{"id":"F2006L02300","name":"Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 60/00 – Centre High Mounted Stop Lamp) 2006","slug":"vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-60-00-centre-high-mounted-stop-lamp-2006","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":117620,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006L02300-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 60/00 – Centre High Mounted Stop Lamp) 2006","content":"![Commonwealth Coat of Arms](image.001.jpeg)\n\nVehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 60/00 – Centre High Mounted Stop Lamp) 2006\n\nMade under section 12 of the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018\n\nCompilation: 1 (up to and including Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule) Lighting Standards Amendment Instrument 2022 (No.1)\n\nCompilation Date: 20 January 2023\n\nCompiled by: Vehicle Safety Policy and Partnerships, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts\n\nCONTENTS\n\nA. legislative provisions.............................................3\n\nB. function and SCOPE.............................................3\n\nC. APPLICABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION........................3\n\n60.1. DEFINITIONS..................................................4\n\nPART I PHOTOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS................................4\n\n60.2. SPECIFICATION...............................................4\n\n60.3. LIGHT TABLES................................................5\n\nPART II INSTALLATION...............................................6\n\n60.4. SPECIFICATION...............................................6\n\n60.5. ALTERNATIVE STANDARDS....................................6\n\nCOMPILATION NOTES................................................7\n\n \n\n1. legislative provisions\n 1. NAME OF STANDARD\n 1. This Standard is the Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 60/00 – Centre High Mounted Stop Lamp) 2006.\n 2. This Standard may also be cited as Australian Design Rule 60/00 — Centre High Mounted Stop Lamp.\n2. function and SCOPE\n\nThe function of this Australian Design Rule is to specify requirements for a supplementary ‘Centre High-mounted Stop Lamp’ on the rear of the vehicle, to provide an additional indication to other road users to the rear of the vehicle that the driver of the vehicle is applying the service brakes.\n\n1. APPLICABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION\n 1. Applicability Summary\n 1. This ADR applies to the design and construction of vehicles as set out in the table below.\n 2. Those vehicles must be equipped with a ‘Centre High-mounted Stop Lamp’ complying with the relevant requirements of this National Standard.\n 3. Vehicles complying with the requirements for S3 category stop lamps in ADR 49/00, installed in accordance with the requirements for S3 category stop lamps in ADR 13/00 need not comply with this national standard. \n \n 2. Applicability Table\n\n| Vehicle Category | ADR Category Code [*] | UN Category Code * | Manufactured on or After | Acceptable Prior Rules |\n| --------------------------------- | --------------------- | ------------------ | ------------------------ | ---------------------- |\n| Moped 2 wheels | LA | L1 | Not Applicable | |\n| Moped 3 wheels | LB | L2 | Not Applicable | |\n| Motor cycle | LC | L3 | Not Applicable | |\n| Motor cycle and sidecar | LD | L4 | Not Applicable | |\n| Motor tricycle | LE | L5 | | |\n| | LEM | | Not Applicable | |\n| enclosed vehicles | LEP | | 1 March 1991 | Nil |\n| all vehicles | LEP | | 1 July 1992 | Nil |\n| | LEG | | Not Applicable | |\n| Passenger car | MA | M1 | 1 July 1989 | Nil |\n| Forward-control passenger vehicle | MB | M1 | 1 July 1996 | Nil |\n| Off-road passenger vehicle | MC | M1 | 1 July 1996 | Nil |\n| Light omnibus | MD | M2 | Not Applicable | |\n| Heavy omnibus | ME | M3 | Not Applicable | |\n| Light goods vehicle | NA | N1 | Not Applicable | |\n| Medium goods vehicle | NB | N2 | Not Applicable | |\n| Heavy goods vehicle | NC | N3 | Not Applicable | |\n| Very light trailer | TA | O1 | Not Applicable | |\n| Light trailer | TB | O2 | Not Applicable | |\n| Medium trailer | TC | O3 | Not Applicable | |\n| Heavy trailer | TD | O4 | Not Applicable | |\n\n1. DEFINITIONS\n 1. Refer to Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005.\n\nPART I PHOTOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS\n\n1. SPECIFICATION\n 1. Colour of light emitted: Red to SAE document J578c, February, 1977 \"Color Specification for Electric Signal Lighting Devices\", or as specified in clause 60.3.2.\n 2. Intensity of light emitted\n 1. Minimum:\n\nIn each direction corresponding to the points in the light distribution table of clause 60.3.1, the luminous intensity must be not less than the figure specified in the table for the direction in question.\n\n1. Maximum: 160 cd in any direction.\n\nThe luminous intensity must not exceed this maximum over an area larger than that generated by a 0.25o radius within a solid cone angle from 10L to 10R and from 10U to 5D.\n\n1. Minimum angles of light distribution referred to the reference axis\n 1. Vertical: from 10o above to 5o below the horizontal.\n 2. Horizontal: from 10o to the left to 10o to the right.\n2. Other Requirements\n\nEach lamp must:-\n\n1. have an effective projected luminous area not less than 29 square centimetres;\n2. not contain symbols, letters or characters other than those necessary for part number, manufacturer’s identification and/or approval number identification;\n3. provide access for convenient replacement of the globe without the use of special tools;\n4. provide a steady warning light;\n5. except as provided in clauses 60.2.1 to 60.2.4.2, be designed to conform to the relevant requirements of clauses 1 to 3 of SAE document J186a, September, 1977 \"Supplemental High Mounted Stop and Rear Turn Signal Lamps\", except that:\n 1. Table 1 of that SAE document is replaced by the light distribution table of clause 60.3.1;\n 2. lamps designed solely for mounting inside the vehicle need not meet the requirements of paragraphs 3.1.6 Moisture Test; 3.1.7 Dust Test; and 3.1.8 Corrosion Test of that SAE document.\n\n1. LIGHT TABLES\n 1. Table of Minimum Light Distribution (in candela, for degrees of angle)\n\n```html\n

10U

8

16

8

5U

16

25

25

25

16

V

16

25

25

25

16

5D

16

25

25

25

16

10L

5L

H

5R

10R

\n```\n\n1. Colour of light trichromatic co-ordinates\n 1. Red:\n\nlimit towards yellow: y < 0.335\n\nlimit towards purple: z < 0.008\n\n1. For verifying the limits above, a source of light at a colour temperature of 2856K (illuminant A of the International Commission of Illumination (CIE)), in combination with appropriate filters, may be used.\n\n \nPART II INSTALLATION\n\n1. SPECIFICATION\n 1. Presence Mandatory.\n 2. Number One.\n 3. Arrangement No special requirement.\n 4. Position\n 1. In width: on the vehicle’s median longitudinal plane.\n 2. In height: at any position including on the glazing, except that no portion of the lens must be lower than the bottom edge of the rear window by more than:\n 1. 152 mm for convertibles;\n 2. 77 mm for other vehicles.\n 5. Geometric visibility\n 1. The reference axis of the lamp when fitted to the vehicle must be parallel to the bearing plane of the vehicle on the road and lie in the median longitudinal plane of the vehicle.\n 1. Vertical: from 10o above to 5o below the horizontal.\n 2. Horizontal: from 10o to the left to 10o to the right.\n 6. Orientation Rearwards.\n 7. May not be \"grouped\" with any other lamp.\n 8. May not be \"combined\" with any other lamp or reflective device.\n 9. May not be \"reciprocally incorporated\" with any other lamp.\n 10. Electrical Operation shall be activated upon and only upon application of the service brakes.\n 11. Tell-tale Optional.\n 12. Other requirements\n\nIf the lamp is mounted inside the vehicle, it must be shrouded to the glass or other means must be provided to minimise reflections from the light of the lamp upon the rear window glazing that might be visible to the driver when viewed directly, or indirectly, in the rear vision mirror.\n\n1. ALTERNATIVE STANDARDS\n 1. The technical requirements of FMVSS 108 “Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment” or “High-mounted Stop Lamp” are deemed to be equivalent to the technical requirements of this rule.\n 2. The technical requirements of Category S3 stop lamps of United Nations Regulation 7/02 read with supplement 2 to the 02 series of amendments and installed in accordance with United Nations Regulation 48/01.\n\nCOMPILATION NOTES\n\nThis compilation of Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 60/00 – Centre High Mounted Stop Lamp) 2006 includes all the instruments set out in the Table of Instruments. This vehicle standard is determined under section 12 of the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018.\n\nThe Table of Amendments provides a history of clauses that have been amended, inserted or deleted.\n\nTable of Instruments\n\n| Name of Instrument | Registration Date | Commencement Date |\n| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------- | ----------------- |\n| Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 1/00 – Reversing lamp) 2006 (F2006L02300) | 05/07/2006 | 05/07/2006 |\n| Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule) Lighting Standards Amendment Instrument 2022 (No.1) (F2023L00042) | 19/01/2023 | 20/01/2023 |\n\nTable of Amendments\n\n| Clause affected | How affected | Amending instrument |\n| --------------- | ------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| A.2. | del | Legislation Act 2003 – section 48D |\n| A.3. | del | Legislation Act 2003 – section 48C |\n| C.2. | am | Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule) Lighting Standards Amendment Instrument 2022 (No.1) |\n| 60.5.2. | am | Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule) Lighting Standards Amendment Instrument 2022 (No.1) |\n\nad = added or inserted\n\nam = amended\n\ndel = deleted or removed\n\nrr = removed and replaced\n\n = clause renumbered. This takes the format of old no.  new no.\n\n---\n\n[\\[\\*\\]](#_ftnref1) The category code may also be in the format L1, LA etc.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose: specifying requirements for centre high-mounted stop lamps. The 2022 amendment updated references to the enabling legislation (Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018) and refined alternative standards clauses, but did not expand the scope beyond supplementary brake lighting for specified vehicle categories."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple external document references (SAE J578c, SAE J186a, FMVSS 108, UN Regulations 7/02 and 48/01) that must be read alongside the instrument","Technical photometric table with 25 data points specifying minimum candela values across angular distributions","Precise geometric constraints (10U/5D/10L/10R angles, 152mm/77mm height limits, 29cm² minimum area)","Nested conditional exemptions (clause 60.1.3 creates an exception for vehicles complying with ADR 49/00 and ADR 13/00)","Cross-referencing to separate Definitions instrument (ADR Definitions and Vehicle Categories 2005) for all defined terms","Dual dating system with manufacture dates varying by vehicle category (1989, 1991, 1992, 1996)","Alternative compliance pathways creating parallel regulatory frameworks (60.5.1 and 60.5.2)"],"plain_english_summary":"This rule mandates a high-mounted centre brake light on new passenger cars, utes and vans, specifying its required brightness, red colour, steady operation, mounting position and minimum size so it’s visible over other vehicles. \n\nIt affects vehicle manufacturers and importers (and thus drivers), with exemptions for motorcycles, buses, trucks and trailers; the aim is to improve rear-visibility and reduce rear-end collisions."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The compilation notes and Table of Amendments record amendments to applicability (clause C.2) and the alternative‑standards provision (60.5.2) by the 2022 Lighting Standards Amendment Instrument. Those recorded amendments indicate the rule’s application dates and recognised equivalent standards were updated, altering the instrument’s practical scope and compliance pathways (see Table of Amendments)."},"complexity_factors":["Technical photometric specifications with numeric intensity limits and angular distribution tables (60.2–60.3).","Precise installation geometry and dimensional tolerances, including median plane and height limits (60.4.4–60.4.5).","Cross‑references to external standards and test procedures (SAE J578c, SAE J186a) requiring laboratory verification (60.2.1, 60.2.5).","Acceptance of alternative international standards (FMVSS 108, UN Regulation 7/02) creates equivalence pathways and choice for manufacturers (60.5).","Applicability table mapping many vehicle categories with different commencement dates adds regulatory‑coverage complexity (Applicability Table)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Australian Design Rule requires certain vehicles to have a Centre High‑mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL) and sets technical limits on its colour, intensity, beam spread and mounting position, plus activation on service brakes (Part I: 60.2–60.3; Part II: 60.4). It affects vehicle manufacturers, importers and designers who must design, test and fit compliant lamps and obtain certification. Alternative international standards are accepted as equivalent (60.5), reducing duplicate testing but shifting compliance choices to manufacturers."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-60-00-centre-high-mounted-stop-lamp-2006","history":"/api/acts/vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-60-00-centre-high-mounted-stop-lamp-2006/history","analysis":"/api/acts/vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-60-00-centre-high-mounted-stop-lamp-2006/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-60-00-centre-high-mounted-stop-lamp-2006/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-60-00-centre-high-mounted-stop-lamp-2006/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/vehicle-standard-australian-design-rule-60-00-centre-high-mounted-stop-lamp-2006/documents"}}