modern passenger vehicles, a center brake light—formally called a Center High-Mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL)—is legally required if the vehicle was originally manufactured with one or was built after certain cutoff dates; however, whether it is mandatory on every vehicle on the road depends on its model year and the jurisdiction’s specific regulations.

What the Center Brake Light Is and Why It Exists

The center brake light, often mounted high on the rear window or trunk line, is designed to improve visibility when a driver brakes, especially for following vehicles that might have their view of the standard left and right brake lights blocked. Regulators and safety researchers introduced it after studies showed it reduces rear-end collisions by making braking intentions more obvious and easier to notice in heavy traffic.

United States: Federal Requirements and Practical Realities

In the United States, the requirement for center brake lights is governed primarily by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, which covers lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment. The rules focus on vehicle manufacture and sale rather than day-to-day maintenance by owners, but in practice, the light’s presence and functionality matter for legal compliance and safety inspections.

Which Vehicles Must Have a Center Brake Light?

To clarify which U.S. vehicles are required to have a center brake light, it helps to distinguish between different types of vehicles and their model years, which determine whether manufacturers had to install a CHMSL at the factory.

This list outlines the key U.S. federal milestones that determine when center brake lights became mandatory on newly manufactured vehicles.

• Passenger cars (U.S.): Required on all new passenger cars manufactured on or after September 1, 1985 (starting with the 1986 model year).
• Light trucks, vans, and SUVs (U.S.): Required on new multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, and buses under 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) manufactured on or after September 1, 1993 (roughly 1994 model year onward).
• Older vehicles: Vehicles built before these dates were not originally required to have a center brake light; many never had one from the factory.
• Aftermarket additions: If a CHMSL is added after manufacture, it must still comply with visibility and color rules under lighting regulations.

These milestones mean that nearly every modern passenger vehicle on U.S. roads—especially anything from the mid‑1990s onward—came with a center brake light from the factory and is expected to keep it in working order.

Is It Illegal to Drive Without a Working Center Brake Light in the U.S.?

While FMVSS standards apply to manufacturers and new-vehicle sales, state laws and inspection rules determine what is required in daily use and what counts as a violation during traffic stops or state inspections.

The following points summarize how most U.S. states treat center brake lights in terms of legality and enforcement.

• “If equipped” principle: In many states, if your vehicle was equipped with a center brake light from the factory, it is required to be operational. A burned-out CHMSL can justify a traffic stop or inspection failure.
• Minimum brake light count: Almost all states require at least two functioning stop lamps (left and right). Some inspection regimes explicitly add the center brake light to the list of required operational lights for vehicles originally equipped with it.
• Older vehicles exception: Classic cars or older trucks that were never manufactured with a CHMSL generally are not required to retrofit one, as long as their original left and right brake lights work properly.
• State-to-state variation: Some states’ statutes explicitly reference a “high-mounted stop lamp,” while others rely on more general language (“all original lighting equipment must be maintained in good working order”).
• Enforcement reality: Police commonly use defective lighting—center brake lights included—as a lawful basis to initiate a traffic stop, even if the required two main brake lights are functioning.

As a result, if your car was built with a center brake light, driving without it usually risks both a traffic citation and failing any required periodic safety inspection, even though the original federal rule targeted vehicle manufacturers rather than drivers.

Europe and the UK: Harmonized but Date-Dependent Rules

In Europe and the United Kingdom, center brake light requirements derive from United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) regulations and EU directives, which have been progressively incorporated into national laws. As in the U.S., whether it is legally required often depends on the vehicle’s age and category.

European Union and UNECE Countries

Most European and UNECE member states follow UN Regulation No. 48, which sets installation requirements for lighting equipment, including high-mounted stop lamps on certain vehicles.

This list summarizes the broad European/UNECE framework for center brake lights.

• Passenger cars (new type approvals): High-mounted stop lamps became effectively mandatory for many passenger cars approved under UNECE Regulation 48 from the late 1990s and early 2000s, with exact dates depending on vehicle category and national implementation.
• Mandatory fitment on newer vehicles: For newer passenger cars (typically early 2000s onward), a center brake light is almost universally required at the point of type approval and first registration.
• Older vehicles: Cars approved before the relevant UNECE rules took effect may not be required to have a CHMSL, and retrofitting is usually not compulsory.
• Functionality requirements: Where a CHMSL is mandatory or originally fitted, it must be red, must illuminate with the service brake, and must not be confused with other rear lights.

While the details vary between countries, the practical reality in the EU and broader UNECE region mirrors that of the United States: nearly all modern cars must have a functioning center brake light, and only older vehicles escape the requirement.

United Kingdom: MOT and Construction & Use Rules

In the UK, the legal landscape is shaped by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations and, for ongoing use, the annual MOT test for vehicles over a certain age. The center brake light is treated both as a safety feature and as testable equipment once installed.

The following points highlight how center brake lights are treated under UK rules and MOT testing.

• Original fitment principle: If a high-level brake light is fitted and clearly intended for use, MOT testers will usually check that it works; if it is obviously inoperative, this can lead to a test fail, depending on the current MOT testing manual.
• Not mandatory on all older cars: Many older UK-registered cars never had a center brake light; MOT rules typically do not require retrofitting, provided required main brake lamps are correct and functional.
• Newer vehicles: For modern vehicles, the center brake light is expected to be operational as part of the required rear lighting, reflecting the adoption of EU/UNECE standards.
• Alterations and removals: Deliberately disabling or removing a fitted high-mounted stop lamp can create problems at MOT if it looks like missing or defective mandatory equipment.

For UK drivers with vehicles built in the last couple of decades, keeping the center brake light in good working order is effectively a necessity, both to pass the MOT and to avoid potential enforcement issues under lighting regulations.

Canada, Australia, and Other Jurisdictions

Other major automotive markets also mandate center brake lights on newer vehicles, generally following safety trends set in the U.S. and Europe while implementing their own technical regulations and enforcement systems.

Canada

Transport Canada has requirements similar to the U.S. for center brake lights under the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS), especially CMVSS 108, which parallels FMVSS 108.

This list covers Canada’s general approach to center brake light rules.

• New vehicles: Passenger cars and most light trucks produced in the late 1980s onward are required to have a center high-mounted stop lamp at the time of manufacture.
• Provincial enforcement: Provincial and territorial regulations and safety inspections typically treat the CHMSL as required equipment if originally installed.
• Older vehicles and classics: As elsewhere, vehicles predating the requirement are usually exempt from retrofitting obligations.

Canadians driving modern vehicles are thus generally required to keep their center brake lights functional to remain compliant with provincial safety and inspection rules.

Australia and New Zealand

Australia follows the Australian Design Rules (ADRs), while New Zealand has the Land Transport Rules; both incorporate requirements for high-mounted stop lamps on newer vehicles.

The following points summarize the treatment of center brake lights in Australia and New Zealand.

• Australian Design Rules: ADR 49 and related standards require high-mounted stop lamps on newer passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, aligning broadly with international practice.
• Warrant of Fitness (NZ): In New Zealand, if a high-mounted stop lamp is fitted, it must generally work correctly to pass the Warrant of Fitness inspection.
• Legacy vehicles: Classic and older vehicles that predate these rules may not need a CHMSL, provided their primary brake lamps meet the required standards.

In practice, nearly all late-model Australian and New Zealand vehicles are expected to have operational center brake lights as part of routine roadworthiness requirements.

If Your Vehicle Has One, It’s Almost Always Treated as Required

Across jurisdictions, a common legal theme appears: while regulators originally mandated center brake lights at the point of manufacture and type approval, day-to-day enforcement often hinges on whether your specific vehicle was originally equipped with one.

What That Means for Everyday Drivers

Knowing whether the center brake light is required on your own vehicle depends on how old it is, where it was sold originally, and the rules in your region, but certain general rules of thumb apply almost everywhere.

This list summarizes the practical takeaways for drivers wondering if their center brake light must work.

• Modern vehicles: If your car, SUV, van, or light truck is from the mid‑1990s or later (earlier in some markets), it almost certainly came with a CHMSL and is expected to have it working.
• Original equipment rule: Many jurisdictions require that all original safety and lighting equipment be kept in good working order; a factory CHMSL falls squarely under this rule.
• Inspections: Mandatory inspections (MOT, safety checks, WOF, etc.) often fail vehicles with non-functioning high-mounted brake lights if they are fitted and appear to be part of the original lighting system.
• Police stops: Non-functioning brake lights, including CHMSLs, are among the most common technical reasons for traffic stops and equipment citations.
• Retrofits: If you add an aftermarket CHMSL, most places then treat it as safety equipment that must operate correctly and meet color and brightness standards.

For most drivers of contemporary vehicles, treating the center brake light as legally required—and promptly repairing it if it fails—is the safest approach both legally and from a safety standpoint.

Safety Evidence: Why Regulators Made It Mandatory

Beyond legality, the center brake light exists because studies showed it meaningfully reduces crashes. It was not added for aesthetics: regulators moved after data showed a clear safety benefit in real-world conditions.

Crash Reduction and Visibility Benefits

Early field trials of high-mounted stop lamps in fleet vehicles in the 1970s and 1980s, particularly in the United States, measured how often rear-end collisions occurred in vehicles with and without the added high-level brake lamp.

This list highlights key findings from safety research that led to widespread adoption of center brake lights.

• Reduced rear-end collisions: U.S. studies conducted by NHTSA found that early adopters of CHMSLs experienced a measurable reduction—often several percentage points—in rear-end crashes compared with similar vehicles without them.
• Better visibility in traffic: The higher positioning makes the light more visible when the line of sight to the main brake lamps is blocked by other cars or when following vehicles are close behind.
• Faster reaction times: Eye-tracking and simulator studies suggest drivers notice a high-mounted brake light more quickly, shaving off fractions of a second in reaction time that can translate into shorter stopping distances.
• Urban and stop‑and‑go settings: The benefits are most pronounced in congested urban traffic, where slight improvements in visibility and reaction time can prevent low-speed collisions.

Because of this evidence, most regulators worldwide converged on requirements that effectively make CHMSLs standard on new vehicles, reinforcing that even if your local law is complex, maintaining this light is wise from a safety perspective.

How to Check Whether Yours Is Legally Required

Determining whether the center brake light is mandatory on your specific vehicle requires checking its age, original equipment, and your local regulations, but the process is straightforward for most owners.

Steps for Drivers to Confirm Requirements

Motorists who want a clear answer tailored to their car and location can use a few simple steps to verify whether their CHMSL must be present and working.

This ordered list outlines a practical method to confirm whether your center brake light is legally required where you live.

1. Identify your vehicle’s model year: Locate the model year on your registration or VIN plate; this determines which regulatory era applies.
2. Check if a CHMSL was factory-fitted: Look for a high-mounted red lamp in the rear window, spoiler, or trunk edge; owners’ manuals and manufacturer specifications can confirm original equipment.
3. Review your region’s rules: Consult your national transport authority, local Department of Motor Vehicles, MOT/WOF guidance, or official online regulations for lighting requirements and inspection rules.
4. Ask a certified inspector or mechanic: Inspection stations and reputable garages usually know whether a non-working CHMSL will fail inspection or count as a legal defect.
5. Err on the side of repair: Even if older cars might be exempt, replacing a bulb or fixing an LED strip is typically cheap insurance against both tickets and rear-end crashes.

By following these steps, drivers can move beyond general rules of thumb and confirm the exact obligations that apply to their particular vehicle and jurisdiction.

Summary

Whether a center brake light is legally required depends mainly on when and where the vehicle was built. In the United States, Canada, Europe (including the UK), Australia, New Zealand, and many other markets, center high-mounted stop lamps have been mandatory on new passenger vehicles for decades. While very old vehicles that never had one are usually exempt, modern cars, SUVs, and light trucks that were factory‑equipped with a CHMSL are generally required to keep it functional under local roadworthiness and inspection rules. Given the clear evidence that these lights reduce rear-end collisions and the low cost of repairs, treating the center brake light as essential—and fixing it promptly if it fails—is both the legally safest and most responsible choice for drivers.