393.11 Violation: What It Means and How to Fix It
Data through September 24, 2026 · Last updated October 28, 2026 · By Chad Griffith, founder
Quick Answer
393.11 (Lamps and reflective devices) was cited 56,121 times in roadside inspections of interstate for-hire carriers with 5 to 50 trucks from September 25, 2024 to September 24, 2026, and 3.6% of those citations put the driver or vehicle out of service. The most common version is 393.11A1-CSLRR: Conspicuity Systems - Truck tractor lower rear retro reflective sheeting missing on vehicle manufactured on or after July 1 1997.
56,121
Citations on carriers with 5 to 50 trucks
3.6%
Out of service
302,777
All carriers, same period
What the rule says
Trucks, tractors and trailers must carry the lamps and retroreflective sheeting in 49 CFR 393.11, including conspicuity sheeting on the rear and sides and on the rear impact guard.
When it puts you out of service
Rarely out of service (3.6% here), but cited often on older trailers and tractors.
The codes on the inspection report
| Code | What the officer wrote | Severity weight | Citations, 5 to 50 trucks | Out of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 393.11A1-CSLRR | “Conspicuity Systems - Truck tractor lower rear retro reflective sheeting missing on vehicle manufactured on or after July 1 1997” | 3 | 9,054 | 0.0% |
| 393.11A1-CSURR | “Conspicuity Systems - Truck tractor upper rear retro reflective sheeting missing on vehicle manufactured on or after July 1 1997” | 3 | 6,438 | 0.0% |
| 393.11TL | “Truck-Tractor lower rear mud flaps retroreflective sheeting / reflex reflective material requirements for vehicles manufactured after July 1997” | 3 | 5,795 | 0.0% |
| 393.11 | “No or defective lighting devices or reflective material as required” | 3 | 5,432 | 3.1% |
| 393.11A1-LCHL | “Lighting - Lamps improper color height location.” | 6 | 3,992 | 0.0% |
| 393.11TU | “Truck-Tractor upper body corner requirements for retroreflective sheeting or reflex reflective material for vehicles manufactured after July 1997” | 3 | 3,752 | 0.0% |
| 393.11A1-LLPL | “Lighting - License plate lamp missing” | 2 | 2,376 | 0.0% |
| 393.11B-CSRIGRR | “Conspicuity Systems - Trailers rear impact guard retro reflective sheeting inadequate on vehicle manufactured on or after December 1 1993” | 3 | 1,747 | 0.0% |
| 393.11A1-LIL | “Lighting - Identification lamp(s) missing” | 2 | 1,586 | 0.0% |
| 393.11B-CSURR | “Conspicuity Systems - Trailers upper rear retro reflective sheeting inadequate on vehicle manufactured on or after December 1 1993” | 3 | 1,347 | 0.0% |
| 393.11A1-LCL | “Lighting - Clearance lamp(s) missing” | 2 | 1,317 | 0.0% |
| 393.11B-CSLRR | “Conspicuity Systems - Trailers lower rear retro reflective sheeting inadequate on vehicle manufactured on or after December 1 1993” | 3 | 1,310 | 0.0% |
How it scores (violation points)
How it scores: in FMCSA's Safety Measurement System each violation counts its severity weight, plus 2 if it put the driver or vehicle out of service, times 3 in its first 6 months, 2 from 6 to 12 months, and 1 from 12 to 24 months. FMCSA has approved a simpler scale that is not live yet.
How to fix it
- Replace missing, faded or damaged retroreflective sheeting to the pattern 393.11 requires.
- Check the rear impact guard, mud flaps and upper rear of the tractor, where the sub-codes point.
Stop it happening again
- Look at the sheeting at every annual inspection and when a trailer comes back from the body shop.
Challenging it in DataQs
Use DataQs (dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov) only when the report is wrong: the wrong carrier or vehicle, a violation that did not happen, or a citation a court dismissed without a fine or found you not guilty of, which removes it from the Safety Measurement System; a conviction of a different charge lowers its weight to 1 (FMCSA adjudicated citations policy). Fixing the defect afterward is not a reason to remove it; keep the repair record instead.
FileFlo reads your public FMCSA record, lists every violation with the rule behind it, and keeps the driver and vehicle records that stop repeats.
Run it yourself: the Audit-Ready Setup, $499 through December 31, 2026, then $199 a month for up to 15 trucks. Or FileFlo runs it: $1,500 a month for up to 15 trucks, Setup included, and your first month back if you are not happy.
About these numbers
Counts are violations cited in roadside inspections used in FMCSA's Safety Measurement System from September 25, 2024 to September 24, 2026 (dataset 8mt8-2mdr on data.transportation.gov, October 2026 run). Carriers with 5 to 50 trucks means 66,936 active interstate for-hire carriers with 5 to 50 power units and more trucks than buses, based in the 50 states or DC, from FMCSA's census file. This is FileFlo's reading of public FMCSA data, not an FMCSA rating. Severity weights are the current SMS weights.