Laws & Regulations

NHTSA's Chief Counsel interprets statutes that the agency administers and the regulations that it promulgates. The Chief Counsel's interpretations, issued in the form of letters responding to questions from the motor vehicle industry and the public, represent the definitive view of the agency on the questions addressed and may be relied upon by the regulated industry and members of the public. Besides being accessible online, these interpretations are also available to the public in the agency's technical reference library in Washington.