Data / Federal rules / 2026-19964
The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published this final rule in the Federal Register on September 30, 2026. It takes effect on November 30, 2026.
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What the agency says
NHTSA, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), is substantially recalibrating the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program to bring the program into compliance with the law and to remove previous regulatory distortions which have induced manufacturers to make design decisions that have neither aligned with market demand and the needs of American families nor have delivered the consistent improvements in the fuel economy performance of manufacturer fleets, as Congress intended. This recalibration finalizes amendments to fuel economy standards for light-duty vehicles for model years 2022- 2026 and MYs 2027-2031. This final rule also finalizes amendments to compliance aspects of the program, including to vehicle classification and other compliance pathways.
Key facts
- Document number
- 2026-19964
- Type
- Final rule
- Action
- Final rule
- Agency
- Transportation Department; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Published
- September 30, 2026
- Takes effect
- November 30, 2026
- Dates
- This rule is effective November 30, 2026. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the regulations is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of November 30, 2026.
- Docket
- NHTSA-2025-0491
- Regulation ID (RIN)
- 2127-AM76
- Code of Federal Regulations
- 49 CFR 523; 49 CFR 531; 49 CFR 533; 49 CFR 536; 49 CFR 537; 49 CFR 578
- Topics
- Energy conservation; Fuel economy; Gasoline; Imports; Incorporation by reference; Motor vehicle safety; Motor vehicles; Penalties; Reporting and recordkeeping requirements; Rubber and rubber products
- Significant
- Yes, under Executive Order 12866
- Pages
- 304
Other documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Everything from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration · Rules on energy conservation · Rules on fuel economy · Rules on gasoline · Published in September 2026
Read from the Federal Register API, last updated 2026-10-23. The document on federalregister.gov is the official record; dates and dockets can change through later corrections. Free to reuse with credit to SpecStream under CC BY 4.0.