Pennsylvania Truck Mud Flap Law

What Pennsylvania makes you run

Pennsylvania skips the inch-ruler and uses an angle. Your truck over 11,000 pounds gross, plus trailers and bobtail truck tractors, must be built or equipped to bar water and road grit thrown off the rear wheels at tangents steeper than 22.5 degrees from the road (75 Pa.C.S. 4533). In practice that means a flap low and wide enough to knock down the spray fan. Roadside it's a summary equipment offense, base fine $25 plus costs (75 Pa.C.S. 6502), correctable, not out-of-service.

Coverage and clearance

• Required: Yes
• Coverage: No stated tread-width figure. The shield must stop spray from passing in a straight line to the rear.
• Ground clearance: Angle rule, not a fixed inch number. The rig must bar water and road-surface substances thrown from the rear wheels at tangents exceeding 22.5 degrees measured from the road surface (75 Pa.C.S. 4533). A flap mounted farther back may ride higher and still comply.
• Fine: Summary offense; base fine $25 plus court costs where the section sets no other penalty (75 Pa.C.S. 6502). Correctable equipment charge, not out-of-service.

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