Will 393.25B put your truck out of service? What are the CSA points? Get direct answers backed by 13M+ roadside inspection records.
Ranks #1,200 of 3,146 FMCSR codes by citation frequency • OOS rate of 3.1% is below the FMCSR-wide average of 33.3%.
Required rear lamps or reflectors on CMV obscured by tailboard, load, or other obstruction.
Direct answers grounded in TruckCodex inspection data
No. Across our 13 million inspection records, a 393.25B citation results in an out-of-service order only 2.7% of the time. You were cited for obscured rear lamps or reflectors—likely caused by load overhang or a tailboard—but this violation is not OOS-eligible under FMCSA rules. The national average OOS rate across all FMCSR codes is 31.4%, so 393.25B is far less likely to sideline your vehicle.
A 393.25B violation carries a CSA severity weight of 3 points. Your total CSA impact over 12 months depends on whether you accumulate multiple violations within the same cycle. One citation will not crash your Safety Measurement System score, but repeated obscured-lamp violations indicate a pattern in vehicle maintenance or load securing—both worth fixing before your next inspection.
Immediate steps:
393.25B is one of the mildest lamp-related violations. Our inspection records show that inoperative required lamps (393.9(a)) draw 660,737 citations with a 15.4% OOS rate, and general inoperable lamp violations (393.9) carry a 6.9% OOS rate. Obscured lamps (393.25B) are cited only 222 times all-time—ranked #1190 of 3,036 FMCSR codes—with just a 2.7% OOS rate. The distinction matters: your lamps work; they're just blocked.
Yes. FMCSA's DataQs (Database Quality System) process allows you to challenge any roadside inspection violation, including 393.25B. Submit evidence showing that your rear lamps were visible at the time of inspection, or that the load/tailboard was positioned legally and did not obstruct the lighting devices. You have 90 days from the inspection date to file. Success depends on photographic or witness evidence that contradicts the officer's observation.
In the last 180 days, New Mexico leads with 50 citations, followed by Texas with 5 and North Carolina with 4. Our data shows 393.25B is heavily concentrated in New Mexico, which accounts for the vast majority of recent enforcement. If you operate in these states regularly, double-check load overhang and tailboard security before every trip.
Yes. Over the last 12 months, citations have climbed from 1 in April 2025 to a peak of 27 in August 2025. The trend shows sustained enforcement, with 9–19 citations per month through early 2026. This suggests inspectors are paying closer attention to load obscuration, especially in summer and fall months when hauling volumes increase. Proactive load checks now will help you avoid joining that trend.
Freight haulers (FRHT) account for 63 of the 222 all-time 393.25B citations, making them the most-cited vehicle type. Utility vehicles (UTIL) follow with 22 citations, and International trucks (INTL) with 21. If you drive a freight rig, the odds of facing a load-obscuration inspection are higher—secure your load tightly and confirm rear lighting visibility every time you load.
Where 393.25B is most commonly cited (last 180 days)
Other violations commonly found on the same inspection (last 90 days)
TruckCodex aggregates official public-sector datasets. See the Source registry for dataset-level coverage and the Freshness log for last-import timestamps.
Census, SAFER, SMS, Licensing & Insurance (L&I), roadside inspections, crashes, and authority history.
Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).
Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.
TruckCodex is an independent aggregator; it is not affiliated with FMCSA, NHTSA, EIA, or Transport Canada. Always verify compliance-critical information directly with the originating agency.