Direct Final Rulemaking Procedures

NHTSA is establishing direct final rulemaking (DFR) procedures for use in adopting amendments to its regulations on which the agency expects it would receive no adverse public comment were it to publish them as proposals in the Federal Register. This limitation means that NHTSA will not use direct final rule procedures for amendments involving complex or controversial issues. When the agency does not expect adverse public comments on draft amendments, it will issue a direct final rule adopting the amendments and stating that they will become effective in a specified number of days after the date of publication of the rule in the Federal Register, unless NHTSA receives written adverse comment(s) or written notice of intent to submit adverse comment(s) by the specified effective date. Adoption of these new procedures will expedite the promulgation of routine and noncontroversial rules by reducing the time and resources necessary to develop, review, clear and publish separate proposed and final rules.