Title TN, Transportation Code

Sec. 547.405. EMERGENCY BRAKES REQUIRED. (a) A vehicle used to tow another vehicle equipped with air-controlled brakes shall be equipped with the following means, together or separate, for applying the trailer brakes in an emergency: (1) an automatic device that applies the brake…

Sec. 547.406. BRAKE RESERVOIR OR RESERVE CAPACITY REQUIRED. (a) A bus, truck, or truck-tractor equipped with air brakes shall be equipped with at least one reservoir that: (1) is sufficient to ensure that the service brakes can be fully applied without lowering the reservoir pres…

Sec. 547.407. BRAKE WARNING DEVICES REQUIRED. (a) A bus, truck, or truck-tractor that uses air to operate its brakes or the brakes of a towed vehicle shall be equipped with: (1) a warning signal, other than a pressure gauge, that is readily audible or visible to the vehicle opera…

Sec. 547.408. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR BRAKES. (a) A motor vehicle or combination of vehicles shall be equipped with service brakes capable of: (1) developing a braking force that is not less than: (A) 52.8 percent of the gross weight of the vehicle for a passenger vehicle; o…

Sec. 547.501. AUDIBLE WARNING DEVICES. (a) A motor vehicle shall be equipped with a horn in good working condition that emits a sound audible under normal conditions at a distance of at least 200 feet. (b) A vehicle may not be equipped with and a person may not use on a vehicle a…

Sec. 547.502. VISIBLE WARNING DEVICES REQUIRED. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person who operates, outside an urban district or on a divided highway, a truck, bus, or truck-tractor or a motor vehicle towing a house trailer shall carry in the vehicle: (1) at daytime:…

Sec. 547.503. DISPLAY OF HAZARD LAMPS. (a) The operator of a vehicle that is described by Subsection (b) and that is stopped on a roadway or shoulder shall immediately display vehicular hazard warning lamps that comply with Section 547.331, unless the vehicle: (1) is parked lawfu…

Sec. 547.504. DISPLAY OF DEVICES WHEN LIGHTED LAMPS REQUIRED. (a) Unless sufficient light exists to reveal a person or vehicle at a distance of 1,000 feet, the operator of a vehicle described by Section 547.503(b) or an explosive cargo vehicle shall display warning devices that c…

Sec. 547.505. DISPLAY OF DEVICES WHEN LIGHTED LAMPS ARE NOT REQUIRED. (a) The operator of a vehicle described by Section 547.503(b) or an explosive cargo vehicle that is disabled, or stopped for more than 10 minutes, on a roadway outside an urban district or on a roadway of a div…

Sec. 547.506. DISPLAY OF DEVICES: VEHICLES OFF ROADWAY. The operator of a vehicle described by Section 547.503(b) or an explosive cargo vehicle that is stopped entirely on the shoulder at a time and in a place referred to in this subchapter shall place required warning devices on…

Sec. 547.507. DISPLAY OF DEVICES WHEN VIEW OF VEHICLE OBSTRUCTED. Unless sufficient light exists to reveal a person or vehicle at a distance of 1,000 feet, the operator of a vehicle described by Section 547.503(b) or an explosive cargo vehicle that is disabled, or stopped for mor…

Sec. 547.508. OFFENSE RELATING TO WARNING DEVICES. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person may not remove, damage, destroy, misplace, or extinguish a warning device required under Sections 547.502-547.507 when the device is being displayed or used as required. (b) This…

Sec. 547.601. SAFETY BELTS REQUIRED. A motor vehicle shall be equipped with: (1) front safety belts if safety belt anchorages were part of the manufacturer's original equipment on the vehicle; or (2) for a motor vehicle that is an assembled vehicle, as defined by Section 731.001,…

Sec. 547.602. MIRRORS REQUIRED. A motor vehicle, including a motor vehicle used to tow another vehicle, shall be equipped with a mirror located to reflect to the operator a view of the highway for a distance of at least 200 feet from the rear of the vehicle. Acts 1995, 74th Leg.,…

Sec. 547.603. WINDSHIELD WIPERS REQUIRED. A motor vehicle shall be equipped with a device that is operated or controlled by the operator of the vehicle and that cleans moisture from the windshield. The device shall be maintained in good working condition. Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch…

Sec. 547.604. MUFFLER REQUIRED. (a) A motor vehicle shall be equipped with a muffler in good working condition that continually operates to prevent excessive or unusual noise. (b) A person may not use a muffler cutout, bypass, or similar device on a motor vehicle. Acts 1995, 74th…

Sec. 547.605. EMISSION SYSTEMS REQUIRED. (a) The engine and power mechanism of a motor vehicle shall be equipped and adjusted to prevent the escape of excessive smoke or fumes. (b) A motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine, of a model year after 1967, shall be equipped to prevent t…

Sec. 547.606. SAFETY GUARDS OR FLAPS REQUIRED. (a) A road tractor, truck, trailer, truck-tractor in combination with a semitrailer, or semitrailer in combination with a towing vehicle that has at least four tires or at least two super single tires on the rearmost axle of the vehi…

Sec. 547.607. FIRE EXTINGUISHER REQUIRED. A school bus or a motor vehicle that transports passengers for hire or lease shall be equipped with at least one quart of chemical-type fire extinguisher in good condition and located for immediate use. Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec.…

Sec. 547.608. SAFETY GLAZING MATERIAL REQUIRED. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person who sells or registers a new passenger-type motor vehicle, including a passenger bus and school bus, shall equip the vehicle doors, windows, and windshield with safety glazing mater…

Sec. 547.609. REQUIRED LABEL FOR SUNSCREENING DEVICES. A sunscreening device must have a label that: (1) is legible; (2) contains information required by the department on light transmission and luminous reflectance of the device; (3) if the device is placed on or attached to a w…

Sec. 547.610. SAFE AIR-CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT REQUIRED; SALE OF NONCOMPLYING VEHICLE. (a) Air-conditioning equipment: (1) shall be manufactured, installed, and maintained to ensure the safety of the vehicle occupants and the public; and (2) may not contain any refrigerant that is…

Sec. 547.611. USE OF CERTAIN VIDEO EQUIPMENT AND TELEVISION RECEIVERS. (a) A motor vehicle may be equipped with video receiving equipment, including a television, a digital video disc player, a videocassette player, or similar equipment, only if the equipment is located so that t…

Sec. 547.612. RESTRICTIONS ON USE AND SALE OF TIRES. (a) A solid rubber tire used on a vehicle must have rubber on the traction surface that extends above the edge of the flange of the periphery. (b) A person may not operate or move a motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer that h…

Sec. 547.613. RESTRICTIONS ON WINDOWS. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person commits an offense that is a misdemeanor: (1) if the person operates a motor vehicle that has an object or material that is placed on or attached to the windshield or side or rear window and…

Sec. 547.614. RESTRICTIONS ON AIRBAGS. (a) In this section, "counterfeit airbag" means an airbag that does not meet all applicable federal safety regulations for an airbag designed to be installed in a vehicle of a particular make, model, and year. (a-1) A person commits an offen…

Sec. 547.615. RECORDING DEVICES. (a) In this section: (1) "Owner" means a person who: (A) has all the incidents of ownership of a motor vehicle, including legal title, regardless of whether the person lends, rents, or creates a security interest in the vehicle; (B) is entitled to…

Sec. 547.616. RADAR INTERFERENCE DEVICES; OFFENSE. (a) In this section, "radar interference device" means a device, a mechanism, an instrument, or equipment that is designed, manufactured, used, or intended to be used to interfere with, scramble, disrupt, or otherwise cause to ma…

Sec. 547.617. MOTORCYCLE AND MOPED FOOTRESTS AND HANDHOLDS REQUIRED. (a) A motorcycle or moped that is designed to carry more than one person must be equipped with footrests and handholds for use by the passenger. (b) This section does not apply to an autocycle as defined by Sect…

Sec. 547.618. EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN AUTOMATED MOTOR VEHICLES. (a) In this section, "automated motor vehicle" and "automated driving system" have the meanings assigned by Section 545.451. (b) An automated motor vehicle that is designed to be operated exclusively by the au…

Sec. 547.701. ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL BUSES AND OTHER BUSES USED TO TRANSPORT SCHOOLCHILDREN. (a) A school bus shall be equipped with: (1) a convex mirror or other device that reflects to the school bus operator a clear view of the area immediately in front o…

Sec. 547.7011. ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR OTHER BUSES. (a) A bus, other than a school bus, that provides public transportation and that was acquired on or after September 1, 1997, shall be equipped with two or more hazard lamps that: (1) are mounted at the same level o…

Sec. 547.7012. REQUIREMENTS FOR MULTIFUNCTION SCHOOL ACTIVITY BUSES. A multifunction school activity bus may not be painted National School Bus Glossy Yellow. Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 923 (H.B. 3190), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2007.

Sec. 547.7015. RULES RELATING TO SCHOOL BUSES. (a) The department shall adopt and enforce rules governing the design, color, lighting and other equipment, construction, and operation of a school bus for the transportation of schoolchildren that is: (1) owned and operated by a sch…

Sec. 547.702. ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLES. (a) An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a siren, exhaust whistle, or bell: (1) of a type approved by the department; and (2) that emits a sound audible under normal conditions at a…

Sec. 547.703. ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR SLOW-MOVING VEHICLES. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a slow-moving vehicle shall display a slow-moving-vehicle emblem that: (1) has a reflective surface designed to be clearly visible in daylight or at night from the …

Sec. 547.751. ADDITIONAL LIGHTING EQUIPMENT AUTHORIZED FOR MEDICAL EXAMINER VEHICLES. Text of subsection effective until April 01, 2027 (a) In this section, "medical examiner vehicle" means a motor vehicle that is owned or leased by a governmental entity for use by a medical exam…

Sec. 547.752. ADDITIONAL LIGHTING EQUIPMENT AUTHORIZED FOR VEHICLES OPERATED BY JUSTICES OF THE PEACE IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. (a) A vehicle operated by a justice of the peace in the course and scope of the justice's duties as a coroner under Subchapter B, Chapter 49A, Code of C…

Sec. 547.801. LIGHTING EQUIPMENT. (a) A motorcycle or a moped shall be equipped with: (1) not more than two headlamps mounted at a height from 24 to 54 inches; (2) at least one taillamp mounted at a height from 20 to 72 inches; (3) a taillamp or separate lamp to illuminate the re…

Sec. 547.802. BRAKE EQUIPMENT. (a) If a motorcycle or a moped complies with the performance requirements of Section 547.408, brakes are not required on the wheel of a sidecar attached to the motorcycle or moped. (b) If a moped or a motorcycle equipped with a motor that has an eng…