Submission of American Automobile Labeling Act Reports

To facilitate social distancing due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), NHTSA is treating electronic submissions as an acceptable means for submitting American Automobile Labeling Act reports to the agency under 49 C.F.R. Section 583.17, which requires manufacturers to submit the information required by §583.5(a) to NHTSA but does not specify the means of that submission.

Since Part 583 submissions are handled by NHTSA’s Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, all electronic American Automobile Labeling Act submissions may be sent electronically to OVSCPublic@dot.gov.  NHTSA asks manufacturers to submit their reports in a Microsoft Excel or comparable format.  Regulated entities providing Part 583 submissions through electronic means do not also need to send 3 duplicate hardcopies to DOT headquarters, as they typically would when submitting hard copy submissions, since the submission of an electronic document will provide the agency with the necessary number of copies of the submission. 

Regulated entities are still permitted to provide hard copy submissions, but those submissions will likely experience processing delays.

Please note that these modified submission procedures are only to facilitate continued operations while maintaining appropriate social distancing due to COVID-19 and will expire on December 31, 2020, unless NHTSA takes further action to modify that date.  The agency anticipates that regular procedures for Part 583 submissions will resume when NHTSA and regulated entities discontinue operating primarily in telework status. 

For questions about Part 583 issues, including modified submission procedures, please contact Ahmad Barnes in the Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance at ahmad.barnes@dot.gov.

Please note that this information is intended to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements; it does not have the force and effect of law and is not meant to bind the public in any way.