Sec. 4. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section:
(1) a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer; and
(2) any other vehicle that is drawn at the end of a train of
vehicles;
must be equipped with at least one (1) tail lamp mounted on the rear
that when lighted as required in this chapter, emits a red light plainly
visible from a distance of five hundred (500) feet to the rear.
(b) Only the tail lamp on the rear-most vehicle of a train of vehicles
is required to be seen from the distance specified.
(c) Excluding a truck-tractor semitrailer-semitrailer combination
equipped with a B-train assembly (as defined in IC 9-13-2-13)
governed by section 7 of this chapter, truck-tractor, motorcycle, or
motor driven cycle:
(1) a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer; and
(2) any other vehicle drawn at the end of a train of vehicles;
that is registered in Indiana and manufactured or assembled after
January 1, 1956, must be equipped with at least two (2) tail lamps
mounted on the rear that, when lighted, complies with this section.
(d) A tail lamp upon a vehicle shall be located at a height of not less
than twenty (20) inches and not more than seventy-two (72) inches.
(e) Either a tail lamp or a separate lamp must be placed and
constructed so as to illuminate the rear registration plate with a white
light and make the plate clearly legible from a distance of fifty (50) feet
to the rear. A tail lamp or tail lamps, together with a separate lamp for
illuminating the rear registration plate, must be wired so as to be
lighted whenever the head lamps or auxiliary driving lamps are lighted.
[Pre-1991 Recodification Citation: 9-8-6-6.]
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.7. Amended by P.L.34-2010,
SEC.2; P.L.221-2014, SEC.29.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
23
cases (
1 in the last 5 years), 2004–2022 · leading case:
Meredith v. State, 906 N.E.2d 867 (Ind. 2009).
Meredith v. State, 906 N.E.2d 867 (Ind. 2009).
· cites it 8× “We agree with the State, however, that the statute for interim license plates fails to alter or amend the required placement and display of license plates set forth in §§ 9-18-2-26 and 9-19-6-4(e).”
Harper v. State, 922 N.E.2d 75 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010).
· cites it 7× “Illuminated License Plate Porch and Harper argue that the trial court erred in failing to recognize that I.C. § 9-19-6-4(e) governing license plate illumination should be treated similarly to the occupants of a vehicle stopped for violation of the Seatbelt Enforcement Act, I.”
Merritt v. State, 829 N.E.2d 472 (Ind. 2005).
· cites it 4× “In addition, Indiana Code § 9-19-6-4, which details requirements for automobile tail lights, states in subsection (e): Either a tail lamp or a separate lamp must be placed and constructed so as to illuminate the rear registration plate with a white light and make the plate…”
Schumm v. State, 866 N.E.2d 781 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007).
· cites it 8× “Groomes cited Schumm for violating Indiana Code section 9-19-6-4, which indicates: (a)Except as otherwise provided in this section: (1) a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer; and (2) any other vehicle that is drawn at the end of a train of vehicles; must be…”
United States v. Cartwright, 630 F.3d 610 (7th Cir. 2010).
· cites it 2× “See Ind.Code § 9-19-6-4(e). Stratman stopped the vehicle, which pulled into a grocery store parking lot, stopping between two rows of parking spaces but not in a designated spot.”
State of Indiana v. Michael E. Cunningham, 26 N.E.3d 21 (Ind. 2015).
· cites it 8× “He then moved to suppress both the pill bottle and the pipe on two grounds: first, the traffic stop was invalid because even with the missing lens, both taillights had working bulbs and thus served their purpose of signaling when the truck was slowing down; and second, even if…”
Freeman v. State, 904 N.E.2d 340 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009).
· cites it 4× “Indiana Code section 9-19-6-4 provides that a motor vehicle "must be equipped with at least two (2) tail lamps mounted on the rear that, when lighted, complies with this section.”
State v. Gibson, 886 N.E.2d 639 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008).
· cites it 2× “Ind.Code § 9-19-6-4(e) requires illumination of a rear license plate, and pursuant to Ind.”
Thomas Porter v. State of Indiana, 985 N.E.2d 348 (Ind. Ct. App. 2013).
· cites it 4× “The State argues that Officer Montgomery’s testimony and the photos are all that are required to support a violation of Ind. Code § 9-19-6-4 (e) and to justify a stop on that basis.”
Jeremy Darringer v. State of Indiana, 46 N.E.3d 464 (Ind. Ct. App. 2015).
· cites it 4× “The Court also examined Ind.Code § 9-19-6-4(e), which required illumination of license plates.”
Ind. Code § 9-19-6-4(0): 1 case
Merritt v. State, 829 N.E.2d 472 (Ind. 2005).
“In addition, Indiana Code § 9-19-6-4, which details requirements for automobile tail lights, states in subsection (e): Either a tail lamp or a separate lamp must be placed and constructed so as to illuminate the rear registration plate with a white light and make the plate…”
Ind. Code § 9-19-6-4(a): 1 case
Ind. Code § 9-19-6-4(c): 1 case
State of Indiana v. Michael E. Cunningham, 26 N.E.3d 21 (Ind. 2015).
“He then moved to suppress both the pill bottle and the pipe on two grounds: first, the traffic stop was invalid because even with the missing lens, both taillights had working bulbs and thus served their purpose of signaling when the truck was slowing down; and second, even if…”
Ind. Code § 9-19-6-4(e): 9 cases
Meredith v. State, 906 N.E.2d 867 (Ind. 2009).
“We agree with the State, however, that the statute for interim license plates fails to alter or amend the required placement and display of license plates set forth in §§ 9-18-2-26 and 9-19-6-4(e).”
Harper v. State, 922 N.E.2d 75 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010).
“Illuminated License Plate Porch and Harper argue that the trial court erred in failing to recognize that I.C. § 9-19-6-4(e) governing license plate illumination should be treated similarly to the occupants of a vehicle stopped for violation of the Seatbelt Enforcement Act, I.”
United States v. Cartwright, 630 F.3d 610 (7th Cir. 2010).
“See Ind.Code § 9-19-6-4(e). Stratman stopped the vehicle, which pulled into a grocery store parking lot, stopping between two rows of parking spaces but not in a designated spot.”
State v. Gibson, 886 N.E.2d 639 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008).
“Ind.Code § 9-19-6-4(e) requires illumination of a rear license plate, and pursuant to Ind.”
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