Ontario Requires an Amber Flashing Lamp - Not a Specific SAE Lightbar
There is a lot of confident advice online about what Ontario tow trucks are supposedly required to have. One of the most common claims is that every tow-truck lightbar must be SAE J845 Class 1.
That is not what Ontario’s tow-truck equipment regulation says.
Section 21 of Ontario Regulation 587 requires the driver and anyone who causes or permits the truck to be operated—to ensure the tow truck is equipped with a lamp that:
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Can produce intermittent flashes of amber light; and
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Is used while the tow truck is stopped on a highway for towing, transporting or providing roadside assistance to a motor vehicle.
The wording matters. The regulation says “a lamp.” It does not use the word “lightbar.”
It also does not say that the required lamp must:
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Meet SAE J845 or SAE J595;
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Be Class 1 or Class 2;
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Have a particular candela or lumen output;
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Be a full-size bar, mini bar or beacon;
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Be permanently roof-mounted; or
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Produce a particular flash pattern beyond intermittent amber flashes.
That does not make SAE irrelevant. It means SAE is not expressly imposed by this section of the regulation.
What the Regulation Does Require Beyond the Amber Lamp
Section 21 is not limited to the flashing lamp. It also requires:
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Flares, lamps, lanterns or portable reflectors capable of providing two warning points visible from at least 150 metres;
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Adequate measures to make the tow truck, the disabled vehicle and the tow-truck driver visible to other drivers;
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Prescribed high-visibility apparel when the driver is outside the truck; and
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Towing equipment that is in good working order and used within its rated limits.
Ontario therefore takes a broader visibility approach. Having a flashing amber lamp is mandatory, but the operator must also take adequate measures for the actual roadside conditions.
The Ontario Court of Justice set-fine schedule lists a $250 set fine for a driver who fails to comply with the tow-truck lamp requirement, with a separate $250 offence for the person who causes or permits the truck to be operated that way.
The Amber Lamp Also Activates Ontario’s Move-Over Protection
Ontario’s move-over provisions are another reason the amber warning lamp matters. Highway Traffic Act section 159 requires approaching drivers to slow down and proceed cautiously around a tow truck stopped on a highway with its lamp producing intermittent amber flashes. Where there are multiple lanes in the same direction, drivers must move over when it can be done safely.
The lamp is not decoration. It is part of the visual signal connected to the roadside protection given to the stopped tow truck and its operator.
So Can an Ontario Tow Truck Use a Non-SAE Lightbar?
Potentially, yes. Regulation 587 does not create a blanket SAE requirement for the amber tow-truck lamp.
But “not expressly required to be SAE” does not mean every product, colour, installation or operating mode is automatically lawful or suitable.
The complete setup must still:
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Produce the required intermittent amber warning signal;
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Be used in the circumstances required by the regulation;
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Provide adequate real-world visibility;
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Respect Ontario’s restrictions on red, blue and green warning lights;
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Remain in good working order;
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Meet any additional municipal, police-contract, insurance, customer, fleet or procurement specification; and
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Avoid creating dangerous glare, confusion or obstruction.
An SAE-compliant warning light may still be the better purchasing decision for fleets that want documented optical performance, standardized equipment or an easier procurement trail. That is a business and risk-management decision—not the same thing as claiming Ontario Regulation 587 mandates SAE J845 for every tow-truck lightbar.
Primary Warning Lights and Auxiliary Lights Are Not the Same Question
A tow truck may use a roof-mounted bar or beacon as its principal amber warning source and add grille lights, surface mounts, hideaways or rear-facing modules to improve coverage.
Section 21 does not state that every supplementary lighthead must carry an SAE designation. Auxiliary lighting must still use lawful colours and be installed and operated safely, but it should not be confused with the specific amber lamp the regulation requires the truck to carry and use.
For fleets working under a customer specification, municipal contract or highway traffic-control plan, check that document as well. A contract can require SAE equipment even where the general provincial regulation does not.
The Bottom Line
Ontario tow trucks must have and use an amber flashing lamp while stopped on a highway for towing, transporting or roadside-assistance work.
Ontario Regulation 587 does not say that this lamp must be SAE J845, SAE J595, Class 1 or Class 2. It does not prescribe a specific lightbar design either.
Choose equipment based on the rule that actually applies—not a requirement repeated online without a citation.
Strobe My Ride carries both documented SAE-compliant warning products and professional auxiliary lighting for applications where SAE is not specified. If you are outfitting a single truck or standardizing a fleet, we can help separate the legal minimum, the customer specification and the visibility your operators need in the real world.
Be Seen. Be Safe.
This article provides general information, not legal advice. Requirements may be supplemented by permits, contracts, municipal rules, road-authority requirements, insurer conditions and fleet policies. Confirm the rules applicable to your vehicle and operation before installation.
