Chapter Trans 305

Trans 305.15(4) (4) All stop lamp lenses shall be installed and maintained in proper condition and may not be covered or obscured by any object or material.

Trans 305.15(5) (5) 

Trans 305.15(5)(a) (a) The high-mounted stop lamp of every motor vehicle originally manufactured with a high-mounted stop lamp shall be maintained in proper working condition and may not be covered or obscured by any object or material. This paragraph does not apply to the temporary covering or obscuring of a high mounted stop lamp by property carried on or in the motor vehicle or in a trailer towed by the motor vehicle.

Trans 305.15(5)(b) (b) Camper tops and other similar coverings may be placed over the cargo area of a light truck provided that if a high-mounted stop lamp is installed on or in the cab of the truck, a comparable high-mounted stop lamp shall be installed on the rear of the truck and maintained in proper working condition. This paragraph does not apply if a camper top or other similar covering placed over the cargo bed of a light truck causes the vehicle to be 80 or more inches in width.

Trans 305.15 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96; am. (1), renum. (5) to be (5) (a) and am., cr. (5) (b), Register, October, 1997, No. 502, eff. 11-1-97.

Trans 305.16 Trans 305.16 Tail lamps.

Trans 305.16(1) (1) Every automobile originally manufactured commencing with the 1950 models, every light truck or motor home originally manufactured commencing with the 1955 models, and every homemade or reconstructed vehicle registered on or after January 1, 1975, shall be equipped with 2 tail lamps. All other motor vehicles shall be equipped with at least one tail lamp.

Trans 305.16(2) (2) The tail lamps of every motor vehicle shall be maintained in proper working condition and in conformity with this section and s. 347.13 (1) and (2), Stats.

Trans 305.16(3) (3) All wiring and connections shall be maintained in good condition.

Trans 305.16(4) (4) All tail lamp lens and reflectors shall be installed and maintained in proper condition and may not be covered or obscured by any object or material.

Trans 305.16(5) (5) The tail lamps shall be so wired as to be lighted whenever the parking lamp or headlamps are lighted.

Trans 305.16 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96; am. (1), Register, October, 1997, No. 502, eff. 11-1-97.

Trans 305.17 Trans 305.17 Brakes.

Trans 305.17(1) (1) The brake system on every motor vehicle shall be maintained in proper working condition and in conformity with this section and s. 347.36, Stats.

Trans 305.17(2) (2) Every motor vehicle shall have:

Trans 305.17(2)(a) (a) Braking ability on every wheel.

Trans 305.17(2)(b) (b) No noticeable side pull or excessive vibration when the brakes are applied.

Trans 305.17(2)(c) (c) Brake pedals with a reserve of no less than 20% of total pedal travel left when fully depressed.

Trans 305.17(2)(d) (d) A brake system fully connected and free of leaks.

Trans 305.17(2)(e) (e) Linings, pads, drums and rotors that all meet manufacturer’s minimum recommendations.

Trans 305.17(2)(f) (f) An adequate parking brake meeting the requirements of s. 347.35, Stats.

Trans 305.17(3) (3) All replacement brake lines shall be made only of materials meeting or exceeding the specifications of the brake system manufacturer.

Trans 305.17 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96.

Trans 305.18 Trans 305.18 Bumpers.

Trans 305.18(1) (1) 

Trans 305.18(1)(a) (a) Every motor vehicle manufactured after September 1, 1972, and required by federal law to be equipped with bumpers or crash resistance protection, or both, shall be equipped with bumpers which shall be maintained in good condition and in conformity with this section. Replacement equipment shall be the same type as originally required or of equivalent size, strength and surface area. The bumpers may be mounted externally on the vehicle or installed within the front and rear extremes of the vehicle.

Trans 305.18(1)(b) (b) Every homemade or reconstructed motor vehicle registered after January 1, 1975, shall be equipped with front and rear bumpers which provide damage protection that is equivalent to that provided by the bumpers of vehicles manufactured for sale in the year the homemade or reconstructed vehicle is first registered. Such bumpers may be mounted externally on the vehicle or installed within the front and rear extremes of the vehicle. Homemade and reconstructed vehicles registered in Wisconsin prior to March 1, 1996 may comply with either this section or the previous rules governing homemade vehicles.

Trans 305.18(1)(c) (c) Light trucks manufactured on or after January 1, 1997 are required to have rear end protection in accordance with s. Trans 305.56. Light trucks operated under s. 341.47 (1), Stats., are exempt from the requirements of this paragraph.

Trans 305.18(2) (2) 

Trans 305.18(2)(a) (a) All required bumpers shall be securely mounted to the vehicle and at a height that does not vary from the manufacturer’s specifications by more than is permitted under s. 347.455, Stats. In the absence of manufacturer’s specifications, every required bumper shall provide a contact point no higher than 30 inches from the level surface on which the vehicle stands.

Trans 305.18(2)(b) (b) No required bumper may be constructed of wood except that an additional wood bumper may be added to a legal metal bumper.

Trans 305.18(2)(c) (c) No bumper may be damaged or distorted so that it projects away from the vehicle in a manner which creates a hazard.

Trans 305.18 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96; am. (1) (a), Register, October, 1997, No. 502, eff. 11-1-97.

Trans 305.19 Trans 305.19 Doors, hoods, locks, latches and door handles.

Trans 305.19(1) (1) Every door, hood and trunk lid of a motor vehicle shall be maintained in proper working condition and shall be equipped with sufficient hinges and latches so it can be opened and securely closed.

Trans 305.19(2) (2) 

Trans 305.19(2)(a) (a) Every motor vehicle, except those manufactured with removable doors or without doors, shall be equipped with doors. Open top designed vehicles are not required to have operating doors when the vehicle is operated without a top.

Trans 305.19(2)(b) (b) The hood or engine of a vehicle shall have no protrusions that will restrict the driver’s view by extending more than 3 inches above a line that extends from the center of the hood at the base of the windshield, forward and parallel with the highway.

Trans 305.19(3) (3) A trunk lid or hatchback may be temporarily secured in an open position when transporting oversized objects that prevent complete lid closure.

Trans 305.19(4) (4) 

Trans 305.19(4)(a) (a) All door handles on every motor vehicle shall be maintained in proper working order.

Trans 305.19(4)(b) (b) Except as provided in subs. (5) and (6), no person may operate, or allow to be operated, on a highway a motor vehicle on which the door handles installed by the manufacturer of the motor vehicle have been disabled, removed or made inoperative. This paragraph does not apply to replica or street modified vehicles.

Trans 305.19(5) (5) Nothing in this section prohibits the interior door handles of the rear door or side rear doors of authorized emergency vehicles being intentionally made inoperative.

Trans 305.19(6) (6) Nothing in this section prohibits the interior door handles of the rear door or side rear doors of a vehicle being intentionally made inoperative by use of a child security door latch system or other door locking mechanism installed by the manufacturer of the vehicle.

Trans 305.19 Note Note: The vehicles to which this section applies include a vehicle designed to transport at least 6, but not more than 14, passengers in addition to the driver and commonly called a “van.” In Wisconsin, a van is registered as an automobile if it is primarily used for the transportation of persons; a van is registered as a truck if it is primarily used for the transportation of property.

Trans 305.19 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96; am. (1) and (2) (b), Register, October, 1997, No. 502, eff. 11-1-97; CR 01-120: renum. (4) to be (5) and am., cr. (4) and (6) Register May 2002 No. 557, eff. 6-1-02.

Trans 305.20 Trans 305.20 Exhaust and air pollution control systems.

Trans 305.20(1) (1) The exhaust system on every motor vehicle shall be maintained in proper working condition and in conformity with this section and s. 347.39, Stats.

Trans 305.20(2) (2) Piping used in exhaust systems shall be of the rigid type. Convoluted pipe meets this requirement, but flexible tubing may not be used in the exhaust system.

Trans 305.20(3) (3) Every exhaust system located so as to be hazardous to a person outside the vehicle or to a person entering or leaving a vehicle shall be protected in order to prevent such person from being burned or otherwise injured. The exhaust system location shall be considered hazardous if it extends beyond the body line for those systems where the exhaust pipes are on or extend to the side of the vehicle. A system where the exhaust pipes extend upward along the side or rear of the body shall also be protected in order to prevent persons from being burned or otherwise injured.

Trans 305.20(4) (4) The muffler and all parts of the exhaust system shall be functioning and may not be repaired by an inadequate patch or improperly discharge fumes.

Trans 305.20(5) (5) The tail pipe shall extend to the outside body line of the vehicle, except that light trucks may have the exhaust outlet extend only to the rear of the vehicle cab if the cargo area is not enclosed and used for passenger transportation.

Trans 305.20(6) (6) The exhaust system may not be modified so as to pass through the passenger compartment.

Trans 305.20(7) (7) All air pollution control equipment required by the federal clean air act and its implementing regulations shall remain installed or be replaced with identical or comparable tested parts. Air pollution control equipment originally installed by the manufacturer or identical or comparable tested replacement equipment may not be removed, disconnected or physically altered to be ineffective.

Trans 305.20(8) (8) All air pollution control equipment required under sub. (7) shall be maintained in proper working condition and in conformity with s. 285.30 (6), Stats., and ch. Trans 131.

Trans 305.20 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96; am. (6) and (8), Register, October, 1997, No. 502, eff. 11-1-97.

Trans 305.21 Trans 305.21 Floor pan and firewall.

Trans 305.21(1) (1) The floor pan of every motor vehicle shall be maintained in good condition and in conformity with this section.

Trans 305.21(2) (2) The floor pan shall be free of rusted areas or holes which may allow entry of exhaust gases or would not adequately support vehicle occupants or cargo.

Trans 305.21(3) (3) No motor vehicle body may be raised above the frame more than 4 inches beyond the original manufacturer’s specifications. In the absence of such specifications, and on homemade and reconstructed vehicles, no body may be mounted with the floor pan more than 4 inches above the frame.

Trans 305.21(4) (4) The firewall shall be maintained free of any holes. Any mechanisms, cables or wires routed through the firewall shall be properly sealed to prevent the entry of exhaust gases into the passenger compartment.

Trans 305.21 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96.

Trans 305.22 Trans 305.22 Fenders and projecting parts.

Trans 305.22(1) (1) Every motor vehicle originally manufactured after January 1, 1950, every homemade vehicle registered after January 1, 1975, and every vehicle registered as a reconstructed vehicle after March 1, 1996 shall be equipped with adequate fenders covering the front and rear tires to prevent splashing of water and throwing of gravel, stones or other objects.

Trans 305.22(2) (2) All fenders shall be free of severely rusted or damaged material which may cause injury or cause the fenders to be ineffective. All required fenders shall be of sufficient width and length to cover the tire tread from 15 degrees to the front to 60 degrees to the rear when measured at the center of the axle, to the top of the tire, on a vertical plane.

Trans 305.22(3) (3) All fenders shall be securely mounted.

Trans 305.22(4) (4) Fenders may be extended up to 4 inches beyond the original fender line or the manufacturer’s optional equipment fender flare line in order to cover tires that also extend beyond the original fender or flare line.

Trans 305.22(5) (5) No part of the vehicle or any vehicle accessory shall project away from the vehicle in a hazardous manner.

Trans 305.22 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96; correction of transcription error in (2) Register December 2010 No. 660.

Trans 305.23 Trans 305.23 Frames.

Trans 305.23(1) (1) The frame on every motor vehicle shall be maintained in proper condition and in conformity with this section.

Trans 305.23(2) (2) Repairs, modifications or additional frame support are acceptable if they do not reduce the structural integrity or affect the alignment of the vehicle. Braze type welding may not be used on any repairs made to the frame.

Trans 305.23(3) (3) The frame may not be rusted or twisted to the extent that it no longer properly supports the vehicle or no longer provides the structural integrity necessary for correct alignment or safety.

Trans 305.23(4) (4) The vehicle may not be noticeably out of wheel alignment due to inadequate or improper repair or modification of the frame.

Trans 305.23(5) (5) No part of the frame may be missing due to excessive rust or uncorrected damage.

Trans 305.23 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96; am. (4), Register, October, 1997, No. 502, eff. 11-1-97.

Trans 305.24 Trans 305.24 Fuel systems.

Trans 305.24(1) (1) The fuel system of every motor vehicle shall be in proper working condition and in conformity with this section.

Trans 305.24(2) (2) The fuel system shall be free of any leaks.

Trans 305.24(3) (3) The fuel tank shall be closed with a fitted metal or plastic cap and shall be rigidly attached to the vehicle.

Trans 305.24(4) (4) No fuel tank may be located in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle unless it was installed by a motor vehicle manufacturer licensed under ss. 218.0101 to 218.0163, Stats., or is a replacement of such a tank.

Trans 305.24(5) (5) Replacement, auxiliary and alternate fuel tanks may be installed by the owner of the vehicle or by a person in the business of fuel system installation. All fuel tanks shall meet or exceed industry standards for commercially manufactured fuel tanks which are certified for use in the type of vehicle in which the fuel tank is installed and for use with the type of fuel the tank is intended to contain. All installations shall be in accordance with commercially acceptable practices.

Trans 305.24 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96; r. (5), renum. (6) to be (5) and am., Register, October, 1997, No. 502, eff. 11-1-97; correction in (4) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register May 2002 No. 557.

Trans 305.25 Trans 305.25 Horn.

Trans 305.25(1) (1) The horn of every motor vehicle shall be maintained in proper working condition and in conformity with this section and s. 347.38, Stats.

Trans 305.25(2) (2) The horn wiring and connections shall be maintained in good condition.

Trans 305.25(3) (3) The horn shall be securely fastened to the vehicle.

Trans 305.25(4) (4) Every motor vehicle shall be equipped with a bar, button, ring or other actuation device for making electrical connection. The device shall be easily reached from the driver’s seat while the driver is secured by a safety belt. A hand-activated horn utilizing an air bulb does not meet the requirements of this section.

Trans 305.25 History History: Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96.