# 2026-15482: NHTSA Loosens Temporary Car Safety Exemption Rules and Goes Electronic

2026-15482, Temporary Exemption From Motor Vehicle Safety and Bumper Standards, is a Federal Register rule from Transportation Department, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published 2026-07-31, effective 2026-07-31; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-07).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15482
- As of: 2026-08-07
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-15482
- Title: Temporary Exemption From Motor Vehicle Safety and Bumper Standards
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Transportation Department; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 48307
- Published: 2026-07-31
- Effective: 2026-07-31
- Comments close: 2026-08-31
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 2127-AM57
- Last updated: 2026-08-07

## In one line

NHTSA Loosens Temporary Car Safety Exemption Rules and Goes Electronic

## Summary

This interim final rule amends NHTSA's general exemption regulations to remove language limiting the application of temporary exemptions from the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and the bumper standard to motor vehicles manufactured on and after the effective date of an exemption, and to align the regulations with the Administrator's statutory discretion to determine the vehicle population covered by a temporary exemption. It also removes the requirement that applications for exemption be submitted in three copies and specifies an electronic means for submission. Though these amendments are effective immediately, to benefit from comments interested parties and the public may have, NHTSA requests that any comments be submitted to the docket for this rule. Following the close of the comment period, NHTSA will publish a final rule responding to any comments received and making any appropriate changes to the interim final rule.

## Effects PRIA read

- Exemptions May Cover Older Vehicles: benefit, medium. If you manufacture vehicles, NHTSA's interim final rule effective July 31, 2026 allows the Administrator to decide that a temporary exemption can cover vehicles manufactured before the exemption's effective date. The rule says previously manufactured vehicles may be included in the exempted populat…
- Certification, Labeling, and Sales Count Rules: cost, medium. Even if a vehicle manufactured before an exemption is covered by a grant, manufacturers must still certify that the vehicle conforms to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards in effect on its date of manufacture and attach the required label showing the date of manufacture and exempted standard…
- Paperwork Reduced; Electronic Submissions: benefit, low. Applicants for temporary exemptions no longer must file three paper copies. Instead, exemption requests must be submitted electronically to [email protected], reducing paper burden and minor costs for petitioners; this change is effective July 31, 2026.

## Related documents

- [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
- [2026-05024](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
- [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
- [2025-22674](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-22674): Public Hearing for Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards: The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicle Rule III for Model Years 20…, 2025-12-12

## Sources
- [2026-15482 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/31/2026-15482/temporary-exemption-from-motor-vehicle-safety-and-bumper-standards)
- [2026-15482 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-07-31/pdf/2026-15482.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-15467, Airworthiness Directives; Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. Airplanes](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15467)
- [Next: 2026-15493, Air Plan Approval; Rhode Island; Update to Materials Incorporated by Reference](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15493)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15482 (as of 2026-08-07).