<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<chapter num="03" heading="Bumpers for Class A, Class E, and Class M Motor Vehicles" title_num="11" subtitle_num="13">
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="Purpose.">
    <text>In accordance with Transportation Article, §22-105, Annotated Code of Maryland, the Motor Vehicle Administration and the Automotive Safety Enforcement Division of the Department of State Police have set forth the following requirements for bumpers on Class A passenger vehicles, Class E truck vehicles with a registered GVW of 18,000 pounds or less, and Class M multipurpose vehicles.</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" heading="Applicable Vehicles.">
    <text>Each Class A passenger motor vehicle, Class E truck motor vehicle with a registered GVW of 18,000 pounds or less, or Class M multipurpose passenger motor vehicle when operated on the highways of Maryland, shall be equipped with a front bumper, and a rear bumper if a rear bumper was originally installed by the manufacturer.</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" heading="Bumper Standards.">
    <text>Each required bumper shall:</text>
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>Comply with all applicable provisions of the Transportation Article — Maryland Vehicle Law, Code of Maryland Regulations, and all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations, including 49 CFR 581, as promulgated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Be an original or an approved type;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>Be mounted equivalent to original design;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="D.">
      <text>Be free of broken or missing parts, sharp edges, or abnormal protrusions;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="E.">
      <text>Extend at least to the lateral width of the vehicle and as set forth in this section:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>This applies to the front bumper and rear bumper, when required, on a vehicle less than 80 inches in overall width;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>A truck vehicle with a registered GVW of 18,000 pounds or less and 80 inches or more in overall width which is so constructed that the body or chassis without body has a rear ground clearance of more than 30 inches when empty shall be equipped as follows:</text>
        <paragraph num="(a)">
          <text>With a bumper or device serving similar purposes which shall be constructed and located that:</text>
          <paragraph num="(i)">
            <text>The clearance between the effective bottom of the bumper or device and the ground does not exceed 30 inches when the vehicle is empty,</text>
          </paragraph>
          <paragraph num="(ii)">
            <text>The maximum distance between the closest points between the bumper, or device, if more than one is used, may not exceed 24 inches,</text>
          </paragraph>
          <paragraph num="(iii)">
            <text>The maximum transverse distance from the widest part of the motor vehicle at the rear to the bumper or device may not exceed 18 inches,</text>
          </paragraph>
          <paragraph num="(iv)">
            <text>The rear bumper or device shall be located not more than 24 inches forward of the extreme rear of the vehicle, and</text>
          </paragraph>
          <paragraph num="(v)">
            <text>The bumper or device shall be substantially constructed and firmly attached;</text>
          </paragraph>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(b)">
          <text>Every motor vehicle constructed and maintained so that the body, chassis, or other parts of the vehicle which afford the rear end protection is in compliance with this section;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="F.">
      <text>On a Class A passenger vehicle, be not higher than 20 inches from the bottom edge of the main horizontal bar of the bumper to the ground on which the vehicle stands;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="G.">
      <text>On a Class E truck vehicle with a registered GVW of 10,000 pounds or less, be not higher than 28 inches from the bottom edge of the main horizontal bar of the bumper to the ground on which the vehicle stands;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="H.">
      <text>On a Class E truck vehicle with a registered GVW of more than 10,000 pounds but not more than 18,000 pounds:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Be not higher than 30 inches from the bottom of the main horizontal bar of the bumper to the ground on which the vehicle stands; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>If truck is used for spraying agricultural crops, be not higher than 32 inches from the bottom of the main horizontal bar of the bumper to the ground on which the vehicle stands;</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="I.">
      <text>On a Class M multipurpose vehicle, be not higher than 28 inches from the bottom edge of the main horizontal bar of the bumper to the ground on which the vehicle stands.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" heading="Modification of Bumper.">
    <text>A bumper may not be modified or extended upward or downward to compensate for vehicle suspension or body alterations or modifications.</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".05" heading="Replacement Bumper.">
    <text>Every replacement bumper shall be constructed, designed and mounted to comply with all requirements established in this chapter.</text>
  </regulation>
  <annotations>
    <annotation type="Authority">Transportation Article, §§12-104(b) and 22-105, Annotated Code of Maryland; 49CFR 581</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date: January 22, 1975 (2:2 Md. R. 86)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01 amended effective September 16, 1991 (18:18 Md. R. 2006); October 27, 2014 (41:21 Md. R. 1260)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .02 amended effective September 16, 1991 (18:18 Md. R. 2006)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .03 amended effective September 16, 1991 (18:18 Md. R. 2006)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .03A, H amended effective October 27, 2014 (41:21 Md. R. 1260)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .04 amended effective September 16, 1991 (18:18 Md. R. 2006)</annotation>
  </annotations>
</chapter>