In response to overwhelming interest in the CARS program, NHTSA has clarified that consumers who want to purchase new vehicles not yet on dealer lots can still be eligible for the CARS program. Dealers and consumers who have reached a valid purchase and sale agreement on a vehicle already in the production pipeline will be able to work with the manufacturer to receive the documentation needed to qualify for the program.
In order to submit a request for reimbursement for the amount of the CARS credit, a dealer will have to enter into a binding sales or lease agreement with the purchaser, obtain the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the new vehicle, collect all of the necessary documents that are required by the CARS rules, take possession of the trade-in vehicle, and complete all of the steps required by the Summary of Sale/Lease and Certifications Form.
If the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO) or Manufacturer?s Statement of Origin (MSO) is not yet available at the time the application is submitted, NHTSA will require dealers to submit a document confirming that the vehicle has been ordered from the manufacturer, which must include the VIN of the new vehicle. At the time the vehicle is delivered to the dealer and the purchaser picks the vehicle up, the dealer is required to submit to NHTSA, by e-mail to
carsmco@dot.gov, a copy of the MCO or MSO (or, in the case of certain sales in Michigan and California where no MCO or MSO is created, a copy of the invoice and an application for title and registration) and include the appropriate CARS invoice number in the e-mail subject line.
