Division 12 of the California Vehicle Code contains the requirements for vehicle safety equipment. As a dealer, every vehicle you sell for road use must comply with the applicable safety equipment requirements. You cannot sell a vehicle for on-road use if it’s missing required safety equipment — doing so is a violation of law and creates potential liability if the buyer is involved in an accident due to defective or missing safety equipment.
The safety equipment requirements cover a wide range of systems and components: lighting (headlamps, taillamps, brake lights, turn signals), mirrors, windshield and windows (no unapproved tinting, windshield wipers), brakes, tires, horn, exhaust system (including catalytic converter), seat belts, and bumpers, among others. For each of these categories, the Vehicle Code specifies minimum requirements that must be met.
Before you deliver any vehicle to a retail buyer, you should conduct a safety inspection to verify that all required equipment is present and functional. This isn’t just legal compliance — it’s protecting your customers and protecting yourself from liability. A vehicle sold without functional brake lights, for example, creates an obvious safety hazard and an obvious liability for you if the buyer is rear-ended because other drivers couldn’t see their brake lights.