Final rule · 2026-17742

Temporary Exemption From Motor Vehicle Safety and Bumper Standards; Extension of Comment Period

In response to a request from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (Auto Innovators), NHTSA is announcing a 30-day extension of the public comment period for the interim final rule (IFR) published on July 31, 2026 amending 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. The notice also removed the requirement that applications for exemption be submitted in three copies and specified an electronic means for submission. The comment period for the notice was originally scheduled to end on August 31, 2026. It will now end on September 30, 2026.