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Importing Vehicles and Engines Glossary

Description:

The definitions of the terms and acronyms used in the process of importing vehicles and engines into the U.S..

Publishing Organization:

Office of Air and Radiation/Office of Transportation and Air Quality/Compliance Division

Last Update:

May 21, 2013

Program Site:

https://www.epa.gov/importing-vehicles-and-engines/learn-about-importing-vehicles-and-engines

Terms & Acronyms

Search Terms

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	Term
	Act	Definition: The Clean Air Act, as amended (42 U.S.C 7401 et seq.) requires EPA to regulate emissions from light-duty vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles, and the engines used in heavy-duty vehicles and heavy-duty trucks. Violations of the Act can result in civil penalties of up to $37,500 per violation.
	All Terrain Vehicle	Acronym: ATV
	Bond	Definition: A bond is a formal agreement by the importer to forfeit a specified sum of money, based on the value of the vehicle, engine, or equipment being imported, if he or she fails to adhere to the conditions of importation.
	Canadian Version Vehicle	Definition: A vehicle that complies with Canadian safety and emission standards and that is manufactured for the Canadian market.
	Carbon Monoxide	Definition: A colorless, odorless, poisonous gas produced by incomplete fossil fuel combustion. Acronym: CO
	Catalyst	Definition: A substance that changes the speed or yield of a chemical reaction without being consumed or chemically changed by the chemical reaction.
	Catalytic Converter	Definition: An air pollution abatement device that removes pollutants from motor vehicle exhaust, either by oxidizing them into carbon dioxide and water or reducing them to nitrogen.
	Certificate Holder	Definition: A manufacturer holding a valid Certificate of Conformity issued by EPA.
	Certificate of Conformity	Definition: The document issued to a motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine manufacturer by EPA under section 206(a) of the Act. A Certificate of Conformity certifies that a particular class of motor vehicle conforms to the EPA requirements. Every class of motor vehicle introduced into U.S. commerce must have a Certificate of Conformity which is valid for only one model year of production.
	Certified	Definition: Covered by a Certificate of Conformity issued by EPA.
	Clean Air Act	Acronym: CAA
	Code of Federal Regulations	Acronym: CFR
	Compressed Natural Gas	Acronym: CNG
	Compression Ignition	Acronym: CI
	Cubic Centimeter	Acronym: cc
	Curb Weight	Definition: The weight of a vehicle with standard equipment and fluids, but not including options, driver, passengers or cargo.
	Custom Brokers	Definition: Custom brokers are licensed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to conduct CBP business on behalf of importers. They take the responsibility of filling out paperwork and obtaining a customs bond for the importer. There is no legal requirement for an importer to hire a customs broker to clear its goods. However, many importers opt to do so for the convenience.
	Department of Motor Vehicles	Acronym: DMV
	Emission Testing	Definition: As used in this document, "emissions test" is used as a convenient abbreviation for the collection of all applicable federal emission test procedures. This should not be confused with the simpler and cheaper emissions tests that are required by many states, and conducted by state test facilities, or garages and dealers.
	EPA Certified Configuration	Definition: An EPA-certified configuration is an "unaltered vehicle" manufactured in conformity with U.S. federal emission requirements, with a U.S. emissions compliance label in the engine compartment that identifies it in the English language as conforming to all EPA requirements.
	Excluded Vehicle/Engine	Definition: Excluded vehicles or engines that have been excluded from the emission requirements of the Clean Air Act. Reasons for exclusion include vehicle age (i.e., manufactured prior to the regulations, fuel type, maximum speed, competition or racing features, or lack of features associated with practical street or highway use).
	Exempt Vehicle/Engine	Definition: Exempt vehicles or engines meet certain criteria that allow them to be exempt from EPA emission standards and/or other emission requirements that would otherwise apply to that category of vehicles or engines.
	Federal Test Procedure (City Test)	Acronym: FTP
	Filler Neck Restrictor	Definition: A device that narrows the filler neck to a vehicle's gas tank in order to prevent accidental use of leaded gas, which was historically dispensed from a larger diameter filler nozzle than unleaded gasoline. Leaded gasoline is generally no longer commercially available in the United States.
	Gas Guzzler Tax	Definition: The Energy Tax Act of 1978 initially established a "gas guzzler tax" on the sale of new vehicles whose fuel economy failed to meet certain statutory levels. Subpart F of 40 CFR Part 600 sets out the procedures for EPA's determination of the gas guzzler tax.
	Gross Vehicle Weight Rating	Definition: The weight specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a single vehicle. The loaded weight of the vehicle includes passengers, options, and cargo. Acronym: GVWR
	Heavy-duty Diesel Engine	Definition: A heavy-duty engine that runs on diesel fuel. Acronym: HDDE
	Heavy-duty Engine	Definition: Any engine to be used in a heavy-duty truck or heavy-duty vehicle for the purpose of propelling the truck or vehicle. Acronym: HDE
	Heavy-duty Gasoline Engine	Definition: A heavy-duty engine that runs on gasoline. Acronym: HDGE
	Heavy-duty Truck	Definition: Any motor vehicle (including buses) having a GVWR of greater than 8,500 pounds, or curb weight of more than 6,000 pounds, or that has a basic vehicle frontal area in excess of 45 square feet, (40 CFR 86.1803-01). Acronym: HDT
	Heavy-duty Truck or Vehicle Engine	Definition: Any engine to be used in a heavy-duty truck or heavy-duty vehicle for the purpose of propelling the truck or vehicle. Acronym: HDE
	Heavy-duty Vehicle	Definition: Any motor vehicle (including buses) having a GVWR of greater than 8,500 pounds, or curb weight of more than 6,000 pounds, or that has a basic vehicle frontal area in excess of 45 square feet, (40 CFR 86.1803-01). Acronym: HDV
	Hydrocarbon	Definition: Chemical compounds that consist entirely of carbon and hydrogen. Acronym: HC
	Independent Commercial Importer	Definition: A commercial importer of non-conforming vehicles who is not an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and does not have a contractual agreement with an OEM to act as its authorized representative for the distribution of vehicles in the U.S. market. An ICI is considered to be a manufacturer when it modifies a nonconforming vehicle. Acronym: ICI
	Inspection/Maintenance	Acronym: I/M
	Internal Revenue Service	Acronym: IRS
	Kilowatt	Acronym: kW
	Light-duty Truck	Definition: Any motor vehicle rated at 8,500 pounds GVWR or less which has a vehicle curb weight of 6,000 pounds or less and which has a basic vehicle frontal area of 45 square feet or less, which is: (1) Designed primarily for purposes of transportation of property or is a derivation of such a vehicle, or (2) Designed primarily for transportation of persons and has a capacity of more than 12 persons, or (3) Available with special features enabling off-street or off-highway operation and use (40 CFR 86.1803-01). Acronym: LDT
	Light-duty Vehicle	Definition: A passenger car or passenger car derivative capable of seating 12 passengers or less. (40 CFR 86.1803-01). [Note: The federal "light-duty vehicle" definition is essentially identical to the California definition for "passenger car".] Acronym: LDV
	Liquefied Petroleum Gas	Acronym: LPG
	Medium-duty Passenger Vehicle	Acronym: MDPV
	Mini-truck	Definition: Mini-trucks are small trucks or vans, with an engine displacement below 1000 cubic centimeters and a maximum engine power of 25 - 45 Hp with a maximum speed of 25 miles per hour or less.