FMCSA Final Rule: Removal of Permanent Labeling Requirements for Trailer Rear Impact Guards
FMCSA issued a final rule on February 19, eliminating the requirement that certification labels for trailer rear impact guards be permanently retained. The new rule takes effect on March 23, responding to long-standing industry concerns about label wear and difficulty in reading, but it does not overturn the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's requirement for manufacturers to meet safety standards at the time of production.
Key Takeaways
- Rear impact guard certification labels and markings will no longer be requiredto remain permanently on trailers or semitrailers,according to a final rule issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Feb. 19.
- Illegible and worn labels had raised concerns among carriers, and FMCSA stated in December 2024 that such conditions would not result in violations. The final rule takes effect March 23, but petitions for reconsideration can still be filed before then.
- The rule does not overturn National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requirements for original equipment manufacturers to meet rear impact guard safety standards at the time of manufacture and sale.
Deep Dive
The final rule addresses a long-standing dilemma for carriers: The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance noted that when roadside inspectors find labels illegible or missing,manufacturers often refuse to replacethe labels, or only replace them under specific conditions.
Trucking Dive previously contacted FMCSA to ask whether resale could be affected for carriers purchasing used equipment when verifying the equipment's current safety. The agency said on Feb. 23 it was awaiting approval to respond.
However, the American Trucking Associations previously noted that these labelswere intended for certificationat the time of new equipment purchase.
Trucking groups still point out the issue of labels naturally aging.
"Once a trailer is on the road, these labels quickly become illegible or damaged within the trailer's service life,"the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association noted. "The absence of a certification label has no effect on the structural integrity or proper installation of the rear impact guard."
Industry groups, includingATA、CVSAand the nonprofit National Tank Truck Carriers Association,have raised this issue with FMCSA for years, calling for regulatory reform. These comments came as the agency considered other label adjustments—related changes that began in2020and were adopted in2021, but at that time the decision to eliminate label requirements was deferred.