§393.62 sets emergency-exit requirements for buses by build date. Buses manufactured on or after September 1, 1994 must meet the emergency-exit requirements of FMVSS No. 217 in effect on the date of manufacture — S5.2.2.3 for a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less, S5.2.2 or S5.2.3 above that (§393.62(a)). Buses built on or after September 1, 1973 but before September 1, 1994, including school buses used in interstate commerce for non-school operations, meet the FMVSS No. 217 version of their day (§393.62(b)). Buses built before September 1, 1973 meet the glazing-area and push-out-window rules in §393.62(c)–(d), including the release-force limits in (d)(2): no more than 20 pounds for a rotary or straight parallel motion, no more than 60 pounds for a straight perpendicular motion, and release by no more than two mechanisms operable by a single occupant. Every bus built on or after September 1, 1973 must carry the FMVSS No. 217 (S5.5) exit identification, and on all buses each emergency exit and door must be marked "Emergency Exit" or "Emergency Door" followed by concise operating instructions within 6 inches of the release mechanism (§393.62(e)). Buses used exclusively to transport prisoners are exempt (§393.62(f)).
The section covers buses — under §390.5, any motor vehicle designed, constructed, or used for the transportation of passengers — so it reaches crew-transport vehicles that meet that definition, not just motorcoaches. It says nothing about seat belts or driver vision; an earlier version of this page carried both in its address and title, and the old address now redirects here.
Severity weight
Severity weight 1 in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC — every §393.62 row in SMS Appendix A (version 3.21, revised May 2026), paragraphs (a) through (e) and the bus emergency-exit codes, carries 1 in the Windshield/Glass/Markings group. Findings cluster on bus and passenger-carrier inspections rather than over-the-road freight.
What's commonly found
- Emergency-exit markings worn, painted over, or missing the operating instructions §393.62(e) requires beside the release.
- Push-bar or window mechanisms seized — the exit opens from inside, but not within the release-force limits FMVSS No. 217 sets for buses built on or after September 1, 1973, or the 20- and 60-pound limits §393.62(d)(2) sets for older push-out windows.
- Exits blocked by seating or cargo added forward of the exit after an interior re-fit.
How to prevent it
- Pre-trip the emergency exits — open each one to ensure free motion.
- Re-paint markings on a schedule; they fade with sun exposure faster than operators expect.
- After any interior re-fit, re-verify exit clearance against the original passenger-capacity layout.
How Roadworthy HQ helps
§393.62 findings logged in Roadworthy HQ link to the vehicle, retain the §396.9(d)(3) repair certification, and surface in the audit binder as corrective-action documentation for a §385.319(c) notice.