(a) In general. To qualify for a credit under the CARS Program, a dealer must sell or lease a new vehicle that meets eligibility requirements to a purchaser, obtain a trade-in vehicle that meets eligibility requirements from the purchaser, satisfy combined fuel economy requirements for both the new and trade-in vehicles, store the trade-in vehicle at the dealership or property owned by or under the control of the dealership until the engine is disabled, disable the engine of the trade-in vehicle at the dealership or property owned by or under the control of the dealership, satisfy the limitations and restrictions of the program, arrange for disposal of the trade-in vehicle at a qualifying disposal facility or through a qualifying salvage auction, and register and submit a complete application for reimbursement to NHTSA, demonstrating that it meets all the requirements of this part.

(b) Threshold eligibility requirements that apply to all trade-in vehicles. The trade-in vehicle must be:

(1) In drivable condition, as demonstrated by actual operation of the motor vehicle on public roads by the dealer and by certification by the dealer and by the purchaser, as provided in Appendix A to this part, certifications section, that the vehicle was in drivable condition on the date of the qualifying transaction;

(2) Continuously insured consistent with the applicable State law for a period of not less than 1 year immediately prior to the trade-in, as demonstrated by:

(i) One or more current insurance cards specifying the make, model, model year, and vehicle identification number (VIN) of the insured vehicle and displaying a continuous one-year period of insurance coverage; or a copy of an insurance policy document (e.g., a declarations page or pages) showing a continuous one-year period of insurance coverage for the vehicle; or a signed letter, on insurance company letterhead, specifying the same vehicle identification information (i.e., make, model, model year, and VIN) of the insured vehicle and identifying the period of continuous coverage, which must be for at least one year prior to the date of the trade-in; and

(ii) By certification by the purchaser, as provided in Appendix A to this part, certifications section, that the vehicle was so insured;

(3) Continuously registered in a State to the purchaser for a period of not less than one year immediately prior to the trade-in, as demonstrated by:

(i) A current State registration document or series of registration documents in the name of the purchaser evidencing registration for a period of not less than one year immediately prior to the trade-in; or a current State registration document showing registration in the name of the purchaser and a title that confers title on the purchaser not less than one year immediately prior to the trade-in; or a current State registration document showing registration in the name of the purchaser and a document from a commercially available vehicle history provider evidencing registration for a period of not less than one year immediately prior to the trade-in; and

(ii) By certification by the purchaser, as provided in Appendix A to this part, certifications section, that the vehicle was so registered;

(4) Manufactured less than 25 years before the date of the trade-in, as demonstrated by model year information on the title or, where that information is inconclusive, by direct observation by the dealer of the month and year of the vehicle's manufacture, which appears on the safety standard certification label of the vehicle, provided that on the 25th year, the 25-year requirement is satisfied if the manufacture date falls anytime within the month 25 years before the date of trade-in, and by certification by the dealer, as provided in Appendix A to this part, certifications section, that the manufacture date is less than 25 years before the date of trade-in.

(c) Threshold eligibility requirements that apply to all new vehicles. The new vehicle must:

(1) Be either purchased or leased for a lease period of not less than 5 years;

(2) Have a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $45,000 or less.

(d) Trade-in Vehicle—Disclosure of Scrap Value, Engine Disablement, and Title Marking. As part of a qualifying transaction under this part, the dealer shall:

(1) During the transaction, disclose to the person purchasing or leasing an eligible new vehicle and trading in an eligible trade-in vehicle, the best estimate of the scrap value of the trade-in vehicle, inform that person that the dealer is authorized to retain $50 of this amount as payment for its administrative costs of participation in the program, and certify, as provided in Appendix A to this part, certifications section, that it has made such disclosure;

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, store the trade-in vehicle at the dealership or property owned by or under the control of the dealership until its engine is disabled following the procedures set forth in Appendix B to this part, disable the engine of the trade-in vehicle at the dealership or property owned by or under the control of the dealership following the procedures set forth in Appendix B to this part, and certify, as provided in Appendix A to this part, dealer certifications section, that either the engine of the trade-in vehicle has been disabled at the dealership or property owned by or under the control of the dealership, or that the trade-in vehicle will be stored at the dealership or property owned by or under the control of the dealership until the engine is disabled and the engine of the trade-in vehicle will be disabled by the dealer at the dealership or property owned by or under the control of the dealership not more than seven calendar days after the dealer's receipt of payment for the transaction; and

(3) Prior to submitting an application for reimbursement under § 599.302, legibly mark the front and back of the trade-in vehicle's title in prominent letters that do not obscure the owner's name, VIN, or other writing as follows: “Junk Automobile, CARS.gov.”

(e) Dealer transfers prior to July 24, 2009. (1) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (e)(2) of this section, if the dealer transferred the vehicle prior to July 24, 2009, the dealer may either:

(i) Locate the vehicle, disable its engine following the procedures set for the in Appendix B to this part, and provide the certification in Appendix A to this part, certifications section, that it has disabled the engine; or

(ii) Obtain a sworn affidavit from a disposal facility that it has crushed or shredded the vehicle, including the engine block, and provide supporting documents sufficient to establish that fact.

(2) The dealer and disposal facility must comply with all other requirements of this part, including the requirement that the trade-in vehicle be crushed or shredded, except that the affidavit and supporting documents provided for under paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this section may substitute for the disposal facility certification form.

(f) Qualifying transactions ($3,500 Credit). Subject to the requirements of paragraphs (b), (c), and (d), and, if applicable, paragraph (e) of this section and the additional requirements of §§ 599.301, 599.302, and 599.303 of this subpart, each of the following transactions qualifies for a credit of $3,500 under this program:

(1) The new vehicle is a passenger automobile with a combined fuel economy of at least 22 mpg, the eligible trade-in vehicle has a combined fuel economy of 18 mpg or less and is a passenger automobile, category 1 truck, or category 2 truck, and the combined fuel economy of the new vehicle is at least 4 mpg, but less than 10 mpg higher than the combined fuel economy of the eligible trade-in vehicle.

(2) The new vehicle is a category 1 truck with a combined fuel economy of at least 18 mpg, the eligible trade-in vehicle has a combined fuel economy of 18 mpg or less and is a passenger automobile, category 1 truck, or category 2 truck, and the combined fuel economy of the new vehicle is at least 2 mpg, but less than 5 mpg higher than the combined fuel economy of the eligible trade-in vehicle.

(3) The new vehicle is a category 2 truck with a combined fuel economy of at least 15 mpg, the eligible trade-in vehicle has a combined fuel economy of 18 mpg or less and is a category 2 truck, and the combined fuel economy of the new vehicle is 1 mpg higher than the combined fuel economy of the eligible trade-in vehicle.

(4) The new vehicle is a category 2 truck with a combined fuel economy of at least 15 mpg and the eligible trade-in vehicle is a category 3 truck of model year 2001 or earlier.

(5) The new vehicle is a category 3 truck, the eligible trade-in vehicle is a category 3 truck of model year 2001 or earlier, and the new fuel efficient vehicle has a GVWR less than or equal to the GVWR of the eligible trade-in vehicle.

(g) Qualifying transactions ($4,500 Credit). Subject to the requirements of paragraphs (b), (c), and (d), and, if applicable, paragraph (e) of this section and the additional requirements of §§ 599.301, 599.302, and 599.303 of this subpart, each of the following transactions qualifies for a credit of $4,500 under this program:

(1) The new vehicle is a passenger automobile with a combined fuel economy of at least 22 mpg, the eligible trade-in vehicle has a combined fuel economy of 18 mpg or less and is a passenger automobile, category 1 truck, or category 2 truck, and the combined fuel economy of the new vehicle is at least 10 mpg higher than the combined fuel economy of the eligible trade-in vehicle.

(2) The new vehicle is a category 1 truck with a combined fuel economy of at least 18 mpg, the eligible trade-in vehicle has a combined fuel economy of 18 mpg or less and is a passenger automobile, category 1 truck, or category 2 truck, and the combined fuel economy of the new vehicle is at least 5 mpg higher than the combined fuel economy of the eligible trade-in vehicle.

(3) The new vehicle is a category 2 truck with a combined fuel economy of at least 15 mpg, the eligible trade-in vehicle has a combined fuel economy of 18 mpg or less and is a category 2 truck, and the combined fuel economy of the new vehicle is at least 2 mpg higher than the combined fuel economy of the eligible trade-in vehicle.

(h) No other qualifying transactions. Transactions described under paragraphs (f) and (g) of this section are the only transactions that qualify for payment of a credit to a dealer under the CARS Program.

(a) Date of transaction. A qualifying transaction may not occur on a date before July 1, 2009 or after November 1, 2009, and is subject to available agency funds for the CARS Program.

(b) One credit per transaction. Only one credit may be applied towards the purchase or lease price of each new vehicle.

(c) One credit per person. A person that participates in a transaction for which a credit is issued under the CARS Program, whether as a single owner or a joint-registered owner of either an eligible trade-in vehicle, a new vehicle, or both, may not participate or be named in another transaction for which a credit is issued under the CARS program, either as a registered owner of the trade-in vehicle or as a purchaser of the new vehicle.

(d) Transfer of title. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, a dealer may not apply for or receive reimbursement for a credit extended to a purchaser under a CARS program transaction unless it has been conveyed clear title and physically possesses the title to the trade-in vehicle.

(2) In the case of a trade-in vehicle registered in a State that is a non-titling jurisdiction and that, in accordance with State law, has no title, the requirement in paragraph (d)(1) of this section that clear title be conveyed is satisfied if the purchaser shows proof of registration in the purchaser's name and provides a bill of sale conferring ownership of the trade-in vehicle to the dealer.

(a) In general. A dealer's application for reimbursement must demonstrate that the requirements and limitations governing qualifying transactions in § 599.300 and § 599.301 of this subpart have been met, and must comply with the submission and contents requirements of this section.

(b) Electronic submission. The application for reimbursement must be submitted by using the login and password provided under § 599.200(d)(1) and following the procedures provided in the letter mailed under § 599.200(c)(1) of this part.

(c) Application contents. An application shall consist of an electronic transaction form (portion reproduced in Appendix C to this part) requiring input of information into relevant fields, electronic copies of supporting documents, and applicable certifications, as provided in Appendix A to this part, certifications section. As its application for each transaction, the dealer shall:

(1) Input the following information into relevant fields on the transaction form:

(i) Purchaser information.

(A) Name. The first name, middle initial and last name of each purchaser, if an individual, or the full legal name of the company, association or other organization that is the purchaser.

(B) Residence address (or, for an organization, business address). The full address of each purchaser.

(C) Driver's license or State identification number. The State driver's license or State identification number of each purchaser or, for an organization, its tax identification number.

(ii) Trade-in vehicle information.

(A) Make. The make of the vehicle.

(B) Model. The model of the vehicle.

(C) Model year. The model year of the vehicle.

(D) Vehicle identification number (VIN). The 17 digit VIN of the vehicle.

(E) CARS Act vehicle category. The category of vehicle as defined under the CARS Act. (Enter, as applicable, passenger automobile, category 1 truck, category 2 truck or category 3 truck.)

(F) State of title.

(G) State of registration.

(H) Start date of registration.

(I) Start date of insurance.

(J) End date of registration.

(K) Odometer reading. The odometer reading of the vehicle at the time of the trade-in.

(L) EPA combined fuel economy. The listed EPA combined fuel economy of the vehicle.

(M) Vehicle description. The exact “vehicle description” for the vehicle found on http://www.fueleconomy.gov.

(iii) New vehicle information.

(A) Make. The make of the vehicle.

(B) Model. The model of the vehicle.

(C) Model year. The model year of the vehicle.

(D) Vehicle identification number (VIN). The 17 digit VIN of the vehicle.

(E) EPA combined fuel economy. The listed EPA combined fuel economy of the vehicle.

(F) CARS Act vehicle category. The category of vehicle as defined under the CARS Act. (Enter, as applicable, passenger automobile, category 1 truck, category 2 truck or category 3 truck.)

(G) Base manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP). The price of the new vehicle affixed to the Monroney label prior to the addition of any options, features, taxes or destination charges.

(H) Vehicle description. The exact “vehicle description” for the vehicle found on http://www.fueleconomy.gov.

(iv) Trade-in vehicle disposition information.

(A) Identification of entity. The name, address and telephone number of the disposal facility or salvage auction to which the vehicle will be or has been transferred or consigned.

(B) Disposal facility number. The unique identifier assigned to the disposal facility identified on the CARS Web site, and to which the vehicle is being transferred or consigned.

(v) Transaction information.

(A) Date of sale or lease. The date on which the vehicle transaction with the purchaser occurred.

(B) Transaction request amount. The amount of the credit for which the dealer is applying.

(2) Attach the following supporting documentation in electronic format (pdf, tif, jpeg) in the following order:

(i) Proof of title. A copy of the front and back of the title of the trade-in vehicle, showing assignment to the dealer free and clear of any lien or encumbrance on the vehicle's title, with the “Junk Automobile, CARS.gov” marking on both sides.

(ii) Proof of insurance. A copy of insurance policy cards or documents for the trade-in vehicle to confirm that the trade-in vehicle insurance was continuous for a period of not less than one year prior to trade in.

(iii) Proof of registration. A copy of the registration card or documents for the trade-in vehicle identifying the owner, the vehicle, and dates of registration to confirm that the vehicle was registered to the purchaser for a period of not less than one year prior to trade in.

(iv) Purchaser identification.

(v) Summary of sale/lease and certifications form (Appendix A to this part, summary section).

(vi) Manufacturer certificate of origin or manufacturer statement of origin of the new vehicle.

(vii) CARS purchaser survey.

(viii) Fueleconomy.gov side-by-side comparison of the trade-in vehicle and the new vehicle.

(ix) Certification from salvage auction or disposal facility.

(x) Copy of vehicle sales or lease contract.

(3) Make the certifications provided in Appendix A to this part, certifications section.

(a) Application review. Upon receipt of an application for reimbursement, the agency shall review the application to determine whether it is complete and satisfies all the requirements of this subpart.

(b) Complying application. An application that is determined to meet all the requirements of this subpart shall be approved for payment, in accordance with the provisions of § 599.304.

(c) Non-complying application. An application that is incomplete or that otherwise fails to meet all the requirements of this subpart shall be rejected, and the submitter shall be informed electronically of the reason for rejection. NHTSA shall have no obligation to correct a non-conforming submission.

(d) Electronic rejection. An application is automatically rejected, with system notification to the tendering dealer, if the transaction falls outside of the permissible time period, exceeds the permissible MSRP, identifies a purchaser that has participated in a previous transaction, or identifies the vehicle identification number of a new or trade-in vehicle that was involved in a previous transaction.

(e) Correction and resubmission. A dealer may correct and resubmit a rejected application for reimbursement, without penalty.

Upon completion of review of an application for reimbursement from a registered dealer that satisfies all the requirements of this part, the agency shall reimburse the dealer, by electronic transfer to the account identified under the process in § 599.200(c) of this part.