USA - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Occupant Crash Protection, Seat Belt Reminder Systems, Controls and Displays

This document amends Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, “Occupant crash protection” to require a seat belt use warning system for rear seats. The rule also updates and enhances the current seat belt warning requirements for the driver's seat belt and extends these requirements to the front outboard passenger seat. The final rule applies (with some exceptions) to passenger cars, trucks, most buses, and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less. This document also makes related amendments to FMVSS No. 101, Controls and displays.

Effective date: The effective date of this final rule is March 4, 2025.    

Compliance date: The compliance date of this final rule is September 1, 2026, for the front seat belt warning system requirements and September 1, 2027, for the rear seat belt warning system requirements, with optional early compliance permitted. 

Multi-stage manufacturers and alterers would have an additional year to comply.    

Petitions for reconsideration: Petitions for reconsideration of this final rule must be received not later than February 18, 2025.90 Federal Register (FR) 250, January 3, 2025; Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 571

This final rule is identified by Docket Number NHTSA-2024-0071. 

The Docket Folder is available on Regulations.gov at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NHTSA-2024-0071/document and provides access to primary and supporting documents. Documents are also accessible from Regulations.gov by searching the Docket Number. 

WTO Members and their stakeholders are asked to submit petitions for reconsideration for this final rule to the USA TBT Enquiry Point by or before 4pm Eastern Time on February 18, 2025. 

Petitions for reconsideration received by the USA TBT Enquiry Point from WTO Members and their stakeholders will be shared with NHTSA. Previous actions notified under the symbol G/TBT/N/USA/1533 are identified by Docket Numbers NHTSA-2019-0093 and NHTSA-2023-0032. 

The Docket Folders are available on Regulations.gov at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NHTSA-2019-0093/document and https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NHTSA-2023-0032/document​ and provide access to primary and supporting documents as well as comments received. Documents are also accessible from Regulations.gov by searching the Docket Number.