# 2026-15743: Kids in Convertibles Get Two More Years of Tether Slack

2026-15743, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Child Restraint Anchorage Systems; Child Restraint Systems, is a Federal Register proposed rule from Transportation Department, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published 2026-08-04, effective Comments must be received by September 3, 2026.; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15743
- As of: 2026-08-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-15743
- Title: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Child Restraint Anchorage Systems; Child Restraint Systems
- Type: Proposed Rule
- Agencies: Transportation Department; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 49385
- Published: 2026-08-04
- Effective: Comments must be received by September 3, 2026.
- Comments close: 2026-09-03
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 2127-AM74
- Last updated: 2026-08-11

## In one line

Kids in Convertibles Get Two More Years of Tether Slack

## Summary

This NPRM responds to petitions for reconsideration of the January 7, 2025 final rule amending Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 225. NHTSA proposes granting the requests to extend the 3-year phase-in period to a 4-year phase-in period to comply with updated requirements in FMVSS No. 225 and to extend the lead time for small-volume manufacturers to comply fully with the updated requirements by the end of the proposed phase-in period. The agency also proposes granting the request to extend the sunset of the tether anchorage exemption for convertibles by two years. NHTSA proposes denying the request to allow tether routing over adjustable or removable head restraints to meet the tether anchorage location requirements. NHTSA is also proposing to make several technical corrections, and clarify certain test procedures.

## Effects PRIA read

- Phase-in Extended to Four Years: benefit, medium. NHTSA proposes changing the FMVSS No. 225 phase-in from three years to four years. The proposed schedule is 20% of applicable vehicles from Sep 1, 2028 to Aug 31, 2029; 50% from Sep 1, 2029 to Aug 31, 2030; 75% from Sep 1, 2030 to Aug 31, 2031; and 100% on and after Sep 1, 2031.
- Small-Volume Manufacturers Given Extra Lead Time: benefit, medium. NHTSA proposes to eliminate a phase-in for small-volume manufacturers (those producing fewer than 5,000 vehicles per year) and require 100% compliance with the updated FMVSS No. 225 by September 1, 2031.
- Convertible Tether Exemption Extended Two Years: cost, low. NHTSA proposes extending the sunset for the tether anchorage exemption for convertible vehicles from September 1, 2031 to September 1, 2033, meaning convertibles would not be required to be equipped with tether anchorages until Sep 1, 2033.
- Convertible Design Relief for Manufacturers: benefit, medium. NHTSA proposes granting manufacturers a two-year extension of the sunset for tether anchorage requirements in convertibles, moving the date to September 1, 2033, to accommodate longer convertible design cycles and reduce redesign burdens.
- No Allowance for Tether Routing Over Adjustable Headrests: cost, medium. NHTSA proposes to deny petitions that would allow tether straps to be routed over adjustable or removable head restraints to meet the new tether anchorage location requirement; manufacturers must meet the tether location requirements as adopted in the January 7, 2025 final rule.
- Tether Hardware Assembly Compliance Date Corrected: benefit, medium. NHTSA proposes correcting the compliance date in S5.9(c) of FMVSS No. 213b so the maximum length requirement for tether hardware assemblies applies beginning January 8, 2028 (not January 8, 2025).

## 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
- [2026-15743 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/04/2026-15743/federal-motor-vehicle-safety-standards-child-restraint-anchorage-systems-child-restraint-systems)
- [2026-15743 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-08-04/pdf/2026-15743.pdf)

## Related
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- [Next: 2026-15758, Establishment of Class C Airspace and Removal of Class D Airspace; Wilmington I…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15758)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15743 (as of 2026-08-11).