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 displaysFMVSS No. 102: Transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effectFMVSS No. 103: Windshield defrosting and defogging systemsFMVSS No. 104: Windshield wiping and washing systemsFMVSS No. 105: Hydraulic and electric brake systemsFMVSS No. 106: Brake hosesFMVSS No. 108: Lamps,reflective device and associated equipmentFMVSS No. 109: New pneumatic tires for passenger carsFMVSS No. 110: Tire selection and rims for passenger carsFMVSS No. 111: Rear view and side view mirrorsFMVSS No. 113: Hood latch systemFMVSS No. 114: Theft ProtectionFMVSS No. 116: Motor vehicle brake fluidsFMVSS No. 117: Retreaded pneumatic tiresFMVSS No. 118: Power-operated window, partition, and roof panel systemsFMVSS No. 119: New pneumatic tires for vehicles other than passenger carsFMVSS No. 120: Tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger carsFMVSS No. 121: Air brake systemsFMVSS No. 122: Motorcycle brake systemsFMVSS No. 124: Accelerator control systemsFMVSS No. 125: Warning devicesFMVSS No. 126: Electronic stability control systemsFMVSS No. 131: School bus pedestrian safety devicesFMVSS No. 135: Light vehicle brake systemsFMVSS No. 136: Electronic stability control systems on heavy vehiclesFMVSS No. 138: Tire pressure monitoring systemsFMVSS No. 201: Occupant protection in interior impactFMVSS No. 202: Head restraints for passenger vehiclesFMVSS No. 203: Impact protection for the driver from the steering control systemFMVSS No. 204: Steering control rearward displacementFMVSS No. 205: Glazing materialsFMVSS No. 206: Door locks and door retention componentsFMVSS No. 207: Seating SystemsFMVSS No. 208: Occupant crash protectionFMVSS No. 209: Seat belt assembliesFMVSS No. 210: Seat belt anchoragesFMVSS No. 212: Windshield mountingFMVSS No. 213: Child restraint systemsFMVSS No. 214: Side impact protectionFMVSS No. 215: Exterior protectionFMVSS No. 216: Roof crush resistanceFMVSS No. 217: Bus emergency exits and window retention and release.FMVSS No. 218: Motorcycle helmetsFMVSS No. 219: Windshield zone intrusionFMVSS No. 220: School bus rollover protectionFMVSS No. 221: School bus body joint strengthFMVSS No. 222: School bus passenger seating and crash protectionFMVSS No. 223: Rear impact guardsFMVSS No. 224: Rear impact protectionFMVSS No. 225: Child restraint anchorage systemsFMVSS No. 226: Ejection MitigationFMVSS No. 301: Fuel system integrityFMVSS No. 302: Flammability of interior materialsFMVSS No. 303: Fuel system ingegrity of compressed natural gas vehiclesFMVSS No. 304: Compressed natural gas fuel container integrityFMVSS No. 305: Electric-powered vehicles: Electrolyte spillage and electrical shock protectionFMVSS No. 401: Interior trunk releaseFMVSS No. 403: Platform lift systems for motor vehiclesFMVSS No. 404: Platform lift installation in motor vehiclesFMVSS No. 500: Low-speed vehicles