U.S. Code » Title 15 » Chapter CHAPTER 55— PETROLEUM MARKETING PRACTICES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— FRANCHISE PROTECTION

15 U.S.C. § 2801

Definitions

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As used in this subchapter:(1)(A) The term “franchise” means any contract—(i) between a refiner and a distributor,(ii) between a refiner and a retailer,(iii) between a distributor and another distributor, or(iv) between a distributor and a retailer,under which a refiner or distributor (as the case may be) authorizes or permits a retailer or distributor to use, in connection with the sale, consignment, or distribution of motor fuel, a trademark which is owned or controlled by such refiner or by a refiner which supplies motor fuel to the distributor which authorizes or permits such use.(B) The term “franchise” includes—(i) any contract under which a retailer or distributor (as the case may be) is authorized or permitted to occupy leased marketing premises, which premises are to be employed in connection with the sale, consignment, or distribution of motor fuel under a trademark which is owned or controlled by such refiner or by a refiner which supplies motor fuel to the distributor which authorizes or permits such occupancy;(ii) any contract pertaining to the supply of motor fuel which is to be sold, consigned or distributed—(I) under a trademark owned or controlled by a refiner; or(II) under a contract which has existed continuously since May 15, 1973, and pursuant to which, on May 15, 1973, motor fuel was sold, consigned or distributed under a trademark owned or controlled on such date by a refiner; and(iii) the unexpired portion of any franchise, as defined by the preceding provisions of this paragraph, which is transferred or assigned as authorized by the provisions of such franchise or by any applicable provision of State law which permits such transfer or assignment without regard to any provision of the franchise.(2) The term “franchise relationship” means the respective motor fuel marketing or distribution obligations and responsibilities of a franchisor and a franchisee which result from the marketing of motor fuel under a franchise.(3) The term “franchisor” means a refiner or distributor (as the case may be) who authorizes or permits, under a franchise, a retailer or distributor to use a trademark in connection with the sale, consignment, or distribution of motor fuel.(4) The term “franchisee” means a retailer or distributor (as the case may be) who is authorized or permitted, under a franchise, to use a trademark in connection with the sale, consignment, or distribution of motor fuel.(5) The term “refiner” means any person engaged in the refining of crude oil to produce motor fuel, and includes any affiliate of such person.(6) The term “distributor” means any person, including any affiliate of such person, who—(A) purchases motor fuel for sale, consignment, or distribution to another; or(B) receives motor fuel on consignment for consignment or distribution to his own motor fuel accounts or to accounts of his supplier, but shall not include a person who is an employee of, or merely serves as a common carrier providing transportation service for, such supplier.(7) The term “retailer” means any person who purchases motor fuel for sale to the general public for ultimate consumption.(8) The term “marketing premises” means, in the case of any franchise, premises which, under such franchise, are to be employed by the franchisee in connection with sale, consignment, or distribution of motor fuel.(9) The term “leased marketing premises” means marketing premises owned, leased, or in any way controlled by a franchisor and which the franchisee is authorized or permitted, under the franchise, to employ in connection with the sale, consignment, or distribution of motor fuel.(10) The term “contract” means any oral or written agreement. For supply purposes, delivery levels during the same month of the previous year shall be prima facie evidence of an agreement to deliver such levels.(11) The term “trademark” means any trademark, trade name, service mark, or other identifying symbol or name.(12) The term “motor fuel” means gasoline and diesel fuel of a type distributed for use as a fuel in self-propelled vehicles designed primarily for use on public streets, roads, and highways.(13) The term “failure” does not include—(A) any failure which is only technical or unimportant to the franchise relationship;(B) any failure for a cause beyond the reasonable control of the franchisee; or(C) any failure based on a provision of the franchise which is illegal or unenforceable under the law of any State (or subdivision thereof).(14) The terms “fail to renew” and “nonrenewal” mean, with respect to any franchise relationship, a failure to reinstate, continue, or extend the franchise relationship—(A) at the conclusion of the term, or on the expiration date, stated in the relevant franchise;(B) at any time, in the case of the relevant franchise which does not state a term of duration or an expiration date; or(C) following a termination (on or after June 19, 1978) of the relevant franchise which was entered into prior to June 19, 1978, and has not been renewed after such date.(15) The term “affiliate” means any person who (other than by means of a franchise) controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, any other person.(16) The term “relevant geographic market area” includes a State or a standard metropolitan statistical area as periodically established by the Office of Management and Budget.(17) The term “termination” includes cancellation.(18) The term “commerce” means any trade, traffic, transportation, exchange, or other commerce—(A) between any State and any place outside of such State; or(B) which affects any trade, transportation, exchange, or other commerce described in subparagraph (A).(19) The term “State” means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and any other commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.(Pub. L. 95–297, title I, § 101, June 19, 1978, 92 Stat. 322; Pub. L. 103–371, § 6, Oct. 19, 1994, 108 Stat. 3486; Pub. L. 110–140, title II, § 241(c)(1), Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1540.)Editorial NotesAmendments

2007—Par. (13)(C). Pub. L. 110–140 aligned margins.

1994—Par. (13)(C). Pub. L. 103–371 added subpar. (C).

Statutory Notes and Related SubsidiariesEffective Date of 2007 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 110–140 effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress.

Short Title of 1994 Amendment

Pub. L. 103–371, § 1, Oct. 19, 1994, 108 Stat. 3484, provided that: “This Act [amending this section and sections 2802, 2805, and 2806 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Petroleum Marketing Practices Act Amendments of 1994’.”

Short Title

Pub. L. 95–297, § 1, June 19, 1978, 92 Stat. 322, provided: “That this Act [enacting this chapter and provisions set out as a note under section 2822 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Petroleum Marketing Practices Act’.”

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 482 cases (34 in the last 5 years), 1978–2026 · leading case: Joyce Johnson v. MFA Petroleum Co., 701 F.3d 243 (8th Cir. 2012).
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Joyce Johnson v. MFA Petroleum Co., 701 F.3d 243 (8th Cir. 2012). · cites it 6× “Casey's General Stores removed the case to the federal district court asserting that Johnson's claim was completely preempted by the Petroleum Marketing Practices Act (PMPA), 15 U.S.C. § 2801 et seq., or, alternatively, that there was diversity jurisdiction under the Class…”
Dersch Energies, Inc. v. Shell Oil Co., 314 F.3d 846 (7th Cir. 2002). · cites it 6× “” 15 U.S.C. § 2801 (2) (emphasis added). The term “franchise” means any contract between a franchisor, as defined by 15 U.”
Midwest Petroleum Co. v. Am. Petrofina, Inc., 603 F. Supp. 1099 (E.D. Mo. 1985). · cites it 13× “" 15 U.S.C. § 2801 (17). "The terms `fail to renew' and `nonrenewal' mean, with respect to any franchise relationship, a failure to reinstate, continue, or extend the franchise relationship — (A) at the conclusion of the term, or on the expiration date, stated in the relevant…”
Lasko v. Consumers Petroleum of Connecticut, Inc., 547 F. Supp. 211 (D. Conn. 1981). · cites it 9× “Lasko, the franchisee-proprietor of a gasoline service station in *214 Fairfield, Connecticut, has brought this action for an injunction and damages, claiming that defendant-franchisor, Consumers Petroleum of Connecticut (Consumers), is attempting to terminate his franchise in…”
William T. Pride Pride Enter., Inc. v. Exxon Corp. Texaco Refining & Mktg., 911 F.2d 251 (9th Cir. 1990). · cites it 8× “Pride and Weber filed an action alleging that Exxon violated the withdrawal provisions of the Petroleum Marketing Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2801 , et seq. (Act). Pride and Weber also claimed that Texaco violated its duty of good faith due to Texaco’s continued operation of…”
Rawoof v. Texor Petroleum Co., 521 F.3d 750 (7th Cir. 2008). · cites it 2× “See 15 U.S.C. §§ 2801 et seq. The merits of the PMPA claim are not before us on this appeal, so we may omit any further discussion of the statute's requirements.”
Hanes v. Mid-Am. Petroleum, Inc., 577 F. Supp. 637 (W.D. Mo. 1983). · cites it 11× “This case pends on cross motions for summary judgment on the separated issue of defendant’s liability under the Petroleum Marketing Practices Act (PMPA), 15 U.S.C. § 2801 , et seq. On March 24, 1983, plaintiffs filed their complaint in this case along with an application for…”
William C. Brach v. Amoco Oil Co., 677 F.2d 1213 (7th Cir. 1982). · cites it 3× “” 13 15 U.S.C. § 2801 (13)(B). A construction should not be adopted that would allow franchisors to circumvent the limitations embodied in other related sections simply because the franchisee failed to comply with, carry out, or agree to provisions which were not contained in…”
Evans Grp., Inc. v. Robert Foti & Foti Fuels, Inc., 2012 VT 77, 59 A.3d 744. · cites it 11× “” 15 U.S.C. § 2801 (1)(A)(iii). Under the statute’s pertinent provisions, a “franchisee” is a “distributor .”
Glenside West Corp. v. Exxon Co., USA, 761 F. Supp. 1100 (D.N.J. 1991). · cites it 4× “Jurisdiction is alleged pursuant to the Petroleum Marketing Practices Act (the “PMPA”), 15 U.S.C. §§ 2801 et seq., and 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1337.”
Interstate Petroleum Corp. v. Morgan, 249 F.3d 215 (4th Cir. 2001). · cites it 8× “15 U.S.C. § 2801 .” Brief, p. 15. The argument goes that since § 2805(a) provides for a suit by a “franchisee .”
C.K. Smith & Co. v. Motiva Enter. LLC, 269 F.3d 70 (1st Cir. 2001). · cites it 4× “See 15 U.S.C. §§ 2801 (1)-(2), 2802. The parties renewed the salient agreements (and the franchise relationship) for additional three-year periods in 1992 and 1995.”
Show all 482 citing cases →
15 U.S.C. § 2801(1)(B)(12): 1 case
Puerto Rico Energy, LLC v. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, No. 3:20-cv-01591 (D.P.R. Mar. 31, 2026).
15 U.S.C. § 2801(3): 1 case
Evans Grp., Inc. v. Robert Foti & Foti Fuels, Inc., 2012 VT 77, 59 A.3d 744. “” 15 U.S.C. § 2801 (1)(A)(iii). Under the statute’s pertinent provisions, a “franchisee” is a “distributor .”
15 U.S.C. § 2801(6): 1 case
Miller v. W.H. Bristow, Inc., 739 F. Supp. 1044 (D.S.C. 1990).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.