Arizona rear view mirror law does not require every vehicle to have a rear view mirror. What it requires, under ARS 28-956, is that any vehicle whose construction or load blocks the driver’s view to the rear must have two mirrors, each positioned to reflect at least 200 feet of highway behind the vehicle.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-956 – Mirrors; Exception So the question isn’t really whether you need a mirror. It’s whether anything about your vehicle or what you’re hauling has cut off your view backward.
When the Two-Mirror Rule Applies
The statute triggers whenever the rear view from the driver’s seat is obstructed. That covers more everyday situations than most drivers expect:
- Loading a truck bed with furniture, lumber, or anything tall enough to block the rear window.
- Driving a van, box truck, or SUV built with no rear window or a very small one.
- Towing a trailer, camper, or boat that blocks the view behind you. Clip-on or bolt-on towing mirror extensions are how most drivers meet the 200-foot standard in this situation.
The law doesn’t say whether the two mirrors must be inside or outside the vehicle. It cares about the result: each mirror must give you a 200-foot view to the rear. If cargo or a trailer makes your interior mirror useless, two working exterior mirrors satisfy the rule.
How Window Tint Ties Into the Mirror Rule
This is the mirror provision most Arizona drivers actually run into. Under ARS 28-959.01, you can apply any level of tint to your rear window as long as your vehicle has two outside mirrors, one on each side, each reflecting a 200-foot view to the rear.2Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-959.01 – Materials on Windows or Windshield Without those two exterior mirrors, dark rear tint puts you out of compliance with the tint statute because you’ve eliminated your rearward visibility with no backup.
Most sedans come from the factory with two side mirrors, so the requirement is met without any thought. But if one side mirror breaks off or stops working, and you have tint on the rear window, you’re technically in violation of both rules at once. Replacing a broken side mirror isn’t cosmetic in Arizona.
What a Mirror Citation Costs
A mirror violation under ARS 28-956 is a civil traffic offense. The maximum base fine for that class of violation is $250.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-1598 – Maximum Civil Penalty The base fine isn’t what you pay, though. Arizona courts add mandatory surcharges of 42%, 7%, and 6% to every civil traffic fine, which together add 55%.4Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 12-116.01 – Surcharges; Remittance Reports; Fund Deposits A full $250 fine works out to roughly $388 once surcharges are added.
Most first-time equipment citations come in well below the maximum. Some Arizona courts will reduce the fine if you show proof you corrected the problem, so fixing the mirror and bringing the receipt to your court date is worth the effort. Equipment violations are civil traffic offenses rather than moving violations, so a mirror ticket generally has minimal effect on insurance compared with something like speeding.
Commercial Vehicles Follow a Stricter Rule
If you drive a commercial motor vehicle, the state obstruction test doesn’t matter. Federal rules require every bus, truck, and truck tractor to have two rear-vision mirrors, one on each side of the exterior, whether the rear view is blocked or not.5eCFR. 49 CFR 393.80 – Rear-Vision Mirrors Two exterior mirrors are mandatory on those vehicles by default.
Fully Autonomous Vehicles Are Exempt
Arizona exempts fully autonomous vehicles that cannot be operated by a human driver from the two-mirror requirement.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-956 – Mirrors; Exception When an automated driving system is engaged, the system is legally treated as the driver and is exempt from the equipment requirements in Chapter 8 of Title 28, which includes mirrors.6Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-9702 – Operation of Autonomous Vehicles The exemption applies only to vehicles that genuinely cannot be driven by a person. A regular car with driver-assist features still has to meet the standard mirror rules.