# 2026-00537: More Time to Weigh In: Car Fuel Rules Comment Period Stretches to February

2026-00537, The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks, is a Federal Register proposed rule from Transportation Department, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published 2026-01-14, effective 2026-02-04; deemed significant under Executive Order 12866 (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-00537
- As of: 2026-11-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-00537
- Title: The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
- Type: Proposed Rule
- Agencies: Transportation Department; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 1494
- Published: 2026-01-14
- Effective: 2026-02-04
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: yes (OIRA_API)
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: 2127-AM76
- Last updated: 2026-11-04

## In one line

More Time to Weigh In: Car Fuel Rules Comment Period Stretches to February

## Summary

The government is giving folks more time—until February 4, 2026—to share their thoughts on new fuel-efficiency and safety rules for cars and light trucks from 2022 to 2031. This affects car makers and drivers by shaping future vehicle standards that balance safety, fuel savings, and costs. No extra public hearings will happen, but everyone’s invited to comment online or by mail before the deadline.

## Abstract

NHTSA is announcing a 15-day extension of the comment period for the proposed rule entitled The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks, published in the December 5, 2025 issue of the Federal Register. NHTSA is also extending the comment period for the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Draft SEIS) that accompanies the proposed rule. The comment period was to end on January 20, 2026 (45 days after publication of the proposed rule in the Federal Register). This document extends the comment period to February 4 to allow the public additional time to comment on the proposed rule. NHTSA is denying requests for additional public hearings based on the number of testifiers that signed up to testify for NHTSA's virtual public hearing, which was announced via Federal Register notice on December 12, 2025 and held on January 7, 2026.

## Effects PRIA read

No economic effects identified for this document.

## Related documents

- [2026-21794](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-21794): Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Modernization of FMVSS No. 108 To Accommodate ADS-Equipped Vehicles, 2026-10-26
- [2026-19964](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19964): The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks, 2026-09-30
- [2026-11072](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-11072): Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 214; Side Impact Protection; Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 305a; Electric-Powered Veh…, 2026-06-03
- [2026-08144](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-08144): Administrative Rulemaking, Guidance, and Enforcement Procedures, 2026-04-27
- [2026-05023](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-05023): Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Modernization of FMVSS No. 103 and FMVSS No. 104 To Accommodate ADS-Equipped Vehicles; Incorporatio…, 2026-03-16
- [2026-05024](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-05024): Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Modernization of FMVSS No. 102 To Accommodate ADS-Equipped Vehicles, 2026-03-16

## Sources
- [2026-00537 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/14/2026-00537/the-safer-affordable-fuel-efficient-safe-vehicles-rule-iii-for-model-years-2022-to-2031-passenger)
- [2026-00537 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-01-14/pdf/2026-00537.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-00536, Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act: Revisions to Reporting Requirem…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-00536)
- [Next: 2026-00561, Tribal Consultation on Proposed Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-00561)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-00537 (as of 2026-11-04).