NHTSA Interpretation File Search
Overview
Understanding NHTSA’s Online Interpretation Files
- Your facts may be sufficiently different from those presented in prior interpretations, such that the agency's answer to you might be different from the answer in the prior interpretation letter;
- Your situation may be completely new to the agency and not addressed in an existing interpretation letter;
- The agency's safety standards or regulations may have changed since the prior interpretation letter was written so that the agency's prior interpretation no longer applies; or
- Some combination of the above, or other, factors.
Searching NHTSA’s Online Interpretation Files
Conjunctive search
Example: functionally AND minima
Result: Any document with both of those words.
Wildcard
Example: headl*
Result: Any document with a word beginning with those letters (e.g., headlamp, headlight, headlamps).
Example: no*compl*
Result: Any document beginning with the letters “no” followed by the letters “compl” (e.g., noncompliance, non-complying).
Not
Example: headlamp NOT crash
Result: Any document containing the word “headlamp” and not the word “crash.”
Complex searches
You can combine search operators to write more targeted searches.
Note: The database does not currently support phrase searches with wildcards (e.g., “make* inoperative”).
Example: Headl* AND (supplement* OR auxiliary OR impair*)
Result: Any document containing words that are variants of “headlamp” (headlamp, headlights, etc.) and also containing a variant of “supplement” (supplement, supplemental, etc.) or “impair” (impair, impairment, etc.) or the word “auxiliary.”
Search Tool
NHTSA's Interpretation Files Search
Interpretations | Date |
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ID: nht93-4.33OpenDATE: June 14, 1993 FROM: Kenneth E. Ross -- C.P.A. TO: Consumer Coordinator, NHTSA TITLE: None ATTACHMT: Attached to letter dated 8/13/93 (est) from John Womack to Kenneth E. Ross (A41; Std. 108; Std. 111) TEXT: We will soon be introducing a new consumer product which attaches to the back window of an automobile. We believe it is small enough not to block the driver's rear view. Can you tell us: 1) are there any NHTSA rules, standards, guidelines or opinions on the subject? 2) do you have any studies of state or local laws on the subject? |
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ID: nht94-6.17OpenDATE: April 21, 1994 FROM: Fred Carr -- Engineer, Utilimaster TO: John Womack -- Acting Chief Council, NHTSA TITLE: None ATTACHMT: Attached To Letter Dated 5/16/94 From John Womack To Fred Carr (A42; Std. 211) TEXT: Dear Mr. Womack, Please inform us as to whether Standard 571.211 applies to Motor Vehicle equipment relating to light duty, medium duty, and heavy duty trucks or truck manufacturers. Respectfully yours, |
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ID: nht71-1.34OpenDATE: 01/16/71 FROM: CHARLES H. HARTMAN FOR DOUGLAS W. TOMS -- NHTSA TO: LYNN E. TA TAKAGELL TITLE: FMVSR INTERPRETATION TEXT: (Illegible Words) |
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ID: nht70-1.2OpenDATE: 10/06/70 FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; G. C. Nield; NHTSA TO: European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION TEXT: (Illegible Text) |
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ID: nht72-5.28OpenDATE: 02/08/72 FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; Richard B. Dyson; NHTSA TO: Oshkosh Truck Corporation TITLE: FMVSR INTERPRETATION TEXT: TEXT UNAVAILABLE |
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ID: nht69-1.19OpenDATE: 12/02/69 FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; David E. Wells; NHTSA TO: Attorney General; The Virgin Islands of the United States TITLE: FMVSR INTERPRETATION |
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ID: nht76-1.22OpenDATE: 12/29/76 FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; Charles E. Duke for John W. Snow; NHTSA TO: Hon. Albert H. Quie - H.O.R. TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION |
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ID: nht72-1.4OpenDATE: 12/19/72 FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; R. L. Carter; NHTSA TO: Oppenheimeir & Co. TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION TEXT: [Illegible Page]. |
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ID: nht72-5.39OpenDATE: 01/31/72 FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; Richard B. Dyson; NHTSA TO: Oshkosh Truck Corporation TITLE: FMVSR INTERPRETATION TEXT: (Illegible Words) |
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ID: nht75-3.31OpenDATE: 03/25/75 FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; James C. Schultz; NHTSA TO: New York Department of Transportation TITLE: FMVSR INTERPRETATION |
Request an Interpretation
You may email your request to Interpretations.NHTSA@dot.gov or send your request in hard copy to:
The Chief Counsel
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, W41-326
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20590
If you want to talk to someone at NHTSA about what a request for interpretation should include, call the Office of the Chief Counsel at 202-366-2992.
Please note that NHTSA’s response will be made available in this online database, and that the incoming interpretation request may also be made publicly available.