What 393.25F means in plain language
FMCSR 393.25F addresses a straightforward safety requirement: your truck's rear lamps and reflectors must be visible and unobstructed. If your load, tailboard, or any other obstruction blocks those lights—the ones that let other drivers see you at night or in low visibility—you're in violation.
Rear lamps and reflectors are critical safety equipment. They tell drivers behind you where your truck ends, warn them when you're braking, and help them navigate around you safely. When a load blocks these lights, you've essentially made your truck invisible to traffic behind you, creating a collision hazard. Inspectors check this during roadside safety inspections, and if they find your rear lamps or reflectors obscured, they write a citation.
The violation doesn't require your lights to be broken or non-functional—only that they're covered up. A load shifted too far back, a tailboard at an odd angle, or cargo stacked higher than your vehicle's rear—any of these can trigger this citation.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million+ inspection records, we've documented 1,454 all-time citations for 393.25F. Over the last 12 months, officers cited it 711 times, averaging roughly 59 citations per month. In the last 90 days alone, we recorded 116 citations.
This code ranks #620 of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume, making it a mid-frequency violation. However, the out-of-service rate tells an important story: 25.8% of 393.25F citations result in an out-of-service order. That's meaningfully lower than the all-FMCSR average of 31.4%, suggesting inspectors often treat obscured lamps as correctable on-site rather than immediately sidelining the truck. Of the 1,454 all-time citations, 375 vehicles were placed out of service and 1,079 were not.
The monthly trend over the last 12 months shows variability. May 2025 saw a spike with 125 citations and 44 out-of-service orders, while April 2026 (our most recent month) dropped to just 5 citations. This seasonal or operational volatility suggests that load securement and cargo management practices vary across the industry and time periods.
Who gets cited most
Our data shows enforcement is concentrated in three states. North Carolina leads by a significant margin with 183 citations in the last 180 days, producing a 23.0% out-of-service rate. Iowa follows with 37 citations but a 0.0% out-of-service rate—suggesting inspectors there either find violations less serious or resolve them without stopping trucks. Illinois ranks third with 22 citations and a 22.7% out-of-service rate.
The out-of-service rate variation across these top states is notable. Texas, with only 6 citations, shows a 66.7% out-of-service rate—the highest among states with meaningful citation counts. This suggests that when this violation does occur in Texas, inspectors are more likely to order the truck off the road immediately.
Among carriers, our records show fleets such as Federal Express Corporation (12 citations all-time) and Frizzell Trucking LLC (7 citations) have been cited for obscured rear lamps. This does not imply systemic negligence—larger fleets operate more vehicles and conduct more inspections, naturally accumulating higher citation counts over time.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
393.25F sits within the vehicle maintenance category alongside several related lighting and equipment codes. For perspective:
393.9 (Inoperable Required Lamp) has generated 180,097 all-time citations with a 6.9% out-of-service rate. That code covers lamps that don't work; 393.25F covers lamps that are merely hidden. The massive difference in citation volume (180,097 vs. 1,454) and the lower OOS rate on 393.25F (25.8% vs. 6.9%) reflect that obscured lamps are less frequently cited but treated more seriously when found.
393.11 (Lighting devices/reflectors) has 179,734 citations with a 1.8% out-of-service rate—far fewer OOS orders than 393.25F. This broader code addresses lighting system issues overall and is cited much more frequently but results in out-of-service orders less often.
396.3(a)(1) (Inspection/repair/maintenance – general) represents the widest maintenance catch-all, with 236,919 citations and a 45.3% out-of-service rate. That code's high OOS rate reflects the severity of unaddressed maintenance across the truck.
The takeaway: 393.25F citations are relatively uncommon, but when they occur, they carry material weight—a 25.8% out-of-service rate means you have roughly a 1-in-4 chance of being ordered off the road immediately.
How to avoid it
Our inspection data reveals several patterns that can guide your prevention strategy:
Load and cargo security — This is your primary control. Before departure, walk the length of your truck and visually confirm that no load, tarp, or cargo extends beyond the rear end or blocks your rear lights and reflectors. If you're hauling a partial load or shifting cargo mid-trip, do a quick visual check at rest stops. Over the last 90 days, we've seen 393.25F frequently co-occur with inoperative turn signals and tail lamps, suggesting that sloppy load management often coincides with other lighting issues.
Pre-trip lighting inspection — Make sure all rear lamps and reflectors are clean, functional, and free of damage before you roll. In the same 90-day window, 396.17C (No proof of periodic inspection) appeared in 24 co-occurring inspections with 393.25F. This indicates that vehicles cited for obscured lamps often lack documented maintenance history. Keep records of your pre-trip checks.
Tailboard and fastener integrity — A loose or misaligned tailboard can swing or tilt and obscure rear lights. Check that your tailboard is secure and properly positioned every time you load or unload.
Vehicle type awareness — Freightliners (FRHT) account for 312 all-time citations of this code, followed by Peterbilts (PTRB) with 196, and Internationals (INTL) with 183. While this reflects the prevalence of these makes in trucking generally, it also means drivers of FRHT trucks should pay extra attention to rear-lamp visibility, as that fleet has higher citation frequency for this violation.
Monitor fatigue and alertness — Interestingly, 392.2RG and 392.2FT (Operating a CMV while ill or fatigued) co-occurred with 393.25F in 35 combined inspections over the last 90 days. This may indicate that drivers who are tired or unwell are more likely to miss pre-trip checks or load securement issues. Never skip or rush your pre-trip because you're fatigued.
Bottom line: visual rear-lamp clearance is a 30-second pre-trip check that eliminates nearly all risk for this citation.