NHTSA Extends Tire Buyer Recordkeeping Requirements
Published Date: 6/26/2026
Notice
Summary
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants to keep collecting info about who first buys new cars and details about tires. They’re asking for your thoughts on continuing these recordkeeping rules and updating how much work it takes. If you’re a car dealer or tire maker, this affects you, and comments are due by August 25, 2026—no new costs, just keeping things running smoothly!
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.
5‑Year Tire & Vehicle Record Rule
NHTSA is seeking OMB approval to continue requiring tire manufacturers and motor vehicle manufacturers to collect names and addresses of first purchasers and tire identification numbers and retain those records for not less than five years. The notice covers tire dealers, distributors, vehicle manufacturers, and consumers and invites comments by August 25, 2026.
Dealer & Distributor Paperwork Burden
NHTSA estimates independent distributors and dealers will provide 12,445,000 paper registration forms annually (taking about 45 seconds each) for 155,563 burden hours, and dealers/distributors will submit 10,000,000 registration responses (45 seconds each) for 125,000 burden hours. The agency estimates annual labor costs using $42.04/hour at roughly $6.54 million for independents and $5.255 million for other distributors/dealers.
Net Change: Burden Up, Costs Down
Since the last approval, NHTSA reports the total annual burden hours rose by 188,480 (from 250,000 to 438,480 hours) and annual tire purchases rose from 54,000,000 to 57,000,000 tires. At the same time, estimated total annual compliance costs fell by $2,544,000 (from $4,950,000 to $2,499,000) largely due to increased electronic submissions.
More Electronic Tire Registrations
NHTSA estimates 90% of tire registration forms are submitted electronically, which reduced estimated annual compliance costs from $4,950,000 to $2,499,000. The agency attributes the cost decrease of $2,544,000 mainly to greater use of electronic registration and less postage.
Time & Cost for Tire Purchasers
About 9,000,000 tire purchasers choose to submit registration forms each year; NHTSA estimates each purchaser spends about 60 seconds per tire sale, totaling 150,000 hours annually. The agency estimates the opportunity cost at $7,911,000 total and an average of $0.88 per tire purchaser; 10% (900,000) mail forms costing $0.61 each in postage.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-11072, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 214; Side Impact Protection; Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 305a; Electric-Powered Vehicles: Electric Powertrain Integrity; Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 307; Fuel System Integrity of Hydrogen Vehicles
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2026-08144, Administrative Rulemaking, Guidance, and Enforcement Procedures
The Department of Transportation is bringing back and improving its rules for making new policies, giving guidance, and enforcing laws. This affects anyone involved in transportation regulations, making the process clearer and more consistent. These changes kick in on May 27, 2026, aiming to save time and avoid confusion without adding extra costs.
2026-05024, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Modernization of FMVSS No. 102 To Accommodate ADS-Equipped Vehicles
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2026-05023, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Modernization of FMVSS No. 103 and FMVSS No. 104 To Accommodate ADS-Equipped Vehicles; Incorporation by Reference
NHTSA is updating rules for windshield defrosting, defogging, wiping, and washing to better fit self-driving cars that don’t have steering wheels or pedals. These cars won’t have to follow old rules meant for human drivers, cutting costs and unnecessary requirements without hurting safety. The changes kick in about six months after the final rule, and manufacturers can still add these features if they want.
2025-22674, Public Hearing for Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards: The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicle Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
The government is holding a virtual public hearing on January 7, 2026, about new fuel economy rules for cars and light trucks from 2022 to 2031. These rules aim to keep vehicles safer and more affordable while improving fuel efficiency. If you care about how much gas your car uses or how much you pay at the pump, this is your chance to speak up before the rules are finalized.
2026-16019, Denial of Motor Vehicle Defect Petition
This notice sets forth the reasons for the denial of a petition, DP26-001, submitted by Mr. Christopher Mammarella (the Petitioner) to the Administrator of NHTSA (the "Agency") by a letter dated January 9, 2026, under 49 U.S.C. 30162 and 49 CFR part 552. The Petitioner requests the Agency initiate a safety defect investigation into allegations of a mechanical failure that results in the loss of All Wheel Drive (AWD) in certain Model Year (MY) 2021 to 2023 Acura TLX and MY 2022 to 2023 Acura MDX vehicles (the "Subject Vehicles") equipped with Acura's Super Handling All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). As a result of the failure, these vehicles permanently lose the ability to transfer drive torque to the rear wheels effectively making them front wheel drive only. NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has determined that the issues raised in the Petition are not likely to result in a finding that a defect related to motor vehicle safety exists. This determination is based on a technical review by ODI of available information, which included: (1) consumer complaints submitted by the petitioner; (2) consumer complaint information in the agency's databases; and (3) other relevant information in possession of the agency. As a result, further investigation of the issue raised by the Petition is not warranted and the Agency, accordingly, has denied the Petition.
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