California Code of Regulations › Title 13 - Motor Vehicles › Division 2 - Department of the California Highway Patrol › Chapter 2 - Lighting Equipment › Article 7 - Mounting Requirements › Section 699 - Turn Signal Lamps

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
Turn signal lamps shall be mounted and operated as
					 follows:
(a) Motor Vehicles. Turn
				  signal systems on motor vehicles shall consist of at least two single-faced or
				  double-faced turn signal lamps on or near the front and at least two
				  single-faced turn signal lamps on the rear. Double-faced turn signal lamps
				  shall be mounted ahead of the center of the steering wheel or the center of the
				  outside rearview mirror, whichever is rearmost. A truck-tractor or a truck
				  chassis without body or load may be equipped with one double-faced turn signal
				  lamp on each side in lieu of the four separate lamps otherwise required on a
				  motor vehicle. Front and rear turn signal lamps on motorcycles shall be at
				  least 23 cm (9 in.) apart, except that front turn signals on motorcycles
				  manufactured after January 1, 1973, shall be at least 40 cm (16 in.) apart.
				  Turn signal lamps on other vehicles shall be spaced as far apart as practical.
				  The optical axis of the front turn signal lamp shall be at least 10 cm (4 in.),
				  or as specified by FMVSS 108 in effect at the time of vehicle manufacture, from
				  the inside diameter of the retaining ring of the lower beam headlamp unit, fog
				  lamp unit or passing lamp unit. Additional turn signal lamps may be mounted
				  closer than the 10 cm (4 in.) dimension provided the primary lamps equal or
				  exceed that distance. Original equipment turn signals that emit two and
				  one-half times the minimum candela requirements may be closer.
(b) Towed Vehicles. The rearmost vehicle in a
				  combination of vehicles shall be equipped with at least two single-faced turn
				  signal lamps on the rear. The signal system on a combination of vehicles towed
				  by a motor vehicle equipped with double-faced front turn signal lamps may be
				  connected so only the double-faced turn signal lamps on the towing vehicle and
				  the signal lamps on the rear of the rearmost vehicle are operative. Towed
				  vehicles not required to be equipped with turn signals by Vehicle Code Section
				  24951(b)
				  shall be equipped with rear turn signal lamps when turn signal lamps are
				  required or used in lieu of hand and arm signals under Vehicle Code Section
				  22110. Such
				  lamps are not required on the following vehicles when the rear signal lamps on
				  the preceding vehicle in the combination can be seen by a following driver from
				  straight to the rear of the lamp to 45 deg outboard:
Vehicles with a gross weight of less than 2722 kg (6,000
					 lb)
Special mobile equipment
Pole and pipe dollies
Logging dollies
Auxiliary dollies
(c) Operation. Turn signal lamps visible to
				  approaching or following drivers shall flash in unison, except that a turn
				  signal consisting of two or more units mounted horizontally may flash in
				  sequence from inboard to outboard. The lamps may be either extinguished
				  simultaneously or lighted simultaneously. Turn signal lamps shall flash at a
				  rate of 60 to 120 flashes per minute.
(d) Pilot Indicator. An effective visual
				  signal operating at the same rate as the turn signal flasher shall be
				  incorporated in the circuit to give clear and unmistakable indication to the
				  driver that the turn signal lamps are turned on. Failure of one or more turn
				  signals to operate shall be indicated by a steady-on, steady-off, or
				  significant change in the flashing rate of the illuminated indicator, except on
				  combinations of vehicles using a variable load flasher.
(e) Visibility. Lamps shall be mounted so the
				  signal light from at least one lamp on each side is visible from directly to
				  the front or rear within a 45-deg outboard angle on its side of the vehicle.
				  Within these angles, no part of the vehicle or load shall obstruct the lamp
				  from the view of another driver. On combinations of vehicles, rear turn signal
				  lamps on other than the rearmost vehicle shall be mounted so that at least one
				  lamp at each side is not obstructed by any towed vehicle within angles of 10 to
				  45 deg on its side of the vehicle.
(f) Mounting Height. Required turn signal
				  lamps shall be mounted at a height not less than 38 cm (15 in.) nor higher than
				  2.1 m (83 in.). A turn signal function may be combined in the high mounted
				  stoplamps permitted on tow trucks by Vehicle Code Section
				  24603.
1. Amendment
					 of subsection (a) filed 2-8-2008; operative 3-9-2008 (Register 2008, No.
					 6).
Note: Authority cited: Section
						26103,
						Vehicle Code. Reference: Sections
						24012 and
						26103,
						Vehicle Code.