US Code

Public Law 119-83 (04/13/2026)

15 U.S.C. § 2823

Administration and enforcement provisions

(a)

Procedural, investigative, and enforcement powers of Federal Trade Commission

15 U.S.C. 41The Federal Trade Commission shall have procedural, investigative, and enforcement powers, including the power to issue procedural rules in enforcing compliance with the requirements of this subchapter and rules prescribed pursuant to the requirements of this subchapter, to further define terms used in this subchapter, and to require the filing of reports, the production of documents, and the appearance of witnesses, as though the applicable terms and conditions of the Federal Trade Commission Act [ et seq.] were part of this subchapter.

(b)

Testing, certification, and notice requirements of Environmental Protection Agency; interagency enforcement agreements between Federal Trade Commission and Environmental Protection Agency and other Federal agencies

(1)
The Environmental Protection Agency—
(A)
may conduct field testing of the automotive fuel rating of automotive fuel, comparing the tested automotive fuel rating of fuel at retail outlets with the automotive fuel rating posted at those outlets;
(B)
shall certify the results of such tests and comparisons to the Federal Trade Commission; and
(C)
shall notify the Federal Trade Commission of any failure to post the automotive fuel rating.
(2)
The Federal Trade Commission may enter into interagency agreements with the Environmental Protection Agency and such other agencies of the United States as the Commission determines appropriate for the purpose of assuring enforcement of the provisions of this subchapter in a manner which is consistent with—
(A)
minimizing the cost of field inspection and related compliance activities; and
(B)
reducing duplication of similar or related field compliance activities performed by agencies of the United States.
(c)

Promulgation of rules by Federal Trade Commission; contents; requirements for compliance with rules

(1)
Not later than 6 months after , the Federal Trade Commission shall, by rule, prescribe and make effective—
(A)
a uniform method by which a person may certify to another the automotive fuel rating of automotive fuel; and
(B)
a uniform method of displaying the automotive fuel rating of automotive fuel at the point of sale to ultimate purchasers.
(2)
Effective on and after the effective date of the rule prescribed under paragraph (1), any person—
(A)
section 2822 of this title shall be considered to satisfy the requirements of subsection (a) or (b) of , as the case may be, only if such person complies with the requirements established pursuant to paragraph (1)(A); and
(B)
section 2822(c) of this title shall be considered to satisfy the requirements of only if such person complies with the requirements established pursuant to paragraph (1)(B).
(3)
section 2821 of this title The Federal Trade Commission may, by rule, prescribe procedures for determination of the automotive fuel rating of automotive fuel which varies from that prescribed in . In prescribing such rule, the Commission—
(A)
shall consider—
(i)
ease of administration and enforcement, and
(ii)
industry practices in the distribution and marketing of automotive fuel; and
(B)
may permit adjustments in such automotive fuel rating to take into account the effects of altitude, temperature, and humidity.
(4)
section 2822(f)(1) of this titlesection 2822(f)(1) of this titlesection 2822(f)(1) of this title The Federal Trade Commission may, by rule, prescribe and make effective a method of determining the automotive fuel rating of automotive fuel which consists of a blend of two or more quantities of automotive fuel of different automotive fuel ratings if the Federal Trade Commission finds that the method prescribed more accurately reflects the automotive fuel rating of such blend than the weighted-average method set forth in . Effective on and after the effective date of such rule, any person shall be considered to satisfy the requirements of only if such person utilizes the method prescribed in such rule (in lieu of the method set forth in ).
(d)

Statutory provisions applicable for promulgation of rules

(1)
section 553 of title 5 Except as provided in paragraph (2), rules under this subchapter shall be prescribed in accordance with , except that interested persons shall be afforded an opportunity to present written and oral data, views, and arguments with respect to any proposed rule.
(2)
section 2822(d) of this title Rules prescribed under subsection (c)(3) and shall be prescribed on the record after opportunity for an agency hearing.
(3)
15 U.S.C. 57a Section 18 of the Federal Trade Commission Act () shall not apply with respect to any rule prescribed under this subchapter.
(e)

Acts or practices constituting violations

15 U.S.C. 45(a)(1)section 2822 of this titlesection 2822 of this title15 U.S.C. 41It shall be an unfair or deceptive act or practice in or affecting commerce (within the meaning of section 5(a)(1) of the Federal Trade Commission Act []) for any person to violate subsection (a), (b), (c), or (e) of , or a rule prescribed under subsection (d) of . For purposes of the Federal Trade Commission Act [ et seq.] (including any remedy or penalty applicable to any violation thereof) such a violation shall be treated as a violation of a rule under such Act respecting unfair or deceptive acts or practices.

Pub. L. 95–297, title II, § 20392 Stat. 335 Pub. L. 102–486, title XV106 Stat. 2997 (, , ; , §§ 1501(c)(3), 1502(b), (c), , , 2998.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

act Sept. 26, 1914, ch. 311 38 Stat. 717 section 58 of this titleThe Federal Trade Commission Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (e), is , , which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 41 et seq.) of chapter 2 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see and Tables.

Amendments

Pub. L. 102–486, § 1502(c)1992—Subsec. (b)(1). , struck out “shall” after “Agency” in introductory provisions, inserted “may” before “conduct” in subpar. (A), inserted “shall” before “certify” in subpar. (B), and in subpar. (C) inserted “shall” before “notify” and struck out before period at end “discovered in the course of such field testing”.

Pub. L. 102–486, § 1501(c)(3)(A), (B), substituted “automotive fuel rating” for “octane rating” and “fuel” for “gasoline” wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 102–486, § 1501(c)(3)Subsec. (c). , substituted “automotive fuel rating” for “octane rating” and “fuel” for “gasoline” wherever appearing, “section 2821” for “section 2821(1)” in par. (3), and “automotive fuel ratings” for “octane ratings” in par. (4).

Pub. L. 102–586, § 1502(b)Subsec. (e). , struck out before end of second sentence “; except that for purposes of section 5(m)(1)(A) of such Act, the term ‘or knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances’ shall not apply to any violation by any gasoline retailer of the requirements of section 2822(c) or (e) of this title”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1992 Amendment

section 1501(c)(3) of Pub. L. 102–486section 1501(d)(1) of Pub. L. 102–486section 2821 of this titleAmendment by effective at the end of the one-year period beginning , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date

section 205(a) of Pub. L. 95–297section 2822 of this titleSubsec. (b) of this section effective on first day of first calendar month beginning more than 6 months after , see , set out as a note under .