[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 62 (Friday, March 31, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16414-16415]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4716]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[NHTSA-2006-24293]


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements; Agency 
Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR 
describes the nature of the information collections and their expected 
burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was 
published on January 10, 2006 (71 FR 1583).

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 1, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana Sade, Office of Chief Counsel, 
NCC-110, telephone (202) 366-1834, fax (202) 366-3820; NHTSA, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Designation of Agent for Service of Process.
    OMB Control Number: 2127-0400.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from the 
approval date.
    Type of Request: Extension of a previously approved collection.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Abstract: This collection of information applies to motor vehicle 
and motor vehicle equipment manufacturers located outside of the United 
States (``foreign manufacturers''). Section 110(e) of the National 
Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 (49 U.S.C. 30164) requires 
a foreign manufacturer offering a motor vehicle or motor vehicle 
equipment for importation into the United States to designate a 
permanent resident of the United States as its agent upon whom service 
of notices and processes may be made in administrative and judicial 
proceedings. These designations are required to be filed with NHTSA. 
NHTSA requires this information in case it needs to advise a foreign 
manufacturer of a safety related defect

[[Page 16415]]

in its products so that the manufacturer can, in turn, notify 
purchasers and correct the defect. This information also enables NHTSA 
to serve a foreign manufacturer with all administrative and judicial 
processes, notices, orders, decisions and requirements.
    NHTSA recently amended the regulation implementing that statutory 
requirement, codified at 49 CFR part 551, subpart B, rephrasing it in a 
plain language, question and answer format and inserting an appendix 
containing a suggested designation form for use by foreign 
manufacturers and their agents. The purpose of the suggested 
designation format was to simplify the information collection and 
submission process, and thereby reduce the burden imposed on each 
covered manufacturer by 49 CFR part 551, subpart D. To further 
streamline the information collection process, NHTSA has set up a 
customer Web site that may be accessed at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/manufacture/agent/customer.html.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 120 hours.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 240 respondents.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, within 30 days, to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention NHTSA Desk Officer.
    The Comments are invited on: Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

    Issued on: March 28, 2006.
John Donaldson,
Assistant Chief Counsel for Legislation and General Law.
[FR Doc. E6-4716 Filed 3-30-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P