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Title 49 — TransportationRelease 119-73

§20106 Preemption

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE V— - RAIL PROGRAMS › Part PART A— - SAFETY › Chapter CHAPTER 201— - GENERAL › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERAL › § 20106

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Requires railroad safety and security rules to be the same across the country when possible. Until the Secretary of Transportation (for safety) or the Secretary of Homeland Security (for security) makes a federal rule on a topic, a State may make or keep its own rule. After a federal rule exists, a State may still have a stricter local rule only if it is needed to fix a local safety or security danger, does not conflict with U.S. rules, and does not unfairly harm interstate business. People can still sue under State law for injury, death, or property damage if they claim someone failed to follow the federal rule, failed to follow a plan or rule the party made under a federal rule, or broke a compatible State rule. That rule about lawsuits applies to events on or after January 18, 2002. The law does not create a new federal right to sue, nor does it automatically move those State cases into federal court.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §20106

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Laws, regulations, and orders related to railroad safety and laws, regulations, and orders related to railroad security shall be nationally uniform to the extent practicable.
(2)A State may adopt or continue in force a law, regulation, or order related to railroad safety or security until the Secretary of Transportation (with respect to railroad safety matters), or the Secretary of Homeland Security (with respect to railroad security matters), prescribes a regulation or issues an order covering the subject matter of the State requirement. A State may adopt or continue in force an additional or more stringent law, regulation, or order related to railroad safety or security when the law, regulation, or order—
(A)is necessary to eliminate or reduce an essentially local safety or security hazard;
(B)is not incompatible with a law, regulation, or order of the United States Government; and
(C)does not unreasonably burden interstate commerce.
(b)(1)Nothing in this section shall be construed to preempt an action under State law seeking damages for personal injury, death, or property damage alleging that a party—
(A)has failed to comply with the Federal standard of care established by a regulation or order issued by the Secretary of Transportation (with respect to railroad safety matters), or the Secretary of Homeland Security (with respect to railroad security matters), covering the subject matter as provided in subsection (a) of this section;
(B)has failed to comply with its own plan, rule, or standard that it created pursuant to a regulation or order issued by either of the Secretaries; or
(C)has failed to comply with a State law, regulation, or order that is not incompatible with subsection (a)(2).
(2)This subsection shall apply to all pending State law causes of action arising from events or activities occurring on or after January 18, 2002.
(c)Nothing in this section creates a Federal cause of action on behalf of an injured party or confers Federal question jurisdiction for such State law causes of action.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 2010645:434.Oct. 16, 1970, Pub. L. 91–458, § 205, 84 Stat. 972. In this section, before clause (1), the words “The Congress declares that” are omitted as unnecessary. In clause (3), the word “unreasonably” is substituted for “undue” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2007—Pub. L. 110–53 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text of section read as follows: “Laws,

Regulations

, and orders related to railroad safety and laws,

Regulations

, and orders related to railroad security shall be nationally uniform to the extent practicable. A State may adopt or continue in force a law, regulation, or order related to railroad safety or security until the Secretary of Transportation (with respect to railroad safety matters), or the Secretary of Homeland Security (with respect to railroad security matters), prescribes a regulation or issues an order covering the subject matter of the State requirement. A State may adopt or continue in force an additional or more stringent law, regulation, or order related to railroad safety or security when the law, regulation, or order— “(1) is necessary to eliminate or reduce an essentially local safety or security hazard; “(2) is not incompatible with a law, regulation, or order of the United States Government; and “(3) does not unreasonably burden interstate commerce.” 2002—Pub. L. 107–296, § 1710(c), in introductory provisions, in first sentence inserted “and laws,

Regulations

, and orders related to railroad security” after “safety”, in second sentence substituted “Transportation (with respect to railroad safety matters), or the Secretary of Homeland Security (with respect to railroad security matters),” for “Transportation”, and in second and third sentences inserted “or security” after “order related to railroad safety”. Par. (1). Pub. L. 107–296, § 1710(c)(2), inserted “or security” after “safety”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2002 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective 60 days after Nov. 25, 2002, see section 4 of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 101 of Title 6, Domestic Security.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 20106

Title 49 — Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73