CHAPTER 5. Other Equipment [27000. - 28160.]
Chapter 5 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3.
§§ 27000–28160 · 140 sections
ARTICLE 1. Horns, Sirens and Amplification Devices §§ 27000–27007 · 5 sections
- § 27000 (a) A motor vehicle, when operated upon a highway, shall be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal…
- § 27001 (a) The driver of a motor vehicle when reasonably necessary to insure safe operation shall give audible warning with his horn. (b) The horn shall not otherwise…
- § 27002 (a) No vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle, shall be equipped with, nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren except that an authorized…
- § 27003 An armored car may be equipped with a siren which may be used while resisting armed robbery. At all other times, the siren shall not be sounded. The authority…
- § 27007 No driver of a vehicle shall operate, or permit the operation of, any sound amplification system which can be heard outside the vehicle from 50 or more feet…
ARTICLE 2. Exhaust Systems §§ 27150–27159 · 26 sections
- § 27150 (a) Every motor vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine and subject to registration shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler in…
- § 27150.1 No person engaged in a business that involves the selling of motor vehicle exhaust systems, or parts thereof, including, but not limited to, mufflers, shall…
- § 27150.2 (a) Stations providing referee functions pursuant to Section 44036 of the Health and Safety Code shall provide for the testing of vehicular exhaust systems and…
- § 27150.3 (a) A person may not modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle with a whistle-tip. (b) A person may not operate a motor vehicle if that vehicle’s exhaust…
- § 27150.4 (a) The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall evaluate the efficacy of sound-activated enforcement devices by evaluating devices from at least…
- § 27150.5 Any person holding a retail seller’s permit who sells or installs an exhaust system, or part thereof, including, but not limited to, a muffler, in violation of…
- § 27150.7 A court may dismiss any action in which a person is prosecuted for operating a vehicle in violation of Section 27150 or 27151 if a certificate of compliance…
- § 27151 (a) A person shall not modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor of the vehicle so…
- § 27151.1 (a) For a violation of Section 27150.3 or 27151 of a vehicle under 14,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating, a court shall require a certificate of compliance… see note
- § 27152 The exhaust gases from a motor vehicle shall not be directed to the side of the vehicle between 2 feet and 11 feet above the ground.
- § 27153 (a) A motor vehicle shall not be operated in a manner resulting in the escape of excessive smoke, flame, gas, oil, or fuel residue. (b) A nongasoline…
- § 27153.5 (a) No motor vehicle first sold or registered as a new motor vehicle on or after January 1, 1971, shall discharge into the atmosphere at elevation of less than…
- § 27154 The cab of any motor vehicle shall be reasonably tight against the penetration of gases and fumes from the engine or exhaust system. The exhaust system,…
- § 27154.1 (a) The flooring in all motor vehicles shall be substantially constructed, free of unnecessary holes and openings and shall be maintained so as to minimize the…
- § 27155 No motor vehicle shall be operated or parked upon any highway unless the filling spout for the fuel tank is closed by a cap or cover of noncombustible material.
- § 27156 (a) No person shall operate or leave standing upon a highway a motor vehicle that is a gross polluter, as defined in Section 39032.5 of the Health and Safety…
- § 27156.1 The installation, prior to January 1, 1974, of an auxiliary gasoline fuel tank for use on a 1973 or earlier model year motor vehicle, which vehicle is…
- § 27156.2 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any publicly owned authorized emergency vehicle operated by a peace officer, as defined in Section 830 of the Penal…
- § 27156.3 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any motor vehicle of mosquito abatement, vector control, or pest abatement districts or agencies, any authorized…
- § 27157 The State Air Resources Board, after consultation with, and pursuant to the recommendations of, the commissioner, shall adopt such reasonable regulations as it…
- § 27157.5 The State Air Resources Board, after consultation with, and pursuant to the recommendations of, the commissioner, shall adopt such reasonable standards as it…
- § 27158 After notice by a traffic officer that a vehicle does not comply with any regulation adopted pursuant to Section 27157, no person shall operate, and no owner…
- § 27158.1 (a) Commencing one year after the effective date of a regulation implementing the Heavy-Duty Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program (Chapter 5.5…
- § 27158.2 (a) The driver of a nongasoline heavy-duty onroad motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 14,000 pounds shall present a Heavy-Duty…
- § 27158.5 After notice by a traffic officer that a motor vehicle does not comply with any standard adopted pursuant to Section 27157.5, no person shall operate, and no…
- § 27159 Any uniformed member of the California Highway Patrol may order a vehicle stored when it is located within the territorial limits in which the member may act…
ARTICLE 2.5. Noise Limits §§ 27200–27207 · 8 sections
- § 27200 (a) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall not register on a dealer’s report of sale a new motor vehicle, except an off-highway motor vehicle subject to…
- § 27201 For the purposes of Section 27200, the noise limit of 92 dbA shall apply to any motorcycle manufactured before 1970.
- § 27202 For the purposes of Section 27200, the following noise limits shall apply to any motorcycle, other than a motor-driven cycle, manufactured: (1) After 1969, and…
- § 27202.1 (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a person shall not park, use, or operate a motorcycle, registered in the State of California, that does not bear the…
- § 27203 For the purposes of Section 27200, the noise limit of 82 dbA shall apply to any snowmobile manufactured after 1972.
- § 27204 For the purposes of Section 27200, the following noise limits shall apply to any motor vehicle within the specified manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating…
- § 27206 For the purposes of Section 27200, the following noise limits shall apply to any other motor vehicle, not specified in this article, manufactured: (1) After…
- § 27207 No motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds and equipped with an engine speed governor shall produce a sound level exceeding…
ARTICLE 3. Safety Belts and Inflatable Restraint Systems §§ 27302–27319 · 14 sections
- § 27302 No person shall sell or offer for sale any seatbelt or attachments thereto for use in a vehicle unless it complies with requirements established by the…
- § 27304 All vehicles owned and utilized in driver training by a driver training school licensed under the provisions of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 11100) of…
- § 27305 All publicly owned firefighting vehicles designed for and used in responding to emergency fire calls and in combating fires shall be equipped with seatbelts…
- § 27314 (a) No dealer shall sell or offer for sale any used passenger vehicle that was manufactured on or after January 1, 1962, other than a motorcycle, unless it is…
- § 27314.5 (a) (1) Subject to paragraph (3), no dealer shall sell or offer for sale any used passenger vehicle of a model year of 1972 to 1990, inclusive, unless there is…
- § 27315 (a) The Legislature finds that a mandatory seatbelt law will contribute to reducing highway deaths and injuries by encouraging greater usage of existing manual…
- § 27315.1 Section 27315 applies to any person in a fully enclosed three-wheeled motor vehicle that is not less than seven feet in length and not less than four feet in…
- § 27315.3 (a) As used in this section, “passenger motor vehicle” means a passenger vehicle as defined in Section 465 and a motortruck as defined in Section 410 of less…
- § 27315.5 All law enforcement agencies shall, not later than January 1, 1991, establish a policy and issue an order, in writing, which states whether or not their…
- § 27316 (a) Unless specifically prohibited by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, all schoolbuses purchased or leased for use in California shall be…
- § 27316.5 (a) Unless specifically prohibited by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, all type 2 school pupil activity buses, manufactured on or after July…
- § 27317 (a) A person shall not knowingly and intentionally manufacture, import, install, reinstall, distribute, sell, or offer for sale any device intended to replace…
- § 27318 (a) A passenger who is 16 years of age or older in a bus shall be properly restrained by a safety belt. (b) A parent, legal guardian, or chartering party shall…
- § 27319 (a) If a bus is equipped with a driver safety belt, the driver of the bus shall not operate the vehicle unless he or she is properly restrained by the safety…
ARTICLE 3.3. Child Safety Belt and Passenger Restraint Requirements §§ 27360–27368 · 12 sections
- § 27360 (a) Except as provided in Section 27363, a parent, legal guardian, or driver who transports a child under eight years of age on a highway in a motor vehicle,…
- § 27360.5 (a) A parent, legal guardian, or driver shall not transport on a highway in a motor vehicle, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 27315, a…
- § 27360.6 (a) (1) For a conviction under Section 27360 or 27360.5, a first offense is punishable by a fine of one hundred dollars ($100), except that the court may…
- § 27361 A law enforcement officer reasonably suspecting a violation of Section 27360 or 27360.5, or both of those sections, may stop a vehicle transporting a child…
- § 27362 (a) A manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer shall not sell, offer for sale, or install in a motor vehicle, a child passenger restraint system that does not…
- § 27362.1 (a) No individual may sell or offer for sale a child passenger restraint system that was in use by a child during an accident involving a motor vehicle. (b) A…
- § 27363 (a) The court may exempt from the requirements of this article any class of child by age, weight, or size if it is determined that the use of a child passenger…
- § 27363.5 (a) A public or private hospital, clinic, or birthing center shall, at the time of the discharge of a child, provide to and discuss with the parents or the…
- § 27364 (a) It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this article, to insure that children, who are, because of their tender years, helpless dependent…
- § 27365 (a) (1) A car rental agency in California shall inform each of its customers of Section 27360 by posting, in a place conspicuous to the public in each…
- § 27366 (a) The department shall do the following: (1) Prepare and disseminate materials for the purpose of educating the public about the importance of using…
- § 27368 This article applies to child passengers in a fully enclosed three-wheeled motor vehicle that is not less than seven feet in length and not less than four feet…
ARTICLE 3.4. Emergency Exits for Charter-Party Carriers of Passengers § 27375 · 1 section
- § 27375 (a) Any person who operates a modified limousine shall ensure that the vehicle has at least two rear side doors, as specified in paragraph (2), and one or two…
ARTICLE 3.5. Headsets and Earplugs § 27400 · 1 section
- § 27400 A person operating a motor vehicle or bicycle may not wear a headset covering, earplugs in, or earphones covering, resting on, or inserted in, both ears. This…
ARTICLE 3.6. Charter-Party Carrier Safety Equipment §§ 27425–27427 · 3 sections
- § 27425 (a) A vehicle described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 5363 of the Public Utilities Code that is designed to carry 39 or more passengers and…
- § 27426 No later than July 1, 2018, the department shall adopt standards and criteria for the implementation of the safety equipment requirements specified in Section…
- § 27427 This article does not alter or affect the requirements of the Passenger Charter-party Carriers’ Act (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 5351) of Division 2 of…
ARTICLE 4. Tires §§ 27450–27503 · 17 sections
- § 27450 When any vehicle is equipped with any solid tire, the solid tire shall have a minimum thickness of resilient rubber as follows: (a) If the width of the tire is…
- § 27451 The rubber of a solid tire shall be measured between the surface of the roadway and the nearest metal part of the base flange to which the tire is attached at…
- § 27452 The required thickness of rubber shall extend evenly around the entire periphery of the tire. The entire solid tire shall be securely attached to the channel…
- § 27453 There shall not be an average difference greater than 1/8 inch between the outside diameters of each single tire composing a dual solid rubber tire.
- § 27454 A tire on a vehicle upon a highway shall not have on its periphery any block, stud, flange, cleat, ridge, bead, or any other protuberance of metal or wood that…
- § 27455 (a) On and after January 1, 1975, no person shall sell or offer for sale an inner tube for use in a radial tire unless, at the time of manufacture, the tube…
- § 27459 No person shall operate any motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer upon any portion of a highway without tire traction devices when that portion of the highway…
- § 27459.5 (a) No person shall sell, offer for sale, lease, install, or replace on a vehicle for use on a highway, any tire traction devices which are not in compliance…
- § 27460 Any passenger vehicle or motortruck having an unladen weight of 6,500 pounds or less and operated and equipped with four-wheel drive and with snow-tread tires…
- § 27460.5 No person shall knowingly sell or offer or expose for sale any motor vehicle tire except a commercial vehicle tire, or any motor vehicle equipped with any tire…
- § 27461 No person shall cause or permit the operation of and no driver shall knowingly operate any motor vehicle except a commercial vehicle, on any street or highway,…
- § 27465 (a) No dealer or person holding a retail seller’s permit shall sell, offer for sale, expose for sale, or install on a vehicle axle for use on a highway, a…
- § 27470 (a) A nonpneumatic tire shall comply with the standards contained in Part 571 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (b) A nonpneumatic tire shall be…
- § 27500 (a) The department may adopt regulations relating to standards for pneumatic tires of a vehicle type as it determines necessary to provide for public safety.…
- § 27501 (a) No dealer or person holding a retail seller’s permit shall sell, offer for sale, expose for sale, or install on a vehicle for use on a highway, a pneumatic…
- § 27502 No dealer or person holding a retail seller’s permit shall sell, offer for sale, expose for sale, or install on a vehicle for use on a highway, a tire which is…
- § 27503 (a) The commissioner, after public hearings, shall adopt regulations setting noise standards for pneumatic tires. Such standards shall be the lowest level of…
ARTICLE 5. Fenders, Ornaments, and Television §§ 27600–27607 · 7 sections
- § 27600 No person shall operate any motor vehicle having three or more wheels, any trailer, or semitrailer unless equipped with fenders, covers, or devices, including…
- § 27602 (a) A person shall not drive a motor vehicle if a television receiver, a video monitor, or a television or video screen, or any other similar means of visually…
- § 27603 When a motor vehicle formerly used as a schoolbus is sold to any person and is used exclusively for purposes other than the transportation of pupils pursuant…
- § 27604 (a) When a motor vehicle, painted, as required by Section 40800, and formerly used in the enforcement of the provisions of Division 10 (commencing with Section…
- § 27605 (a) No person shall own or operate a motor vehicle painted in the manner described in Section 40800 to resemble a motor vehicle used by a peace officer or…
- § 27606 (a) No person shall own or operate a motor vehicle which is equipped with a light bar, or facsimile thereof, to resemble a motor vehicle used by a peace…
- § 27607 (a) Section 27606 does not apply to vehicles owned or used by persons licensed pursuant to Article 3.1 (commencing with Section 7540) or Article 3.2…
ARTICLE 6. Tow Trucks § 27700 · 1 section
- § 27700 (a) Tow trucks shall be equipped with and carry all of the following: (1) One or more brooms, and the driver of the tow truck engaged to remove a disabled…
ARTICLE 7. Motorcycles §§ 27800–27803 · 4 sections
- § 27800 It is unlawful for a driver of a motorcycle or a motorized bicycle to carry any other person thereon, except on a seat securely fastened to the machine at the…
- § 27801 A person shall not drive a two-wheel motorcycle that is equipped with either of the following: (a) A seat so positioned that the driver, when sitting astride…
- § 27802 (a) The department may adopt reasonable regulations establishing specifications and standards for safety helmets offered for sale, or sold, for use by drivers…
- § 27803 (a) A driver and any passenger shall wear a safety helmet meeting requirements established pursuant to Section 27802 when riding on a motorcycle, motor-driven…
ARTICLE 8. Signs §§ 27900–27910 · 14 sections
- § 27900 (a) A motor vehicle or combination of vehicles used to carry the property of others for hire or used to carry passengers for hire, a truck or truck tractor…
- § 27901 The display of the name or trademark shall be in letters in sharp contrast to the background and shall be of such size, shape, and color as to be readily…
- § 27902 Section 27900 does not apply to any motor vehicle having an unladen weight of 6,000 pounds or less or to any vehicle towed by such motor vehicles, or to any…
- § 27903 (a) A vehicle transporting an explosive, blasting agent, flammable liquid, flammable solid, oxidizing material, corrosive, compressed gas, poison, radioactive…
- § 27904 There shall be displayed in a conspicuous place on both the right and left sides of a pilot car a sign showing the name of the company which owns or operates…
- § 27904.5 Subject to Section 35783.5, a pilot car shall display neat, clean, and legible signs containing the word “OVERSIZE.” The words “OVERSIZE LOAD,” “WIDE LOAD,” or…
- § 27905 It is unlawful to display on a vehicle any sign with the words “fire” or “fire department” thereon, except on vehicles owned and operated by a regularly…
- § 27906 (a) Every schoolbus, while being used for the transportation of school pupils at or below the 12th-grade level shall bear upon the front and rear of the bus a…
- § 27906.5 Every youth bus, when operated for the transportation of school pupils, shall bear, upon the front and rear of the youth bus, a plainly visible sign containing…
- § 27906.7 (a) A school district, county office of education, or charter school using a zero-emission schoolbus to transport pupils at or below the 12th-grade level may…
- § 27907 There shall be displayed in a conspicuous place on both the right and left side of a tow truck, a repossessor’s tow vehicle, or an automobile dismantler’s tow…
- § 27908 (a) In every taxicab operated in this state there shall be a sign of heavy material, not smaller than 6 inches by 4 inches, or such other size as the agency…
- § 27909 Any vehicle which carries liquefied petroleum gas fuel or natural gas, in a tank attached to a vehicle, in any concealed area, including trunks, compartments,…
- § 27910 The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall initiate a 12-month study to determine an effective means to enforce the provisions of the Commercial…
ARTICLE 9. Refrigeration Equipment § 28000 · 1 section
- § 28000 Every refrigerator van equipped with one or more doors designed to lock automatically upon closure shall have at least one door which can be opened from inside…
ARTICLE 10. Odometers §§ 28050–28053 · 6 sections
- § 28050 It is unlawful for any person to advertise for sale, to sell, to use, or to install on any part of a motor vehicle or on an odometer in a motor vehicle any…
- § 28050.5 It is unlawful for any person with the intent to defraud to operate a motor vehicle on any street or highway knowing that the odometer of such vehicle is…
- § 28051 It is unlawful for any person to disconnect, turn back, advance, or reset the odometer of any motor vehicle with the intent to alter the number of miles…
- § 28051.5 It is unlawful for any person to advertise for sale, to sell, or to use, any device designed primarily for the purpose of turning back or resetting the…
- § 28052 If a manufacturer, distributor, or dealer of a new motor vehicle makes any warranty to the purchaser of, and with respect to, a new motor vehicle which is…
- § 28053 (a) Nothing in this article prevents the service, repair, or replacement of an odometer, if the mileage indicated thereon remains the same as before the…
ARTICLE 11. Fire Extinguishers §§ 28060–28062 · 2 sections
- § 28060 (a) No person shall sell or offer for sale a new recreational vehicle or new camper which is equipped with cooking equipment or heating equipment, and no…
- § 28062 (a) A modified limousine shall be equipped with two readily accessible and fully charged fire extinguishers having at least a 2A10BC 5 pound rating and…
ARTICLE 11.5. Bumpers §§ 28070–28071 · 2 sections
ARTICLE 12. Camper Signaling Devices §§ 28080–28081 · 2 sections
- § 28080 (a) Every motor vehicle upon which a camper is mounted shall be equipped with an audible or visual signaling device which can be activated from inside the…
- § 28081 The provisions of Section 28080 shall not apply to either of the following: (a) Any motor vehicle upon which a camper is mounted if a person is able to move…
ARTICLE 13. Theft Alarm System § 28085 · 1 section
- § 28085 Any motor vehicle may be equipped with a theft alarm system which flashes the lights of the vehicle, or sounds an audible signal, or both, and which operates…
ARTICLE 14. Cellular Telephones § 28090 · 1 section
- § 28090 Every renter of a motor vehicle with cellular radio telephone equipment shall provide the person who rents the motor vehicle with written operating…
ARTICLE 15. Pilot Cars §§ 28100–28103 · 4 sections
- § 28100 A pilot car shall display at least one red warning flag on each side of the vehicle. The flags shall be a minimum of 16 inches square, and shall be mounted so…
- § 28101 In addition to the lighting, sign, and flag requirements in Sections 25270, 27904, 27904.5, and 28100, a pilot car shall meet all of the following…
- § 28102 Pilot cars equipped with vertical clearance measuring devices shall comply with Section 35252.
- § 28103 It is unlawful and an infraction for any person to violate any provision of this article or to fail to have any required equipment in good working order.
ARTICLE 16. Methanol or Ethanol Fueled Vehicles §§ 28110–28114 · 5 sections
- § 28110 As used in this article, “antisiphoning device” means a device which prevents the removal by suction of fuel from a motor vehicle.
- § 28111 Except as otherwise provided in Section 28112, any 1993 and later model-year vehicle which is capable of operating on methanol or ethanol and is imported into…
- § 28112 Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 28111, the State Air Resources Board may adopt regulations providing for exemptions from antisiphoning device…
- § 28113 (a) Every light-duty and medium-duty motor vehicle operated for compensation to transport persons in an air quality management district or air pollution…
- § 28114 (a) Every heavy-duty vehicle operated by a transit authority or transit district, or owned by a private entity providing transit service under contract with a…
ARTICLE 17. Jamming Devices § 28150 · 1 section
- § 28150 (a) No vehicle shall be equipped with any device that is designed for, or is capable of, jamming, scrambling, neutralizing, disabling, or otherwise interfering…
ARTICLE 17.5. Driver Monitoring Defeat Devices § 28155 · 1 section
- § 28155 (a) A vehicle shall not be equipped with a device that is specifically designed for, marketed for, or being used for, neutralizing, disabling, or otherwise…
ARTICLE 18. Child Safety Alert System § 28160 · 1 section
- § 28160 (a) On or before January 1, 2018, the department shall adopt regulations governing the specifications, installation, and use of child safety alert systems. (b)…