UN R65 Supplement 13 (00 series) · UNECE Regulation No. 65 (ECE R65) — Uniform provisions concerning the approval of special warning lamps for power-driven vehicles and their trailers.
UN R65 — Supplement 13 to the 00 series of amendments
Supplement 12 → 13
- What changed
- A special warning lamp device of Category T, HT or X may be approved for the colours blue, amber and red separately.
- The approval mark now shows “A”, “B” or “R” according to any colour the unit can emit.
- Paragraph 5.9. now refers to paragraph 6 of this Regulation instead of paragraph 6. of Annex 5.
- Why
- The proposal aims to allow Category HT and X lamps of different colours in the same manner as Category T.
- The approval marking shows any colour the unit can emit so that police can check national obligations easily.
- With the reference to paragraph 6, flash patterns must fulfil the complete requirements, not just those in paragraph 6 of Annex 5.
Q1What changed9 changes
Several colours in one device of Category T, HT or X (para. 5.8.)
A special warning lamp device of Category T, HT or X may be approved for the colours blue, amber and red separately. In this case, the activation of more than one colour at the same time is prohibited. Before this supplement, paragraph 5.8. said that a rotating or flashing special warning lamp device of Category T may emit light of several colours. The sentence that all the requirements must be met for each colour separately over the full angular range specified is deleted.
Colour letters in the approval mark (para. 4.4.1.3.)
The approval mark now shows “A”, “B” or “R” according to any colour the unit can emit. Before this supplement, the letter was according to the colour of the unit.
Flash patterns (para. 5.9.)
This paragraph applies to special warning lamps approved under this Regulation. The user must not be able to activate flash patterns that do not conform to the requirements in paragraph 6 of this Regulation. Before this supplement, the reference was to paragraph 6. of Annex 5.
Reference to UN Regulation No. 100 (para. 5.1.)
The text gives marking the device as an example for the requirements on internal voltage higher than 60 V DC. This example now refers to paragraph 5.1.1.4. in UN Regulation No. 100. Before this supplement, it referred to paragraph 5.1.1.5.
Examples of approval mark (Annex 2)
The examples of the approval mark now show a ≥ 5 mm instead of a ≥ 8 mm. The title changes from “Examples of approval marks” to “Examples of approval mark”.
Q2Why it changed
- Proposed by
- Experts from Germany and the International Automotive Lighting and Light-Signalling Expert Group (GTB)
- Working party
- GRE, 92nd session (April 2025)
Reasons
A common combination is a Category T lamp at the front of the roof and an additional half bar at the rear of the roof. According to the proposal, the old text allowed this arrangement only for vehicles with blue special warning lamps. A yellow half bar could not be approved. The proposal aims to allow Category HT and X lamps of different colours in the same manner as Category T.
Sources (4)
“A common combination is a special warning lamp of Category T at the front of the roof”
“The current text of UN Regulation No. 65 allows such an arrangement only for vehicles with blue special warning lamps.”
“The same vehicles with yellow special warning lamps do not have this possibility, because it is not possible to approve the yellow half bar.”
“In order to solve this inconsistency and for the sake of technological neutrality, the proposal aims to allow Category HT and X special warning lamps emitting light in different colours in the same manner as Category T.”
The proposal adds the obligation to indicate in the approval marking any colour that the unit can emit. The aim is to avoid misuse, so that police can check national obligations easily during roadside checks and periodical technical inspections.
Sources (2)
“In order to avoid misuse, the obligation is added to indicate in the approval marking of the unit on the vehicle any colour that the unit can emit”
“so that national obligations can be checked easily by police, during roadside checks and periodical technical inspections.”
The proposal intends to clarify the text of paragraph 5.9. It intends to prevent the design of flash patterns that meet only the “TIME DISTANCE Δt” requirements of paragraph 6 in Annex 5. Such patterns do not comply with other important aspects, such as frequency, photometry, ON time and OFF time.
Sources (2)
“The proposal intends to clarify the current text, preventing the design of flash patterns that meet only the “TIME DISTANCE Δt” requirements of paragraph 6 in Annex 5”
“but do not comply with other important aspects of UN Regulation No. 65, such as frequency, photometry, ON time and OFF time.”
In 2012, the marking requirements for lighting, light-signalling and associated devices were harmonised regarding their size and ratio, but UN Regulation No. 65 was overlooked. The proposal aims to align the size requirement of approval markings for special warning lamps from 8 to 5 mm.
Sources (3)
“In 2012, the marking requirements for lighting, light-signalling and associated devices were harmonised regarding their size and ratio requirements”
“Unfortunately, UN Regulation No. 65 was overlooked at that time.”
“This proposal aims to align the size requirement of approval markings also for special warning lamps, from 8 to 5 mm.”
Supplement 2 to the 02 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 100 renumbered paragraph 5.1.1.5. as 5.1.1.4. The proposal updates the reference in UN Regulation No. 65 accordingly.
Sources (2)
“Supplement 2 to the 02 series of amendments to UN Regulation No. 100 renumbered paragraph 5.1.1.5. as 5.1.1.4.”
“This proposal is updating the reference in UN Regulation No. 65 accordingly.”
Document trail
- 2025-02RevisedECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRE/2024/16/Rev.1Revised proposal by the experts from Germany and GTB
- —Working party adoptsECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRE/92Session report, para. 27
- 2025-08Sent to WP.29ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2025/111Text that GRE adopted and sent to WP.29 and AC.1
- 2025-11WP.29 adoptsECE/TRANS/WP.29/1188Adopted at the 197th session (session report, para. 110)
- 2026-06-04In forceC.N.209.2026.TREATIES-XI.B.16.65UN depositary notification
Q3Who is affected
Vehicle manufacturer
- No direct action for this role.
Component supplier
- In Category HT or X devices approved for blue, amber and red separately, prevent activating more than one colour together.
- Make sure that the approval mark shows “A”, “B” or “R” according to any colour the unit can emit.
- Compare your approval mark drawings with the new examples, which show a ≥ 5 mm instead of a ≥ 8 mm.
Technical service / Approval authority
- Be ready to check Category HT or X devices approved for blue, amber and red separately against paragraph 5.8.
- Check that the approval mark shows “A”, “B” or “R” according to any colour the unit can emit.
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ⓘ This report gives advice only. It is not legal or type-approval advice.