Texas Mud Flap Laws and Requirements

Texas Mud Flap Laws And Requirements-Do I Need Mud Flaps

Are Mud Flaps Required By Law In Texas?  Yes!

Since there are official dot regulations on mud flaps it is imperative that you install a pair of mud guards on your vehicle to avoid getting a ticket for breaking the  texas transportation code for mud flaps.

Several states have laws regarding the presence of mud flaps on certain types of cars and trucks and Texas i sone of them.  The Texas state requirements for mud flaps as of 6/10/16 are as follows:

"Safety guards or flaps are required on all trucks, light trucks, trailers, or semi-trailers (in combination with a towing vehicle), if the rearmost axle of the vehicle (or combination) has four tires or more. They are not required on buses, pole trailers, motor homes, or truck-tractors. They shall be located and suspended behind the rearmost wheels of such vehicle or, if in combination, behind the rearmost wheels of such combination to within 8" of the surface of the roadway.

A tolerance of 4" will be allowed and shall be at least as wide as the tires they are protecting. They shall be of metal, rubber, rubberized material, or other substantial material, capable of remaining in place behind the rear wheels by their own weight while said vehicle is being operated, and will remain in the proper place behind the rear wheels and will be rigid enough to prevent slush, mud, or gravel from being transmitted from the vehicle’s rear wheels to the windshield of the following vehicle. They will be securely mounted, as wide as the tire that being protected, not split or torn to the extent that they are ineffective, and the bottom edge of the safety guard or flap shall be no more than 12" from the surface of the roadway."

Inspect for and reject if:

  • Mud flap or safety guard is not present.
  • Mud flap or safety guard is not securely mounted.
  • Mud flap or safety guard is not as wide as the tire that it is protecting.
  • Mud flap or safety guard is split or torn to the extent that it is ineffective.
  • The bottom edge of mud flap or safety guard is more than twelve (12) inches from the surface of the roadway.

*According to the Texas Department of Public Safety inspection Criteria

See all the mud flaps on SharpTruck

This is what the state of Texas defines as a truck:

§ 541.201. VEHICLES. In this subtitle:
(7) "Light truck" means a truck, including a pickup
truck, panel delivery truck, or carryall truck, that has a
manufacturer's rated carrying capacity of 2,000 pounds or less.
or
(21) "Truck" means a motor vehicle designed, used, or
maintained primarily to transport property.

The Texas transportaion code states:

§ 547.606. SAFETY GUARDS OR FLAPS REQUIRED. (a) A road
tractor, truck, trailer, truck-tractor in combination with a
semitrailer, or semitrailer in combination with a towing vehicle
that has at least four tires on the rearmost axle of the vehicle or
the rearmost vehicle in the combination shall be equipped with
safety guards or flaps that:
(1) are of a type prescribed by the department; and
(2) are located and suspended behind the rearmost
wheels of the vehicle or the rearmost vehicle in the combination
within eight inches of the surface of the highway.
(b) This section does not apply to a truck-tractor operated
alone or a pole trailer.

SharpTruck has everything you need to make sure your truck is in complaince with the law. Brackets? We've got them. Flaps of all shapes and sizes.

See all the mud flaps on SharpTruck

We scoured the internet and found several reports of Texas citizens being cited for driving dually's without mud flaps.  They were ticketed and had to pay a fine.  Since in Texas there are dot regulations on mud flaps. it is probably a good idea to get some installed!

So, if you were wondering "do i need mud flaps on my truck, the answer is if you live in Texas there are definitely mud flap requirements are definitely laws in Texas for Dually trucks.  If you are unsure if your vehicle requires mud flaps to be installed, call the Texas DOT or DMV and they can look at your specific situation and provide guidance.

Leave your comment

Contact Us
Our experts are ready to help you.
Call
Email
Follow