National Highway Traffic Safety Administration June 15, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document sets forth a draft interpretation concerning whether certain two- and three-wheeled vehicles are ``motor vehicles'' and thus subject to the Federal motor vehicle safety standards and to other vehicle safety requirements. Physical characteristics previously relied upon by the agency are no longer reliable determinants of whether a two- or three-wheeled vehicle is a ``motor vehicle.'' Additionally, the vehicles that were the subject of past agency interpretations are no longer representative of the two- and three- wheeled vehicles on the market today. For these reasons, and because vehicle designs continue to change and proliferate, manufacturers, importers, and import specialists from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Customs) are requesting interpretations from NHTSA as to whether various two- and three-wheeled vehicles are ``motor vehicles.'' This document would address the issues raised in those types of requests.