Importation of Vehicles and Equipment Subject to Federal Safety, Bumper, and Theft Prevention Standards

This document amends NHTSA's importation regulations to implement a 1998 statutory amendment that adds ``show or display'' to the special limited purposes for which vehicles or equipment items may be imported without having to comply with the Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS). Under the amendments, a person who wants to import a vehicle or equipment item for ``show or display'' must persuade us that the vehicle or equipment item is of such historical or technological significance that it is worthy of being shown or displayed in this country even though it would be difficult or impossible to be brought into compliance with the FMVSS. We intend this provision to accommodate primarily individuals wishing to import an example of a make or model of a vehicle which its manufacturer never sold in the United States and which therefore has no counterpart that was certified to conform to the FMVSS. We will allow limited use on the public roads of vehicles imported for ``show or display.'' Before entry, an importer must describe the intended on-road use of the vehicle and submit a copy of an insurance contract containing the condition that the maximum annual mileage of the vehicle shall not exceed 2,500 miles. Pursuant to the 1998 statutory amendment, we are also allowing owners of vehicles already imported into the United States under other exemptions to apply to us for a change in the terms and conditions under which we permitted their vehicles to be imported. The opportunity to apply for such a change is statutorily limited to the period of 6 months after the effective date of the final rule.