Florida Statutes
Fla. Stat. § 316.221 (2025)
Taillamps.
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316.221 Taillamps.—
(1) Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer, and any other vehicle which is being drawn at the end of a combination of vehicles, shall be equipped with at least two taillamps mounted on the rear, which, when lighted as required in s. 316.217, shall emit a red light plainly visible from a distance of 1,000 feet to the rear, except that passenger cars and pickup trucks manufactured or assembled prior to January 1, 1972, which were originally equipped with only one taillamp shall have at least one taillamp. On a combination of vehicles, only the taillamps on the rearmost vehicle need actually be seen from the distance specified. On vehicles equipped with more than one taillamp, the lamps shall be mounted on the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable. An object, material, or covering that alters the taillamp’s visibility from 1,000 feet may not be placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied over a taillamp.
(2) Either a taillamp or a separate lamp shall be so constructed and placed as to illuminate with a white light the rear registration plate and render it clearly legible from a distance of 50 feet to the rear. Any taillamp or taillamps, together with any separate lamp or lamps for illuminating the rear registration plate, shall be so wired as to be lighted whenever the headlamps or auxiliary driving lamps are lighted. Dump trucks and vehicles having dump bodies are exempt from the requirements of this subsection.
(3) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.
History.—s. 1, ch. 71-135; s. 1, ch. 79-97; s. 173, ch. 99-248; s. 10, ch. 2000-313; s. 17, ch. 2006-290.
Civil Citations under F.S. 316.221
Driver's license points · R = revocation · S = suspension§316.221TAILLIGHTS - No/improper-2 red lights required (exception on vehicles made prior to 01/72)
§316.221REGISTRATION PLATE(TAG) LIGHT - White light visible from a distance of 50' required
§316.221(1)Tail Lights None/improper
§316.221(2)No Tag Light (Dump trucks and dump bodies are exempt
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 32
cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1974–2023 · leading case: Doctor v. State, 596 So. 2d 442 (Fla. 1992).
Head v. Bernard (M.D. Fla. 2023). “610(1), which Head argues should be read in conjunction with Florida Statutes section 316.221(1). Id. at 11-12. Head maintains that the vehicle’s taillights “displayed red lights from both side[s] that emit [] 1000 feet from the rear.”
United States v. Ruben Ramirez-Rivera (11th Cir. 2023). “He argues, first, that there was no probable cause for the stop because the testimony of the officer who initiated the stop, Detective Seth Abelin, did not show that the car’s tag was illegible from 50 feet away, as required to violate Fla. Stat. § 316.221 (2). Second, he con-…”
Carter v. Prendergast (M.D. Fla. 2023). “That night, Carter and his acquaintance Ira Young were passing through Homosassa, Florida, when they were pulled over by Deputy Vanscoy for driving without a functioning rear tag light in violation o: section 316.221(2), Florida Statutes. (Carter Decl.”
Anderson v. Ivey (M.D. Fla. 2021). “3 Section 316.221, Florida Statutes, is titled “Taillamps” and provides in part that “[e]ither a taillamp or a separate lamp shall be so constructed and placed as to illuminate with a white light the rear registration plate and render it clearly legible from a distance of 50…”
Classy Cycles, Inc. v. Bay Cnty., 201 So. 3d 779 (Fla. 1st DCA 2016). “220 (headlamps), § 316.221 (tail-lamps), § 316.222 (stop lamps and turn signals), § 316.”
United States v. Sylvester Nathaniel Wright, 615 F. App'x 565 (11th Cir. 2015). “”); see also Fla. Stat. § 316.221 (2)-(3). Additionally, Deputy Rose’s testimony established that the plain view exception to the warrantless search applied because Rose was in a place where he had the right to be when he observed the pill bottle in plain view, containing what…”
K.S. v. State, 85 So. 3d 566 (Fla. 4th DCA 2012). “Section 316.221 governs taillamps in motor vehicles and provides, in relevant part: (2) Either a taillamp or a separate lamp shall be so constructed and placed as to illuminate with a white light the rear registration plate and render it clearly legible from a distance of 50…”
KS v. State, 85 So. 3d 566 (Fla. 4th DCA 2012). “[2] Section 316.221 governs taillamps in motor vehicles and provides, in relevant part: (2) Either a taillamp or a separate lamp shall be so constructed and placed as to illuminate with a white light the rear registration plate and render it clearly legible from a distance of 50…”
Terence C. Everett v. Marianna Police Dept., 431 F. App'x 819 (11th Cir. 2011). “Fla. Stat. § 316.221 (2); see Tackett v. Florida, 745 So.”
Davison v. State, 15 So. 3d 34 (Fla. 1st DCA 2009). “The appellant relies on Lan-gello in support of his contention that so long as the rear registration tag was clearly legible from 50 feet, as section 316.221, Florida Statutes (2007), requires, the officer did not have probable cause to initiate a traffic stop because the…”
State v. Hunt, 302 S.W.3d 859 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2009). “§ 40 — 8—23(d); Fla. Stat. Ann. § 316.221 (2); La.Rev.Stat.”
Paul v. State, 991 So. 2d 404 (Fla. 2d DCA 2008). “221(1), Florida Statutes (2002), does not require taillamps free from cracks or breaks: Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer, and any other vehicle which is being drawn at the end of a combination of vehicles, shall be equipped with at least two taillamps…”
— 316.221(1) — 5 cases
Frierson v. State, 851 So. 2d 293 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003).
Doctor v. State, 596 So. 2d 442 (Fla. 1992).
State v. Schuck, 913 So. 2d 69 (Fla. 4th DCA 2005).
Paul v. State, 991 So. 2d 404 (Fla. 2d DCA 2008). “221(1), Florida Statutes (2002), does not require taillamps free from cracks or breaks: Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer, and any other vehicle which is being drawn at the end of a combination of vehicles, shall be equipped with at least two taillamps…”
Head v. Bernard (M.D. Fla. 2023). “610(1), which Head argues should be read in conjunction with Florida Statutes section 316.221(1). Id. at 11-12. Head maintains that the vehicle’s taillights “displayed red lights from both side[s] that emit [] 1000 feet from the rear.”
— 316.221(2) — 14 cases
Langello v. State, 970 So. 2d 491 (Fla. 2d DCA 2007).
Hilton v. State, 901 So. 2d 155 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005).
Davison v. State, 15 So. 3d 34 (Fla. 1st DCA 2009). “The appellant relies on Lan-gello in support of his contention that so long as the rear registration tag was clearly legible from 50 feet, as section 316.221, Florida Statutes (2007), requires, the officer did not have probable cause to initiate a traffic stop because the…”
United States v. Holloman, 908 F. Supp. 917 (M.D. Fla. 1995).
Andrews v. State, 540 So. 2d 210 (Fla. 4th DCA 1989).
— 316.221(3) — 1 case
State v. Schuck, 913 So. 2d 69 (Fla. 4th DCA 2005).
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