(a) Any person wishing to register as an importer of motor vehicles not originally manufactured to conform to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards must file an application which:

(1) Is headed with the words “Application for Registration as Importer”, and submitted in three copies to: Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fourth Floor, Room W43-481, Mail Code NVS-220, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.

(2) Is written in the English language.

(3) Sets forth the full name, street address, and title of the person preparing the application, and the full name, street address, e-mail address (if any), and telephone and facsimile machine (if any) numbers in the United States of the person for whom application is made (the “applicant”).

(4) Specifies the form of the applicant's organization (i.e., sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation) and the State under which it is organized, and:

(i) If the applicant is an individual, the application must include the full name, street address, and date of birth of the individual.

(ii) If the applicant is a partnership, the application must include the full name, street address, and date of birth of each partner; if one or more of the partners is a limited partnership, the application must include the names and street addresses of the general partners and limited partners; if one or more of the partners is a corporation, the application must include the information specified by either paragraph (a)(4)(iii) or (iv) of this section, as applicable;

(iii) If the applicant is a non-public corporation, the application must include the full name, street address, and date of birth of each officer, director, manager, and person who is authorized to sign documents on behalf of the corporation. The application must also include the name of any person who owns or controls 10 percent or more of the corporation. The applicant must also provide a statement issued by the Office of the Secretary of State, or other responsible official of the State in which the applicant is incorporated, certifying that the applicant is a corporation in good standing;

(iv) If the applicant is a public corporation, the applicant must include a copy of its latest 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and provide the name and address of any person who is authorized to sign documents on behalf of the corporation; and

(v) Identifies any shareholder, officer, director, employee, or any person in affinity with such, who has been previously affiliated with another Registered Importer in any capacity. If any such persons are identified, the applicant shall state the name of each such Registered Importer and the affiliation of any identified person.

(5) Includes the following:

(i) The street address and telephone number in the United States of each of its facilities for conformance, storage, and repair that the applicant will use to fulfill its duties as a Registered Importer and where the applicant will maintain the records it is required by this part to keep;

(ii) The street address that the applicant designates as its mailing address (in addition, an applicant may list a post office box, provided that it is in the same city as the street address designated as its mailing address);

(iii) A copy of the applicant's business license or other similar document issued by an appropriate State or local authority, authorizing it to do business as an importer, or modifier, or seller of motor vehicles, as applicable to the applicant and with respect to each facility that the applicant has identified pursuant to paragraph (a)(5)(i) of this section, or a statement by the applicant that it has made a bona fide inquiry and is not required by such State or local authority to have such a license or document;

(iv) The name of each principal of the applicant whom the applicant authorizes to submit conformity certifications to NHTSA and the street address of the repair, storage, or conformance facility where each such principal will be located; and

(v) If an applicant is a corporation not organized under the laws of a State of the United States, or is a sole proprietorship or partnership located outside the United States, the application must be accompanied by the applicant's designation of an agent for service of process in the form specified by Section 551.45 of this chapter.

(6) Contains a statement that the applicant has never had a registration revoked pursuant to §592.7, nor is it or was it, directly or indirectly, owned or controlled by, or under common ownership or control with, a person who has had a registration revoked pursuant to §592.7.

(7) Contains a certified check payable to the Treasurer of the United States, for the amount of the initial annual fee established pursuant to part 594 of this chapter.

(8) Contains a copy of a contract to acquire, effective upon its registration as an importer, a prepaid mandatory service insurance policy underwritten by an independent insurance company, or a copy of such policy, in an amount that equals $2,000 for each motor vehicle for which the applicant will furnish a certificate of conformity to the Administrator, for the purpose of ensuring that the applicant will be able financially to remedy any noncompliance or safety related defect determined to exist in any such motor vehicle in accordance with part 573 and part 577 of this chapter. If the application is accompanied by a copy of a contract to acquire such a policy, the applicant shall provide NHTSA with a copy of the policy within 10 days after it has been issued to the applicant.

(9) Sets forth in full complete descriptive information, views, and arguments sufficient to establish that the applicant:

(i) Is technically able to modify any nonconforming motor vehicle to conform to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety and bumper standards, including but not limited to the professional qualifications of the applicant and its employees at the time of the application (such as whether any such persons have been certified as mechanics), and a description of their experience in conforming and repairing vehicles;

(ii) Owns or leases one or more facilities sufficient in nature and size to repair, conform, and store the vehicles for which it provides certification of conformance to NHTSA and which it imports and may hold pending release of conformance bonds, including a copy of a deed or lease evidencing ownership or tenancy for each such facility, still or video photographs of each such facility, the street address and telephone number of each such facility;

(iii) Is financially and technically able to provide notification of and to remedy a noncompliance with a Federal motor vehicle safety standard or a defect related to motor vehicle safety determined to exist in the vehicles that it imports and/or for which it provides certification of conformity to NHTSA through repair, repurchase or replacement of such vehicles; and

(iv) Is able to acquire and maintain information regarding the vehicles that it imported and the names and addresses of owners of the vehicles that it imported and/or for which it provided certifications of conformity to NHTSA in order to notify such owners when a noncompliance or a defect related to motor vehicle safety has been determined to exist in such vehicles.

(10) Segregates and specifies any part of the information and data submitted under this part that the applicant wishes to have withheld from public disclosure in accordance with part 512 of this chapter.

(11) Contains the statement: “I certify that I have read and understood the duties of a Registered Importer, as set forth in 49 CFR 592.6, and that [name of applicant] will fully comply with each such duty. I further certify that all the information provided in this application is true and correct. I further certify that I understand that, in the event the registration for which it is applying is suspended or revoked, or lapses, [name of applicant] will remain obligated to notify owners and to remedy noncompliances or safety related defects, as required by 49 CFR 592.6(j), for each vehicle for which it has furnished a certificate of conformity to the Administrator.”

(12) Has the applicant's signature acknowledged by a notary public.

(b) If the application is incomplete, the Administrator notifies the applicant in writing of the information that is needed for the application to be complete and advises that no further action will be taken on the application until the applicant has furnished all the information needed.

(c) If the Administrator deems it necessary for a determination upon the application, NHTSA conducts an inspection of the applicant. Subsequent to the inspection, NHTSA calculates the costs attributable to such inspection, and notifies the applicant in writing that such costs comprise a component of the initial annual fee and must be paid before a determination is made upon its application.

(d) When the application is complete (and, if applicable, when the applicant has paid a sum representing the inspection component of the initial annual fee), the Administrator reviews the application and decides whether the applicant has complied with the requirements prescribed in paragraph (a) of this section. The Administrator shall base this decision on the application and upon any inspection NHTSA may have conducted of the applicant's conformance, storage, and recordkeeping facilities and any assessment of the applicant's personnel. If the Administrator decides that the applicant complies with the requirements, (s)he informs the applicant in writing and issues it a Registered Importer Number.

(e)

(1) The Administrator:

(i) Shall deny registration to an applicant who (s)he decides does not comply with the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section;

(ii) Shall deny registration to an applicant whose previous registration has been revoked;

(iii) May deny registration to an applicant who has been convicted of, or whose business is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, or under common ownership or control with, a person who has been convicted of, a crime related to the importation, purchase, or sale of a motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment, including, but not limited to, offenses such as title fraud, odometer fraud, auto theft, or the sale of stolen vehicles; and

(iv) May deny registration to an applicant that is or was owned or controlled by, or under common ownership or control with, or in affinity with, a Registered Importer whose registration has been revoked. In determining whether to deny an application, the Administrator may consider whether the applicant is comprised in whole or in part of relatives, employees, major shareholders, partners, or relatives of former partners or major shareholders of a Registered Importer whose registration has been revoked.

(2) If the Administrator denies an application, (s)he informs the applicant in writing of the reasons for denial and that the applicant is entitled to a refund of that component of the initial annual fee representing the remaining costs of administration of the registration program, but not those components of the initial annual fee representing the costs of processing the application, and, if applicable, the costs of conducting an inspection of the applicant's facilities.

(3) Within 30 days from the date of the denial, the applicant may submit a petition for reconsideration. The applicant may submit information and/or documentation supporting its request. If the Administrator grants registration as a result of the request, (s)he notifies the applicant in writing and issues it a Registered Importer Number. If the Administrator denies registration, (s)he notifies the applicant in writing and refunds that component of the initial annual fee representing the remaining costs of administration of the registration program, but does not refund those components of the initial annual fee representing the costs of processing the application, and, if applicable, the costs of conducting an inspection.

(f) In order to maintain its registration, a Registered Importer must:

(1) Not be convicted of, or have any person associated with direct or indirect ownership or control of the registered importer's business or any person employed by or associated with the registered importer who is convicted of, a crime related to the importation, purchase, or sale of motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment. These offenses include, but are not limited to, title fraud, odometer fraud, or the sale of stolen vehicles.

(2) File an annual statement. The annual statement must be titled “Yearly Statement of Registered Importer” and include the following written statements:

(i)“I certify that I have read and understand the duties of a Registered Importer, as set forth in 49 CFR 592.6, and that [name of Registered Importer] continues to comply with the requirements for being a Registered Importer.”

(ii) “I certify that all information provided in each of my previous annual statements, submitted pursuant to §592.6(q), or changed in any notification that [name of Registered Importer] may have provided to the Administrator in compliance with §592.6(l), remains correct and that all the information provided in this annual statement is true and correct.”

(iii) “I certify that I understand that, in the event that its registration is suspended or revoked, or lapses, [name of Registered Importer] will remain obligated to notify owners and to remedy noncompliance issues or safety related defects, as required by 49 CFR 592.6(j), for each vehicle for which [name of Registered Importer] has furnished a certificate of conformity to the Administrator.”

(3) Include with its annual statement a current copy of the Registered Importer's service insurance policy. Such statements must be filed not later than September 30 of each year; and

(4) Pay an annual fee and any other fee that is established under part 594 of this chapter. An annual fee must be paid not later than September 30 of any calendar year for the fiscal year that begins on October 1 of that calendar year. The Registered Importer must pay any other fee not later than 15 days after the date of the written notice from the Administrator.

(g) A registration granted under this part is not transferable.

(h) An applicant whose application is pending on September 30, 2004, and which has not provided the information required by paragraph (a) of this section, as amended, must provide all the information required by that subsection before the Administrator will give further consideration to the application.

(i) The Administrator may deny registration renewal to any applicant who has been convicted of, or whose business is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, or under common ownership or control with, a person who has been convicted of, a crime related to the importation, purchase, or sale of a motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment, including, but not limited to, title fraud, odometer fraud, or the sale of stolen vehicles.

[54 FR 40090, Sept. 29, 1989, as amended at 54 FR 47088, Nov. 9, 1989; 55 FR 37330, Sept. 11, 1990; 69 FR 52094, Aug. 24, 2004; 70 FR 57801, Oct. 4, 2005; 76 FR 53079, Aug. 25, 2011]