---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 1231"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "1231"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/1231"
units:
  - "Chapter 28 — Disclosure of Automobile Information"
---

# §1231. Definitions


For purposes of this chapter—

- (a) The term “manufacturer” shall mean any [person](#b) engaged in the manufacturing or assembling of [new automobiles](#d), including any [person](#b) importing [new automobiles](#d) for resale and any [person](#b) who acts for and is under the control of such manufacturer, assembler, or importer in connection with the distribution of [new automobiles](#d).
- (b) The term “person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, business trust, or any organized group of persons.
- (c) The term “automobile” includes any passenger car or station wagon.
- (d) The term “new automobile” means an [automobile](#c) the equitable or legal title to which has never been transferred by a [manufacturer](#a), distributor, or [dealer](#e) to an [ultimate purchaser](#g).
- (e) The term “dealer” shall mean any [person](#b) resident or located in the United States or any Territory thereof or in the District of Columbia engaged in the sale or the distribution of [new automobiles](#d) to the [ultimate purchaser](#g).
- (f) The term “final assembly point” means—
  - (1) in the case of a [new automobile](#d) manufactured or assembled in the United States, or in any Territory of the United States, the plant, factory, or other place at which a [new automobile](#d) is produced or assembled by a [manufacturer](#a) and from which such [automobile](#c) is delivered to a [dealer](#e) in such a condition that all component parts necessary to the mechanical operation of such [automobile](#c) are included with such [automobile](#c), whether or not such component parts are permanently installed in or on such [automobile](#c); and
  - (2) in the case of a [new automobile](#d) imported into the United States, the port of importation.
- (g) The term “ultimate purchaser” means, with respect to any [new automobile](#d), the first [person](#b), other than a [dealer](#e) purchasing in his capacity as a [dealer](#e), who in good faith purchases such [new automobile](#d) for purposes other than resale.
- (h) The term “commerce” shall mean commerce among the several [States](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) of the United States or with foreign nations, or in any Territory of the United States or in the District of Columbia, or among the Territories or between any Territory and any [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) or foreign nation, or between the District of Columbia and any [State](/usc/15/15g.md?p=2) or Territory or foreign nation. [New automobiles](#d) delivered to, or for further delivery to, [ultimate purchasers](#g) within the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Trust Territories of the Pacific, the Canal Zone, Wake Island, Midway Island, Kingman Reef, Johnson Island, or within any other place under the jurisdiction of the United States shall be deemed to have been distributed in commerce.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 85–506, § 2, July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 325; Pub. L. 92–359, July 28, 1972, 86 Stat. 502.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

For definition of Canal Zone, referred to in subsec. (h), see section 3602(b) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

### Amendments

1972—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 92–359 inserted provision that new automobiles delivered to ultimate purchasers within the United States and other enumerated areas shall be deemed to have been distributed in commerce.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Pub. L. 85–506, § 5, July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 327, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter] shall take effect on the first day of October 1958 or on the first day of the introduction of any new model of automobile in any line of automobile beginning after the date of enactment of this Act [July 7, 1958], whichever date shall last occur.”

### Short Title

Pub. L. 85–506, § 1, July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 325, provided: “This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Automobile Information Disclosure Act’.”

### Executive Documents

### Termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

For termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, see note set out preceding section 1681 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.