Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) are U.S. federal regulations specifying design, construction, performance, and durability requirements for motor vehicles and regulated Automobile safety-related components, systems, and design features. They are the U.S. counterpart to the UN Regulations developed by the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations and recognized to varying degree by most countries except the United States. Canada has a system of analogous rules called the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS), which overlap substantially but not completely in content and structure with the FMVSS. The FMVSS/CMVSS requirements differ significantly from the international UN requirements, so private import of vehicles not originally manufactured for the United States market is difficult or impossible.
FMVSS are currently codified at 49 C.F.R. 571. FMVSS are developed and enforced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) pursuant to statutory authorization in the form of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, which is now codified at 49 U.S.C. ch. 301.
FMVSS are divided into three categories: crash avoidance (100-series), crashworthiness (200-series), and post-crash survivability (300-series). The first regulation, FMVSS No. 209, was adopted on 1 March 1967 and remains in force to date though its requirements have been periodically updated and made more stringent. It stipulates the requirements for seat belts in roadgoing vehicles.
Other FMVSS include:
FMVSS No. 101: Controls and displays
FMVSS No. 102: Transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect
FMVSS No. 103: Windshield defrosting and defogging systems
FMVSS No. 104: Windshield wiping and washing systems
FMVSS No. 105: Hydraulic and electric brake systems
FMVSS No. 106: Brake hoses
FMVSS No. 108: Lamps,reflective device and associated equipment
FMVSS No. 109: New pneumatic tires for passenger cars
FMVSS No. 110: Tire selection and rims for passenger cars
FMVSS No. 111: Rear view and side view mirrors
FMVSS No. 113: Hood latch system
FMVSS No. 114: Theft Protection
FMVSS No. 116: Motor vehicle brake fluids
FMVSS No. 117: Retreaded pneumatic tires
FMVSS No. 118: Power-operated window, partition, and roof panel systems
FMVSS No. 119: New pneumatic tires for vehicles other than passenger cars
FMVSS No. 120: Tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars
FMVSS No. 121: Air brake systems
FMVSS No. 122: Motorcycle brake systems
FMVSS No. 124: Accelerator control systems
FMVSS No. 125: Warning devices
FMVSS No. 126: Electronic stability control systems
FMVSS No. 131: School bus pedestrian safety devices
FMVSS No. 135: Light vehicle brake systems
FMVSS No. 136: Electronic stability control systems on heavy vehicles
FMVSS No. 138: Tire pressure monitoring systems
FMVSS No. 201: Occupant protection in interior impact
FMVSS No. 202: Head restraints for passenger vehicles
FMVSS No. 203: Impact protection for the driver from the steering control system
FMVSS No. 204: Steering control rearward displacement
FMVSS No. 205: Glazing materials
FMVSS No. 206: Door locks and door retention components
FMVSS No. 207: Seating Systems
FMVSS No. 208: Occupant crash protection
FMVSS No. 209: Seat belt assemblies
FMVSS No. 210: Seat belt anchorages
FMVSS No. 212: Windshield mounting
FMVSS No. 213: Child restraint systems
FMVSS No. 214: Side impact protection
FMVSS No. 215: Exterior protection
FMVSS No. 216: Roof crush resistance
FMVSS No. 217: Bus emergency exits and window retention and release.
FMVSS No. 218: Motorcycle helmets
FMVSS No. 219: Windshield zone intrusion
FMVSS No. 220: School bus rollover protection
FMVSS No. 221: School bus body joint strength
FMVSS No. 222: School bus passenger seating and crash protection
FMVSS No. 223: Rear impact guards
FMVSS No. 224: Rear impact protection
FMVSS No. 225: Child restraint anchorage systems
FMVSS No. 226: Ejection Mitigation
FMVSS No. 301: Fuel system integrity
FMVSS No. 302: Flammability of interior materials
FMVSS No. 303: Fuel system ingegrity of compressed natural gas vehicles
FMVSS No. 304: Compressed natural gas fuel container integrity
FMVSS No. 305: Electric-powered vehicles: Electrolyte spillage and electrical shock protection
FMVSS No. 401: Interior trunk release
FMVSS No. 403: Platform lift systems for motor vehicles
FMVSS No. 404: Platform lift installation in motor vehicles
FMVSS No. 500: Low-speed vehicles
