Man-reading-newspaper-by-car-GettyImages-71919115
Federal, State, and Local Safety Rules

Automotive Industry Regulations

Automotive safety rules don't hold still. We watch every change at the federal, state, and local level, and tell you what it means for your shop before an inspector has to.

The Automotive Regulatory Updates We're Tracking

New rules don't wait for renewal season. Below are the changes we're tracking right now, sorted by federal, state, and local, so you can see what applies to your shop and when it takes effect.

What OSHA, the FTC, and federal law require, and what's changed recently.

captiol-hill-GettyImages-802164010

Automotive businesses answer to more federal agencies than most industries do. The FTC decides how you can advertise and sell, right down to the words on a price tag. The EEOC and Department of Labor set the rules for hiring, pay, and how you treat the people on your team. The EPA has a say in what happens to the oil, solvents, and waste that come out of your service bays. OSHA sets the floor for what keeps your technicians safe on a normal Tuesday.

None of these agencies move on the same schedule, and missing an update from any one of them costs more than a fine. It can mean a lawsuit, a failed inspection, or a technician who got hurt doing something the old rule allowed. Our catalog tracks all four, so you can see what's changed and what it means for your dealership before it becomes a problem.

What your state expects, on top of what Washington already does.

Consulting_Services_List

State rules layer on top of federal ones, and they don't look the same from one state to the next. Your state's DMV or motor vehicle board sets the licensing and sales rules unique to that state. State attorneys general and consumer protection offices enforce their own advertising standards, sometimes stricter than the FTC's. State labor departments set wage, hour, and workplace rules that go beyond federal minimums. And in states with their own OSHA plan, like California's Cal/OSHA, the safety requirements can be more specific than the federal floor.

A rule that's settled in one state can be in flux in the one next door, and a change your neighbor dealership never has to think about might be the one that catches you. Our catalog tracks what's current in your state, so you're working from what actually applies to you, not a national average.

New Rules, Same Team in Your Corner

The rules keep changing. Who shows up for your people doesn't.

Every new regulation has a deep impact on your business. Variable ops runs on sales policies, advertising rules, F&I disclosure, and the customer data that passes through every deal. Fixed ops runs on equipment, lifts, chemicals, and the people who work with their hands. KPA looks after your people through it all: software that's always watching out, training that reaches the newest person on the floor, and 150 consultants who keep coming back. Since 1986, for more than 15,000 clients.

400K

Compliance issues and safety concerns resolved annually

8M

Employees successfully trained in safety standards and protocols

600+

Cumulative years of consulting experience in automotive dealership compliance and workplace safety

15K

Auto and car dealership clients prioritize safety