Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Construction and Use)(Amendment) Rules 2026

after the definition of “automatic transmission system”, insert —“ “classic vehicle”, “normal vintage vehicle”, “restricted vintage vehicle” and “revised use vintage vehicle” have the meanings given by rule 2(1) of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Registration and Licensing) Rules (R 5);”;

after the definition of “indivisible load”, insert —“ “Japanese Article 12” means Article 12 of Safety Regulations for Road Vehicles of Japan (as in force on 25 September 1998);”;

after the definition of “transmission system”, insert —“ “UN Regulation 13‑H” means Regulation No. 13‑H of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Uniform Provisions Concerning the Approval of Passenger Cars with regard to Braking (original version) (Addendum 12‑H to the Agreement Concerning the Adoption of Uniform Technical Prescriptions for Wheeled Vehicles, Equipment and Parts which can be Fitted and/or be Used on Wheeled Vehicles and the Conditions for Reciprocal Recognition of Approvals Granted on the Basis of these Prescriptions (Revision 2, including the amendments which entered into force on 16 October 1995));”; and

after the definition of “UN Regulation 46”, insert —“ “UN Regulation 78” means Regulation No. 78 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Uniform Provisions Concerning the Approval of Vehicles of Categories L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5 with regard to Braking (original version) (Addendum 77 to the Agreement Concerning the Adoption of Uniform Conditions of Approval and Reciprocal Recognition of Approval for Motor Vehicle Equipment and Parts (done at Geneva on 20 March 1958));“UN Regulation 81” means Regulation No. 81 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Uniform Provisions Concerning the Approval of Rear‑View Mirrors and of Two‑Wheeled Power‑Driven Vehicles With or Without Side Car, with regard to the Installation of Rear‑view Mirrors on Handlebars (original version) (Addendum 80 to the Agreement Concerning the Adoption of Uniform Conditions of Approval and Reciprocal Recognition of Approval for Motor Vehicle Equipment and Parts (done at Geneva on 20 March 1958));”.

Subject to paragraph (4) —

every motor car registered on or after 1 May 2026; and

every motor cycle (whether with or without an attached side‑car) registered on or after 1 April 2027,must be equipped with an anti‑lock braking system.

Every anti‑lock braking system of a motor car to which paragraph (1)(a) applies must be constructed and fitted in compliance with the requirements in —

UN Regulation 13‑H;

Japanese Article 12; or

any other standard that the Registrar or an authorised officer may recognise as having an equivalent level of safety to, or a more stringent level of safety than, any of the standards mentioned in sub‑paragraph (a) or (b).

Every anti‑lock braking system of a motor cycle to which paragraph (1)(b) applies must be constructed and fitted in compliance with the requirements in —

UN Regulation 78;

Japanese Article 12;

EU Regulation 168/2013 (as supplemented by the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No. 3/2014 of 24 October 2013, as amended by the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No. 2016/1824 of 14 July 2016); or

any other standard that the Registrar or an authorised officer may recognise as having an equivalent level of safety to, or a more stringent level of safety than, any of the standards mentioned in sub‑paragraph (a), (b) or (c).

Paragraph (1) does not apply to any motor vehicle that is registered or re‑registered as —

a classic vehicle;

a normal vintage vehicle;

a restricted vintage vehicle; or

a revised use vintage vehicle.

In this rule, “anti‑lock braking system” means a part of a braking system that senses and controls the degree of wheel slip on one or more wheels of a vehicle during braking.”.

at least one mirror that is so constructed and fitted to either the left or the right side of the motor cycle as to assist the rider to become aware of traffic at the rear of the motor cycle, if the motor cycle —

is registered before 1 May 2026; or

is registered or re‑registered (whether before, on or after 1 May 2026) as a classic vehicle, normal vintage vehicle, restricted vintage vehicle or revised use vintage vehicle; or

at least one mirror that is so constructed and fitted on each side of the motor cycle as to assist the rider to become aware of traffic at the rear of the motor cycle, if the motor cycle is registered on or after 1 May 2026 and is not registered or re-registered as a classic vehicle, normal vintage vehicle, restricted vintage vehicle or revised use vintage vehicle.

Every mirror fitted to a motor cycle to which paragraph (3)(b) applies must be constructed and fitted in compliance with the requirements under —

UN Regulation 81;

Japanese Article 44 (as in force on 1 May 2001);

EU Regulation 168/2013 (as supplemented by the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No. 3/2014 of 24 October 2013, as amended by the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No. 2016/1824 of 14 July 2016); or

any other standard that the Registrar or an authorised officer may recognise as having an equivalent level of safety to, or a more stringent level of safety than, any of the standards mentioned in sub‑paragraph (a), (b) or (c).”.