Definitions:
Farm Tractor: Every motor vehicle designed and used primarily as a farm implement for drawing plows, mowing machines, and other implements of husbandry. TCA 55-1-104
Implement of Husbandry: Every vehicle which is designed for agricultural purposes and exclusively used by the owner thereof in the conduct of the owner’s agricultural operations, but does not include any truck, truck-tractor or farm truck whenever such vehicle is driven upon a highway of this state except provided in 55-3-101(a)(2). TCA 55-1-108
Semi-Trailer: Every vehicle with or without motive power, other than a pole trailer, designed for carrying persons or property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that some part of its weight and that its load rests upon or is carried by another vehicle. TCA 55-1-105
Trailer: Every vehicle with or without motive power, other than a pole trailer, designed for carrying persons or property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that no part of its weight rests upon the towing vehicle. TCA 55-1-105
Pole Trailer: Every vehicle without motive power designed to be drawn by another vehicle and attached to the towing vehicle by means of a reach, or a pole, or by being boomed or otherwise secured to the towing vehicle, and ordinarily used for transporting long or irregularly shaped loads such as pole, pipes, or structural members capable, generally, of sustaining themselves as beans between the supporting connections. TCA 55-1-105
Semi Trailers and Trailers
Semi-trailers and trailers, regardless of width, are required to have the following:
One of the following on each side:
- red tail lamps,
- red stop lamps,
- amber or red turn signals,
- red rear reflectors,
- amber side marker lamp – near front,
- red side marker lamp – near rear,
- amber side reflector – near front,
- red side reflector – near rear.
TCA 55-9-405
Trailers Over 80 Inches Wide
Trailers over 80 inches in width must have the following additional lighting, per Federal Requirements Part 393.11:
- red rear clearance lamps,
- amber front clearance lamps,
- three red identification lamps mounted on the vertical centerline of the vehicle.
All trailers 80 inches or more in width are required to have retro-reflective sheeting or reflex reflectors in a red and white pattern. Sheeting or reflectors should be attached on the following areas of the trailer:
Sides: Retro-reflective sheeting strips or arrays should be applied to each side of
the trailer or semi-trailer, positioned horizontally beginning and ending as close to the front and rear as practicable. The strip or array does not need to be continuous by the sum of the length should be at least half the length of the trailer, with spacing between segments evenly distributed.
Lower Rear Area: Strips of retro-reflective sheeting or reflex reflectors should be positioned horizontally, extending across the full width of the trailer, beginning and ending as close to the extreme edges as possible.
Upper Rear Area: Two pairs of white strips of retro-reflective sheeting or reflex reflectors, each pair at least 12 inches long, must be positioned horizontally and vertically on the upper right and left rear corners of the body of the trailer.
Per Federal Requirements Part 393.13 any trailer manufactured prior to December 1, 1993 must be equipped to meet these requirements.
Farm Tractors
All tractors are required to have a light attached on the upper left side of the vehicle, capable of displaying a light visible 500 feet to the front and 500 feet to the rear. This light should be displayed during the period of time from one half hour before sunset until one half hour after sunrise and when there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible any person on the road or highway at a distance of 200 feet ahead of the vehicle.
TCA 55-4-401(a)
Cotton Wagons
Cotton wagons are required to be equipped with a red tail lamp and a triangle shaped slow moving vehicle identification emblem placed on the lower left corner of the rear of the wagon. This emblem must consist of a yellow-orange, 12 inches reflective equilateral triangle with a 1 and 3/4 inch red retro-reflective border. The emblem should measure 14 inches high and 16 inches wide.
TCA 55-9-401(b)
Implements of Husbandry
All implements of husbandry with a width of 96 inches or more, which are towed behind a tractor or other motor vehicle, and conceals the lighting of the farm tractor, are required to have two red and/or amber flashing lights, one on each side, attached at the rear, or be accompanied by a rear escort utilizing its emergency flashers. This lighting is required during the period of time from one half hour before sunset until one half hour after sunrise.
TCA 55-9-401(d)
