A manufacturer of a passenger motor vehicle to which a bumper standard issued under this part applies may apply to the Administrator:

(a) For rulemaking as provided in part 552 of this chapter to exempt a class of passenger motor vehicles from all or any part of a bumper standard issued under this part on the basis that the class of vehicles has been manufactured for a special use and that compliance with the standard would unreasonably interfere with the special use of the class of vehicle; or

(b) To exempt a make or model of passenger motor vehicle on the basis set forth in paragraph (a) of this section or part 555 of this chapter.

(c) An application filed for exemption on the basis of paragraph (a) of this section shall contain the information specified in §555.5 of this chapter, and set forth data, views, and arguments in support that the vehicle has been manufactured for a special use and that compliance with the bumper standard would interfere unreasonably with the special use of the vehicle.

(d) An application filed for exemption under part 555 of this chapter shall be filed in accordance with the requirements of that part.

(e) The NHTSA shall process exemption applications in accordance with §555.7 of this chapter. An exemption granted a manufacturer on the basis of paragraph (a) of this section is indefinite in length but expires when the manufacturer ceases production of the exempted vehicle, or when the exempted vehicle as produced has been so modified from its original design that the Administrator decides that it is no longer manufactured for the special use upon which the application for its exemption was based. The Administrator may terminate an exemption in the manner set forth in §§555.8(c) and 555.8(f) of this chapter, and for the reasons set forth in §555.8(d) of this chapter. An exempted vehicle shall be labeled in accordance with §555.9 of this chapter. Information relating to an application shall be available to the public in the manner specified in §555.10 of this chapter.

[64 FR 2862, Jan. 19, 1999]