California Code of Regulations
Title 13 - Motor Vehicles
Division 2 - Department of the California Highway Patrol
Chapter 6.5 - Motor Carrier Safety
Article 8 - General Equipment Requirements
Section 1267.1 - Door Locations on Modified Limousines

Universal Citation: 13 CA Code of Regs 1267.1

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

As required by Vehicle Code Section 27375, modified limousines shall be equipped with at least two doors allowing unobstructed ingress and egress from the passenger compartment. For the purposes of this section a lower seat cushion shall not be considered an obstruction; however, any seat back or other component of a seat shall be considered to obstruct ingress or egress.

(a) Forward passenger compartment door. This door shall be located as close as practical and to the rear of the B-pillar closest to the A-pillar within the design of the vehicle, notwithstanding interior passenger seating and comfort installations, and without compromising structural integrity of the vehicle.

(1) An additional door is required on one side of the vehicle if the distance between the rearmost opening of the driver door and the foremost opening of the rear passenger door on the same side is equal to or greater than two times the width of the rearmost door when measured from the exterior of the vehicle at the widest point of the door.

(2) A door which is located on either side of the vehicle within the passenger compartment shall be deemed to meet the requirements of subsection (a) when the distance between the rearmost opening of the driver compartment door and the foremost opening of the rear passenger compartment door on the same side is less than two times the width of the rearmost door when measured from the exterior of the vehicle at the widest point of the door.

(3) The forward passenger compartment door shall be no smaller than any other door on the vehicle when measured from the exterior of the vehicle at the widest point of the door and shall be at least as high as the highest door on the vehicle.

(b) Rear passenger compartment door. One door shall be located on the opposite side of the vehicle from the door(s) required by subsection (a), to the rear of the B-pillar, and as close as practical to the rearmost pillar within the design of the vehicle, notwithstanding interior passenger seating and comfort installations, and without compromising structural integrity of the vehicle.

(c) If there is unobstructed access between the driver compartment and the passenger compartment the right side door immediately adjacent to the driver will be deemed to meet the forward door requirement of subsection (a). A fabric curtain or other similar partition device separating the passenger and driver compartments which can be readily and easily moved aside by a passenger in an emergency shall not be deemed to be an obstruction.

(1) The width of the unobstructed opening between the passenger compartment and the driver compartment shall be no smaller than the width of the door permitting egress from the vehicle measured from the exterior of the vehicle at the widest point of the door.

(d) Doors required in subsections (a) and (b) shall be located at least one on the driver side and one on the passenger side of the vehicle.

(e) Doors required in subsection (a) and (b) shall at all times be unobstructed by temporary installations of passenger comfort amenities such as food and beverage service-related items, passenger luggage or personal items, and as outlined in this section. Doors shall have the ability to be opened by any passenger from the inside of the vehicle without the use of any tools or equipment.

(f) Doors required by this section shall comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards in effect at the time of vehicle modification.

(g) For the purposes of this article the following definitions shall apply:

(1) A-pillar. Any pillar that is entirely forward of a transverse vertical plane at the rear of the driver's seat back rest with the seat adjusted to its foremost position and the back rest adjusted to its most vertical position.

(2) B-pillar. Any pillar on each side of the vehicle that is, in whole or in part, rearward of a transverse vertical plane at the rear of the driver's seat back rest with the seat adjusted to its foremost position and the back rest adjusted to its most vertical position, unless there is only one pillar rearward of that plane and it is also a rearmost pillar, or there is a doorframe rearward of the A-pillar and forward of any other pillar or rearmost pillar.

(3) Driver compartment. The area forward of a transverse vertical plane at the rear of the driver's seat back rest with the seat adjusted to its rearmost position and the back rest adjusted to its most vertical position. When separated from the passenger compartment by a partition, the driver compartment is the area forward of the partition, rearward of the vehicle firewall. The driver compartment shall contain not more than the driver seat and one additional seating position or a bench seat spanning the width of the vehicle.

(4) Passenger compartment. The area to the rear of the driver compartment designed for the transportation of passengers. When separated from the driver compartment by a partition, the passenger compartment is the area to the rear of the partition and designed for passenger transportation.

(5) Pillar. Any structure, excluding glazing and the vertical portion of door window frames, but including accompanying moldings, attached components such as safety belt anchorages and coat hooks, which supports either a roof or any other structure that is above the driver's head, or is located along the side edge of a window.

1. New section filed 7-31-2017 as an emergency; operative 7-31-2017 (Register 2017, No. 31). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 1-29-2018 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
2. Certificate of Compliance as to 7-31-2017 order transmitted to OAL 1-19-2018 and filed 2-27-2018 (Register 2018, No. 9).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 27375 and 34501, Vehicle Code. Reference: Sections 27375 and 34501, Vehicle Code.

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