42 U.S.C. § 7543

State standards

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(a) Prohibition

No State or any political subdivision thereof shall adopt or attempt to enforce any standard relating to the control of emissions from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines subject to this part. No State shall require certification, inspection, or any other approval relating to the control of emissions from any new motor vehicle or new motor vehicle engine as condition precedent to the initial retail sale, titling (if any), or registration of such motor vehicle, motor vehicle engine, or equipment.

(b) Waiver(1) The Administrator shall, after notice and opportunity for public hearing, waive application of this section to any State which has adopted standards (other than crankcase emission standards) for the control of emissions from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines prior to March 30, 1966, if the State determines that the State standards will be, in the aggregate, at least as protective of public health and welfare as applicable Federal standards. No such waiver shall be granted if the Administrator finds that—(A) the determination of the State is arbitrary and capricious,(B) such State does not need such State standards to meet compelling and extraordinary conditions, or(C) such State standards and accompanying enforcement procedures are not consistent with section 7521(a) of this title.(2) If each State standard is at least as stringent as the comparable applicable Federal standard, such State standard shall be deemed to be at least as protective of health and welfare as such Federal standards for purposes of paragraph (1).(3) In the case of any new motor vehicle or new motor vehicle engine to which State standards apply pursuant to a waiver granted under paragraph (1), compliance with such State standards shall be treated as compliance with applicable Federal standards for purposes of this subchapter.(c) Certification of vehicle parts or engine parts

Whenever a regulation with respect to any motor vehicle part or motor vehicle engine part is in effect under section 7541(a)(2) of this title, no State or political subdivision thereof shall adopt or attempt to enforce any standard or any requirement of certification, inspection, or approval which relates to motor vehicle emissions and is applicable to the same aspect of such part. The preceding sentence shall not apply in the case of a State with respect to which a waiver is in effect under subsection (b).

(d) Control, regulation, or restrictions on registered or licensed motor vehicles

Nothing in this part shall preclude or deny to any State or political subdivision thereof the right otherwise to control, regulate, or restrict the use, operation, or movement of registered or licensed motor vehicles.

(e) Nonroad engines or vehicles(1) Prohibition on certain State standardsNo State or any political subdivision thereof shall adopt or attempt to enforce any standard or other requirement relating to the control of emissions from either of the following new nonroad engines or nonroad vehicles subject to regulation under this chapter—(A) New engines which are used in construction equipment or vehicles or used in farm equipment or vehicles and which are smaller than 175 horsepower.(B) New locomotives or new engines used in locomotives.Subsection (b) shall not apply for purposes of this paragraph.(2) Other nonroad engines or vehicles(A) In the case of any nonroad vehicles or engines other than those referred to in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1), the Administrator shall, after notice and opportunity for public hearing, authorize California to adopt and enforce standards and other requirements relating to the control of emissions from such vehicles or engines if California determines that California standards will be, in the aggregate, at least as protective of public health and welfare as applicable Federal standards. No such authorization shall be granted if the Administrator finds that—(i) the determination of California is arbitrary and capricious,(ii) California does not need such California standards to meet compelling and extraordinary conditions, or(iii) California standards and accompanying enforcement procedures are not consistent with this section.(B) Any State other than California which has plan provisions approved under part D of subchapter I may adopt and enforce, after notice to the Administrator, for any period, standards relating to control of emissions from nonroad vehicles or engines (other than those referred to in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1)) and take such other actions as are referred to in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph respecting such vehicles or engines if—(i) such standards and implementation and enforcement are identical, for the period concerned, to the California standards authorized by the Administrator under subparagraph (A), and(ii) California and such State adopt such standards at least 2 years before commencement of the period for which the standards take effect.The Administrator shall issue regulations to implement this subsection.(July 14, 1955, ch. 360, title II, § 209, formerly § 208, as added Pub. L. 90–148, § 2, Nov. 21, 1967, 81 Stat. 501; renumbered and amended Pub. L. 91–604, §§ 8(a), 11(a)(2)(A), 15(c)(2), Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1694, 1705, 1713; Pub. L. 95–95, title II, §§ 207, 221, Aug. 7, 1977, 91 Stat. 755, 762; Pub. L. 101–549, title II, § 222(b), Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2502.)Editorial NotesCodification

Section was formerly classified to section 1857f–6a of this title.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 209 of act July 14, 1955, as added Nov. 21, 1967, Pub. L. 90–148, § 2, 81 Stat. 502, was renumbered section 210 by Pub. L. 91–604 and is classified to section 7544 of this title.

Another prior section 209 of act July 14, 1955, ch. 360, title II, as added Oct. 20, 1965, Pub. L. 89–272, title I, § 101(8), 79 Stat. 995, related to appropriations for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969, and was classified to section 1857f–8 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 89–675, § 2(b), Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 954.

Amendments

1990—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 101–549 added subsec. (e).

1977—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–95, § 207, designated existing provisions as par. (1), substituted “March 30, 1966, if the State determines that the State standards will be, in the aggregate, at least as protective of public health and welfare as applicable Federal standards” for “March 30, 1966, unless he finds that such State does not require standards more stringent than applicable Federal standards to meet compelling the extraordinary conditions or that such State standards and accompanying enforcement procedures are not consistent with section 7521(a) of this title”, added subpars. (A), (B), and (C), and added pars. (2) and (3).

Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 95–95, § 221, added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).

1970—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91–604, § 11(a)(2)(A), substituted “part” for “subchapter”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 91–604, § 15(c)(2), substituted “Administrator” for “Secretary”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 91–604, § 11(a)(2)(A), substituted “part” for “subchapter”.

Statutory Notes and Related SubsidiariesEffective Date of 1977 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–95 effective Aug. 7, 1977, except as otherwise expressly provided, see section 406(d) of Pub. L. 95–95, set out as a note under section 7401 of this title.

Modification or Rescission of Rules, Regulations, Orders, Determinations, Contracts, Certifications, Authorizations, Delegations, and Other Actions

All rules, regulations, orders, determinations, contracts, certifications, authorizations, delegations, or other actions duly issued, made, or taken by or pursuant to act July 14, 1955, the Clean Air Act, as in effect immediately prior to the date of enactment of Pub. L. 95–95 [Aug. 7, 1977] to continue in full force and effect until modified or rescinded in accordance with act July 14, 1955, as amended by Pub. L. 95–95 [this chapter], see section 406(b) of Pub. L. 95–95, set out as an Effective Date of 1977 Amendment note under section 7401 of this title.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 125 cases (20 in the last 5 years), 1979–2026 · leading case: Engine Mfrs. Ass'n v. South Coast Air Quality Mgmt. Dist., 541 U.S. 246 (2004).

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Engine Mfrs. Ass'n v. South Coast Air Quality Mgmt. Dist., 541 U.S. 246 (2004). · cites it 16× “502 , as renumbered and amended, 42 U. S. C. § 7543 (a), because they address the purchase of vehicles, rather than their manufacture or sale.”

Epc of Hillsborough Cty. v. Volkswagen Grp. of Am., 959 F.3d 1201 (9th Cir. 2020). · cites it 9× “” 42 U.S.C. § 7543 (a). As to post-sale vehicles, the district court concluded that the CAA preempts the Counties’ anti-tampering rules because Volkswagen made post-sale software changes on a model-wide basis and Congress intended for model-wide tampering to be regulated…”

In re Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep Ecodiesel Mktg., 295 F. Supp. 3d 927 (N.D. Cal. 2018). · cites it 5× “" 42 U.S.C. § 7543 (a). Defendants focus on the phrase "attempt to enforce.”

Gamboa v. Ford Motor Co., 381 F. Supp. 3d 853 (E.D. Mich. 2019). · cites it 4× “Clean Air Act Ford alleges that all of Plaintiffs' state law claims are expressly and impliedly preempted by the Clean Air Act ("CAA"), 42 U.S.C. § 7543 (a). "[Preemption] may be either expressed or implied, and 'is compelled whether Congress' command is explicitly stated in the…”

Am. Trucking Associations v. Env't Prot. Agency, 600 F.3d 624 (D.C. Cir. 2010). · cites it 12× “42 U.S.C. § 7543 (e)(2)(A)(i)-(iii). That third criterionthe consistency criterionrequires EPA to assess whether the California rule prevents other states from deciding to "adopt and enforce" the California rule.”

Cent. Valley Chrysler-Jeep v. Witherspoon, 456 F. Supp. 2d 1160 (E.D. Cal. 2006). · cites it 14× “Section 209(a) of the Clean Air Act, codified at 42 U.S.C. § 7543 (a), 1 generally preempts state regulation of motor vehicle emissions.”

Nat'l Ass'n of Home Builders v. San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control Dist., 627 F.3d 730 (9th Cir. 2010). · cites it 14× “" 42 U.S.C. § 7543 (e)(2)(A) (2006). The District and Intervenors do not dispute that the construction equipment regulated by Rule 9510 qualifies as "nonroad vehicles or engines" under section 209(e)(2).”

Utah Physic. for Healthy Env't v. Diesel Power Gear, 21 F.4th 1229 (10th Cir. 2021). · cites it 4× “2015); 42 U.S.C. § 7543 (a), (b)(1). Of particular relevance to this litigation, Title II has two provisions to make sure that emission-control devices required for new vehicles will be effective after retail sale.”

Ford Motor Co. v. Env't Prot. Agency, Auto. Importers of Am., Inc. & State of California, Intervenors, 606 F.2d 1293 (D.C. Cir. 1979). · cites it 12× “Section 209(b), 42 U.S.C. § 7543 (b) (Supp. I 1977) (formerly 42 U.”

Motor & Equip. Mfrs. Ass'n v. Env't Prot. Agency, 627 F.2d 1095 (D.C. Cir. 1979). · cites it 6× “MacKINNON, Circuit Judge: Section 209 of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7543 (Supp. I 1977), requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to waive federal preemption of motor vehicle emission control regulations for the State of California unless he…”

Green Mountain Chrysler Plymouth Dodge Jeep v. Crombie, 508 F. Supp. 2d 295 (D. Vt. 2007). · cites it 9× “42 U.S.C. § 7543 (a), (b). Other states may adopt a California standard for which a waiver has been granted, as long as the states adopt the standard at least two years before the commencement of the model year.”

United States v. Morrison, 529 U.S. 598 (2000). · cites it 2× “, 42 U. S. C. § 7543 (b) (Clean Air Act); 33 U.”

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— 42 U.S.C. § 7543(a) — 1 case

State of Oklahoma v. United States (6th Cir. 2025).

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