The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
Built by the Tribune's code from the Federal Register. No AI wrote this page. Published in the Federal Register Sept. 30, 2026. Document 2026-19964. Updated Nov. 5, 2026.
- What it does
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.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's summary, as published in the Federal Register.
- What changed in the regulation
6 parts of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations:
49 CFR 523, 49 CFR 531, 49 CFR 533, 49 CFR 536, 49 CFR 537, 49 CFR 578
- Compared with
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has published 23 final rules in 2026 so far, compared with 10 in all of 2025.
Counted by the Tribune from Federal Register records since Jan. 1, 2025.
- Before this
3 earlier Federal Register documents under regulation identifier 2127-AM76 since Jan. 1, 2025.
- Jan. 14, 2026 Proposed rule; extension of comment period. The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
- Dec. 12, 2025 Notification of public hearing. Public Hearing for Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards: The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicle Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
- Dec. 5, 2025 Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
- What happens next and when
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.
The agency's dates, word for word.
The record as published
| Document number | 2026-19964 |
|---|---|
| Action | Final rule. |
| Agencies | Transportation Department; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration |
| Published | Sept. 30, 2026 |
| Effective date | Nov. 30, 2026 |
| Regulation identifier (RIN) | 2127-AM76 |
| Docket | NHTSA-2025-0491 |
| Significant (marked in the Federal Register) | Yes |
Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register