---
kind: "section"
citation: "23 U.S.C. § 517"
title: "23"
title_heading: "Highways"
number: "517"
heading: "National architecture and standards"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/23/517"
units:
  - "Chapter 5 — Research, Technology, and Education"
---

# §517. National architecture and standards

- (a) **In General.—**
  - (1) **Development, implementation, and maintenance.—** In accordance with section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 ([15 U.S.C. 272](/usc/15/272.md) note; 110 Stat. 783; 115 Stat. 1241), the [Secretary](/usc/23/101.md?p=a-27) shall develop and maintain a national [ITS](/usc/23/501.md?p=5) architecture and supporting [ITS](/usc/23/501.md?p=5) [standards](/usc/23/501.md?p=9) and protocols to promote the use of systems engineering methods in the widespread deployment and evaluation of [intelligent transportation systems](/usc/23/501.md?p=5) as a component of the surface transportation systems of the United States.
  - (2) **Interoperability and efficiency.—** To the maximum extent practicable, the national [ITS](/usc/23/501.md?p=5) architecture and supporting [ITS](/usc/23/501.md?p=5) [standards](/usc/23/501.md?p=9) and protocols shall promote interoperability among, and efficiency of, [intelligent transportation systems](/usc/23/501.md?p=5) and technologies implemented throughout the United States.
  - (3) **Use of standards development organizations.—** In carrying out this section, the [Secretary](/usc/23/101.md?p=a-27) shall support the development and [maintenance](/usc/23/101.md?p=a-13) of [standards](/usc/23/501.md?p=9) and protocols using the services of such [standards](/usc/23/501.md?p=9) development organizations as the [Secretary](/usc/23/101.md?p=a-27) determines to be necessary and whose memberships include representatives of the surface transportation and [intelligent transportation systems](/usc/23/501.md?p=5) industries.
- (b) **Standards for National Policy Implementation.—** If the [Secretary](/usc/23/101.md?p=a-27) finds that a [standard](/usc/23/501.md?p=9) is necessary for implementation of a nationwide policy relating to user fee collection or other capability requiring nationwide uniformity, the [Secretary](/usc/23/101.md?p=a-27), after consultation with stakeholders, may establish and require the use of that [standard](/usc/23/501.md?p=9).
- (c) **Provisional Standards.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** If the [Secretary](/usc/23/101.md?p=a-27) finds that the development or balloting of an [intelligent transportation system](/usc/23/501.md?p=5) [standard](/usc/23/501.md?p=9) jeopardizes the timely achievement of the objectives described in [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/23/101.md?p=a-27) may establish a provisional [standard](/usc/23/501.md?p=9), after consultation with affected parties, using, to the maximum extent practicable, the work product of appropriate [standards](/usc/23/501.md?p=9) development organizations.
  - (2) **Period of effectiveness.—** A provisional [standard](/usc/23/501.md?p=9) established under [paragraph (1)](#c-1) shall be published in the Federal Register and remain in effect until the appropriate [standards](/usc/23/501.md?p=9) development organization adopts and publishes a [standard](/usc/23/501.md?p=9).
- (d) **Conformity With National Architecture.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** Except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#d-2), the [Secretary](/usc/23/101.md?p=a-27) shall ensure that [intelligent transportation system](/usc/23/501.md?p=5) [projects](/usc/23/501.md?p=7) carried out using amounts made available from the [Highway](/usc/23/101.md?p=a-11) Trust Fund, including amounts made available to deploy [intelligent transportation systems](/usc/23/501.md?p=5), conform to the appropriate regional [ITS](/usc/23/501.md?p=5) architecture, applicable [standards](/usc/23/501.md?p=9), and protocols developed under subsection [(a)](#a) or [(c)](#c).
  - (2) **Discretion of the secretary.—** The [Secretary](/usc/23/101.md?p=a-27), at the discretion of the [Secretary](/usc/23/101.md?p=a-27), may offer an exemption from [paragraph (1)](#d-1) for [projects](/usc/23/501.md?p=7) designed to achieve specific research objectives outlined in the national [intelligent transportation system](/usc/23/501.md?p=5) program plan or the surface transportation research and development strategic plan developed under section 508.[^1]

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 112–141, div. E, title III, § 53005(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 902; amended Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title VI, § 6008, Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1567.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), is section 12(d) of Pub. L. 104–113, Mar. 7, 1996, 110 Stat. 783, which is set out as a note under section 272 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.

Section 508, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), was repealed by Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title VI, § 6019(d)(1)(A), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1581, effective Oct. 1, 2015.

### Amendments

2015—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 114–94 substituted “memberships include representatives of” for “memberships are comprised of, and represent,”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2015 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 114–94 effective Oct. 1, 2015, see section 1003 of Pub. L. 114–94, set out as a note under section 5313 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

### Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 2012, see section 3(a) of Pub. L. 112–141, set out as an Effective and Termination Dates of 2012 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.