# 3rd Brake Light Removal ... Legal? **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [July 12, 2005, 1:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3rd-brake-light-removal-legal/747 "2005-07-12T01:54:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![95AccordVtec](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/95accordvtec/32/7239_2.png) [@95AccordVtec](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/95AccordVtec)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 1:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3rd-brake-light-removal-legal/747/1 "2005-07-12T01:54:28Z")
I’m not sure if this question should go here or in off topic, but anyways … I was wondering if it is illegal to “remove” my 3rd brake light … ??? I have a spoiler on my car which has a light on it (giving me 3 lights when I brake) … I just don’t want 4 lights anymore. I actually plan on doing something very ri(ey with the 3rd brake light (if I can get it to work) instead … ---
**Author:** ![87FOXGT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/ecd19e/32.png) [@87FOXGT](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/87FOXGT)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3rd-brake-light-removal-legal/747/2 "2005-07-12T02:21:05Z")
youll be fine as long as your main brake lights are workin, think about it, there are lots of cars that dont even come with a 3rd brake light ---
**Author:** ![ly555is](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3bc359/32.png) [@ly555is](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ly555is)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 3:40am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3rd-brake-light-removal-legal/747/3 "2005-07-12T03:40:21Z")
um… i dunno. any passenger car '86 and up came with one - as long as you’ve either got one on the spoiler or somewhere up there, you should be okay, depending on whatever rhyce thing you’re not telling us in a thread asking whether it’s okay :gotme::lol: ---
**Author:** ![OfficerK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4da419/32.png) [@OfficerK](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/OfficerK)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3rd-brake-light-removal-legal/747/4 "2005-07-12T05:52:05Z")
Yes you are required to have a third brake light, located higher than the tail lights along the centerline of the car. ---
**Author:** ![TrueBlue](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/trueblue/32/7245_2.png) [@TrueBlue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TrueBlue)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 5:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3rd-brake-light-removal-legal/747/5 "2005-07-12T05:59:27Z")
If you have a light on your spoiler, yes, you can remove the redundant light. ---
**Author:** ![jeeves744](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jeeves744/32/7619_2.png) [@jeeves744](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jeeves744)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 9:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3rd-brake-light-removal-legal/747/6 "2005-07-12T09:59:37Z")
You need a 3rd light. EDIT: I emailed the DMV awhile ago when i wanted to know and they said you need to have one. ---
**Author:** ![anniversaryss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@anniversaryss](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/anniversaryss)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 10:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3rd-brake-light-removal-legal/747/7 "2005-07-12T10:07:52Z")
its mandatory , i did some reading on it and it was mandatory since somwhere in the early to late 80s all cars nowadays come with a third brake light, if its not on the spoiler its in the back window or on the body , ---
**Author:** ![JDMR2](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jdmr2/32/7587_2.png) [@JDMR2](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JDMR2)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 10:18am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3rd-brake-light-removal-legal/747/8 "2005-07-12T10:18:15Z")
as long as it works on the spoiler, you’re fine and im a NYS inspector, so take my word for it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TrueBlue](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/trueblue/32/7245_2.png) [@TrueBlue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TrueBlue)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 10:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3rd-brake-light-removal-legal/747/9 "2005-07-12T10:46:09Z")
> [@anniversaryss](#): > > its mandatory , i did some reading on it and it was mandatory since somwhere in the early to late 80s '86 I believe. The techie name is CHSML, center high-mount stop light. ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 11:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3rd-brake-light-removal-legal/747/10 "2005-07-12T11:29:23Z")
but if you have one on your spoiler, then it is the fourth brake light you will be removing. no problem. what is the ricey thing you are doing with the brake light? stand alone brake light nitrous (CO2) purge? brake light whistle tip? light up brake light? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 9:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3rd-brake-light-removal-legal/747/11 "2005-07-13T09:00:01Z")
> [@JDMR2](#): > > as long as it works on the spoiler, you’re fine > > and im a NYS inspector, so take my word for it 🙂 I think that is wrong. In the law you can’t technically remove the factory installed 3rd brake light even if you install a spoiler that has one. ---
**Author:** ![MaximaSE98](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/maximase98/32/7600_2.png) [@MaximaSE98](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MaximaSE98)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 9:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3rd-brake-light-removal-legal/747/12 "2005-07-13T09:39:55Z")
> [@JnJSpdShop](#): > > I think that is wrong. In the law you can’t technically remove the factory installed 3rd brake light even if you install a spoiler that has one. i think ur right…but if its done right and know one knows there was a 3rd brake light in the previous location its ok…eg if there was one on the rear deck and it was removed and one on the spoiler was used ur ok as long as the housing for the one on the deck is gone…cause if they see the lense they will say u have a light out…I also have an inspectors lisence