NHTSA Revises Certain Fees for Registered Importers of Non-Conforming Vehicles
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a final rule to revise certain fees related to the registered importer (RI) program and the importation of motor vehicles not certified as conforming to the Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) for fiscal year 2011, and until further notice.
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The final rule will become effective on October 1, 2010. Petitions for reconsideration of the final rule must be received by NHTSA not later than September 27, 2010. (Petitions must contain a brief statement of the complaint and an explanation as to why compliance with the final rule is not practicable, is unreasonable, or is not in the public interest.)
NHTSA Adjusts Some Fees, Others Do Not Change
The following fees will become effective on October 1, 2010 (the beginning of FY 2011):
- $17 per vehicle (from $14) for review and processing of each certificate of conformity (If a RI enters a vehicle electronically through the Automated Broker Interface, has an e-mail address to receive communications from NHTSA, and pays the fee by credit card, the reduced fee for processing the certificate remains at $6, provided that ABI entry information is correct.);
- $57 (from $48) to further process incorrect information in an ABI entryor in the certificate of conformity;
- $795 (from $760) annual fee for new RI applicants;
- $670 (from $651) for annual RI renewal registration;
- $827 (unchanged) for inspection of vehicle, if inspection is requested by a petitioner on (1) whether the vehicle sought to be imported is substantially similar to a motor vehicle that was originally manufactured for importation into and sale in the U.S. and is capable of being readily modified to conform to all applicable FMVSS; or (2) whether the vehicle has safety features that comply with or are capable of being modified to comply with all applicable FMVSS;
- $158 (from $198) for importing a vehicle determined eligible pursuant to a petition based on its substantial similarity to a U.S. certified vehicle or on the safety features of the vehicle complying with, or being capable of being modified to comply with, all applicable FMVSS. The $125 importation fee for each vehicle covered by an eligibility decision on the agency’s own initiative (other than vehicles imported from Canada that are covered by import eligibility numbers VSA--80 through 83, for which no eligibility decision fee is assessed) is unchanged;
- $175 (unchanged) for the initial processing of a ‘‘substantially similar’’ petition. NHTSA is also maintaining the existing fee of $800 to cover the initial costs for processing petitions for vehicles that have no substantially similar U.S.-certified counterparts;
- $9.93 (from $10.23) per bond for bond processing for each imported vehicle for which a certificate of conformity is furnished; and
- $514.00 (from $459) for each vehicle for which cash deposits or obligations of the U.S. are furnished in lieu of a conformance bond.
(See ITT’s Online Archives or 05/10/10 news, 10051033, for BP summary of NHTSA’s proposed rule.)
NHTSA contact -- Clint Lindsay (202) 366-5291