PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

It is illegal to make, sell, bring into the U.S., or move across state lines a passenger car or car equipment made on or after the date a safety or equipment standard starts unless it meets that standard. People must follow rules the Transportation Secretary sets. They must keep and share required records and reports, allow inspections, and give required certificates. It is also illegal to give a certificate that you know, or should know with reasonable care, is false. The rule about new vehicles not meeting standards does not apply after the first good‑faith purchase that is not for resale, or to someone who reasonably had no reason to know of a problem, or who held a certificate showing compliance before that first purchase and did not know it was wrong. The Transportation and Treasury departments can make joint rules to allow noncomplying vehicles in under conditions (for example, a bond) so the vehicle will be fixed to comply, exported, or abandoned to the U.S. government. Meeting these standards does not protect a person from other legal liability.

Title 49, §32506

Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)General.—

Except as provided in this section and section 32502 of this title, a person may not—

(1)manufacture for sale, sell, offer for sale, introduce or deliver for introduction in interstate commerce, or import into the United States, a passenger motor vehicle or passenger motor vehicle equipment manufactured on or after the date an applicable standard under section 32502 of this title takes effect, unless it conforms to the standard;

(2)fail to comply with an applicable regulation prescribed by the Secretary of Transportation under this chapter;

(3)fail to keep records, refuse access to or copying of records, fail to make reports or provide items or information, or fail or refuse to allow entry or inspection, as required by this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter; or

(4)fail to provide the certificate required by section 32504 of this title, or provide a certificate that the person knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care has reason to know, is false or misleading in a material respect.

(b)Nonapplication.—

Subsection (a)(1) of this section does not apply to—

(1)the sale, offer for sale, or introduction or delivery for introduction in interstate commerce of a passenger motor vehicle or passenger motor vehicle equipment after the first purchase of the vehicle or equipment in good faith other than for resale (but this clause does not prohibit a standard from requiring that a vehicle or equipment be manufactured to comply with the standard over a specified period of operation or use); or

(2)a person—

(A)establishing that the person had no reason to know, by exercising reasonable care, that the vehicle or equipment does not comply with the standard; or

(B)holding, without knowing about a noncompliance and before that first purchase, a certificate issued under section 32504 of this title stating that the vehicle or equipment complies with the standard.

(c)Importing Noncomplying Vehicles and Equipment.—

(1)The Secretaries of Transportation and the Treasury may prescribe joint regulations authorizing a passenger motor vehicle or passenger motor vehicle equipment not complying with a standard prescribed under section 32502 of this title to be imported into the United States subject to conditions (including providing a bond) the Secretaries consider appropriate to ensure that the vehicle or equipment will—

(A)comply, after importation, with the standards prescribed under section 32502 of this title;

(B)be exported; or

(C)be abandoned to the United States Government.

(2)The Secretaries may prescribe joint regulations that allow a passenger motor vehicle or passenger motor vehicle equipment to be imported into the United States after the first purchase in good faith other than for resale.

(d)Liability Under Other Law.—

Compliance with a standard under this chapter does not exempt a person from liability provided by law.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 32506(a)15:1916(a).Oct. 20, 1972, Pub. L. 92–513, § 106, 86 Stat. 952. 32506(b)15:1916(b)(1), (2). 32506(c)15:1916(b)(3), (4). 32506(d)15:1916(c). In subsection (a)(4), the words “required by such subsection to the effect that a passenger motor vehicle or passenger motor vehicle equipment conforms to all applicable bumper standards” are omitted as surplus. In subsection (c)(1), before clause (A), the word “conditions” is substituted for “such terms and conditions” to eliminate unnecessary words. In clause (A), the words “comply, after importation” are substituted for “brought into conformity” for clarity and consistency.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1998—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–277 inserted “and section 32502 of this title” after “Except as provided in this section” in introductory provisions.

§32506 Prohibited Acts