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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>58944</law_id><section_number>46.2-1088.5</section_number><catch_line>Reflectors or reflectorized material required on rear end of certain trailers</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="46.2">Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Operation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="10">Motor Vehicle and Equipment Safety</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="10">Miscellaneous Equipment</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> There shall be affixed to the rear end of every <span class="dictionary">utility trailer</span> that does not require state inspection either (i) two or more reflectors of a type approved by the <span class="dictionary">Superintendent</span> or (ii) at least 100 square inches of solid reflectorized <span class="dictionary">material</span>. The reflectors or reflective <span class="dictionary">material</span> shall be applied so as to outline the rear end of the trailer. <a id="paragraph-216168" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1088.5/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Notwithstanding the provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Tail lights" href="/46.2-1013/">46.2-1013</a> or <a class="law" title="Brake lights" href="/46.2-1014/">46.2-1014</a>, any trailer or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span> exempt from registration pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Vehicles used for agricultural or horticultural purposes" href="/46.2-665/">46.2-665</a>, <a class="law" title="Vehicles used for seasonal transportation of farm produce and livestock" href="/46.2-666/">46.2-666</a>, <a class="law" title="Vehicles owned by farmers and used to transport certain wood products" href="/46.2-670/">46.2-670</a>, <a class="law" title="Certain vehicles transporting fertilizer, cotton, or peanuts" href="/46.2-672/">46.2-672</a>, or <a class="law" title="Return trips of exempted farm vehicles" href="/46.2-673/">46.2-673</a> may be operated without tail <span class="dictionary">lights</span> or brake <span class="dictionary">lights</span> on the <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">highways</span></span> of the Commonwealth located in Planning Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, and 23, except interstate <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">highways</span></span>, between sunrise and sunset, provided that such trailer or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span> has affixed to the rear end either (i) two or more reflectors of a type approved by the <span class="dictionary">Superintendent</span> or (ii) at least 100 square inches of solid reflectorized <span class="dictionary">material</span>. Such a trailer or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span> operated without tail <span class="dictionary">lights</span> or brake <span class="dictionary">lights</span> shall keep to the rightmost <span class="dictionary">lane</span> when operating on such a <span class="dictionary">highway</span>, except when turning at an <span class="dictionary">intersection</span> or avoiding any hazard. However, any such trailer or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span> operated without tail <span class="dictionary">lights</span> or brake <span class="dictionary">lights</span> shall not be operated on the <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">highways</span></span> of the Commonwealth (a) during any time when, because of rain, smoke, fog, snow, sleet, insufficient <span class="dictionary">light</span>, or other unfavorable atmospheric conditions, visibility is reduced to a degree whereby persons or <span class="dictionary">vehicles</span> on the <span class="dictionary">highway</span> are not clearly discernible at a distance of 500 feet or (b) whenever windshield wipers are in use as a result of fog, rain, sleet, or snow. <a id="paragraph-216169" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1088.5/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> For the purposes of this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">utility trailer</span>&#x201D; means a trailer whose body and tailgate consist largely or exclusively of a metal mesh. <a id="paragraph-216170" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1088.5/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2004, c. 785; 2005, c. 563; 2025, c. 718.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
