(a) Certifying Authorities for containers and road vehicles. The Commissioner has designated the following Certifying Authorities for containers and road vehicles as defined in this part:

(1) The American Bureau of Shipping, ABS Plaza, 16855 Northchase Drive, Houston, Texas 77060-6008;

(2) International Cargo Gear Bureau, Inc., 321 West 44th Street, New York, New York 10036;

(3) The National Cargo Bureau, Inc., 17 Battery Place, Suite 1232, New York, New York 10004-1110.

(b) Certifying Authority for containers. The Commissioner has designated Lloyd's Register North America, Inc., 1401 Enclave Parkway, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77077, as a Certifying Authority only for containers as defined in this part.

(a) The Commissioner may designate as a Certifying Authority any nonprofit firm or association that he finds competent to carry out the functions of §§ 115.8 through 115.14 of this subpart.

(b) Any designation as Certifying Authority may be terminated by the Commissioner.

(a) General. Road vehicles may be approved individually or by design type.

(b) Individual approval. The Certifying Authority to whom a road vehicle is submitted for approval shall inspect such road vehicle produced in accordance with the general rules contained in Annex 3 of the TIR Convention, 1975.

(c) Design type approval. The Certifying Authority to whom a road vehicle is submitted for design type approval shall examine the drawings and detailed design specifications submitted with the application for approval. The Certifying Authority shall advise the applicant of any changes that must be made to the proposed design type in order that approval may be granted. The Certifying Authority shall examine one or more vehicles to confirm that such vehicles comply with the technical conditions contained in Annex 2 of the TIR Convention, 1975. The Certifying Authority shall notify the applicant of its decision to grant design type approval, and it shall issue an approval certificate complying with Annexes 3 and 4 of the TIR Convention, 1975.

(d) Supplementary examinations. If a road vehicle approved by design type is the subject of an extended production run under one certificate of approval, the Certifying Authority shall confirm by examination of one or more road vehicles during the manufacturing process, or by other means, that such vehicles continue to meet the approved drawings and detailed design specifications and the technical requirements of Annex 2 of the TIR Convention, 1975.

For the purposes of this section, an extended production run shall be considered a continuous run of many units over long periods of time, as well as a new run following the completion of a previous run.

(a) General. Containers may be approved for transport under seal by design type at the manufacturing stage or, otherwise, at a stage subsequent to manufacture.

(b) Design type approval. The Certifying Authority to whom a container is submitted for design type approval shall examine the drawings and detailed design specifications submitted with the application for approval. The Certifying Authority shall advise the applicant of any changes that must be made to the proposed design type so that approval may be granted. The Certifying Authority shall examine one or more containers to confirm that such containers comply with the technical requirements of part 1, Annex 7, TIR Convention, 1975, and Annex 4 of the Customs Convention on Containers, 1972. The Certifying Authority shall issue a certificate authorizing the applicant to affix an approval plate, as described in appendix 1 to part II, Annex 7 of the TIR Convention, 1975, and Annex 5 of the Customs Convention on Containers, 1972, for all containers manufactured in conformity with the specifications of the type of container approved. This certificate shall comply with the model certificate in appendix 2, part II, Annex 7 of the TIR Convention, 1975, and appendix 2 of Annex 5 of the Customs Convention on Containers, 1972.

(c) After manufacture. The Certifying Authority to whom containers are submitted for approval after manufacture, shall examine as many containers as necessary to ascertain that they comply with the technical conditions prescribed in part 1, Annex 7, TIR Convention, 1975, and Annex 5 of the Customs Convention on Containers, 1972. The Certifying Authority shall issue a certificate of approval authorizing the applicant to affix an approval plate to the specific number or series of containers being approved. The certificate shall comply with the model certificate of approval in appendix 3, Part II, Annex 7, TIR Convention, 1975, and appendix 3, Annex 5, Customs Convention on Containers, 1972.

(d) Supplementary examinations. If a container approved by design type is the subject of an extended production run or several production runs under one certificate of approval, the Certifying Authority shall confirm by examination of one or more containers during the manufacturing process, or by other means, that such containers continue to meet the approved drawings and detailed design specifications and the technical requirements of Annex 7 of the TIR Convention, 1975, and Annex 4 of the Customs Convention on Containers, 1972. For the purposes of this section, an extended production run shall be considered as a continuous run of many units over long periods of time, as well as a new run following completion of a previous run.

A Certifying Authority shall issue a certificate of approval by design type for a specified number or unlimited series of containers that are approved in accordance with the procedures contained in §§ 115.29, 115.31, 115.38, and 115.41, and road vehicles that are approved in accordance with the procedures contained in §§ 115.49, 115.52, 115.63, and 115.66 of this part.

(a) Road vehicles. A Certifying Authority shall issue a certificate of approval conforming to the model in Annex 4 of the 1975 TIR Convention for vehicles submitted for individual or design type approval, if satisfied that the vehicles comply with the technical conditions prescribed in Annex 2 of the TIR Convention, 1975.

(b) Containers—(1) Approval after manufacture. A Certifying Authority shall issue a certificate of approval conforming to the model in appendix 3, Part II to Annex 7 of the TIR Convention, 1975, and appendix 3 to Annex 5 of the Customs Convention on Containers, 1972, for containers approved at a stage after manufacture, when it has been ascertained that the containers comply with the technical conditions prescribed in Annex 7 of the TIR Convention, 1975, and Annex 4 of the Customs Convention on Containers, 1972. The certificate shall be valid for the number of containers approved.

(2) Design type approved. A Certifying Authority shall issue a single certificate of approval conforming to the model in appendix 2, Part II to Annex 7 of the TIR Convention, 1975, and appendix 2 to Annex 5 of the Customs Convention on Containers, 1972, for containers approved by design type when it has been ascertained that the container type complies with the technical conditions prescribed in Annex 7 of the 1975 TIR Convention, and Annex 4 of the Customs Convention on Containers, 1972. The certificate shall be valid for all containers manufactured in conformity with the specifications of the type approved.

(c) Provisions common to both approval procedures. The certificate of approval issued pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section shall be valid for either the specific number of containers approved, or for an unlimited series of containers of the approved type.

(a) Each Certifying Authority shall establish and file with the Commissioner a schedule of fees for the performance of the certification procedures under this chapter. The fees shall be based on the costs (including transportation expense) actually incurred by the Certifying Authority. The fees are subject to approval by the Commissioner before their use by the Certifying Authority.

(b) Each Certifying Authority shall make available a schedule of its fees approved by the Commissioner. In addition, the schedules of approved fees for all the Certifying Authorities are available from the Headquarters, U.S. Customs Service, Office of Field Operations, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20229.

(a) Each Certifying Authority shall maintain—

(1) A copy of each individual certificate of approval issued, together with a copy of the plans and the application to which the approval refers, along with any information submitted by the manufacturer and/or owner or operator for the certification of a container or a road vehicle.

(2) A record of each serial number assigned and affixed by the manufacturer to the road vehicles and containers manufactured under a design type approval, and containers approved at a stage after manufacture.

(b) The Commissioner may examine the Certifying Authority's files required by paragraph (a) of this section.

Each Certifying Authority shall furnish the Headquarters, U.S. Customs Service, Office of Field Operations, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20229, unless waived by Customs;

(a) A copy of each issued certificate of approval for containers and road vehicles and a copy of the plans and application to which the approval refers;

(b) A copy of each issued individual approval for a container or road vehicle.

If determined necessary by Customs, each Certifying Authority's representative for certification functions shall meet, after notice, with the Commissioner to review their administration of the certification program.

Each manufacturer shall forward to the appropriate Certifying Authority, quarterly or when otherwise requested by that Authority:

(a) The registration number or other identifying information on road vehicles, or serial numbers assigned to containers manufactured under a certificate of approval by design type; and

(b) An attestation that each road vehicle or container to which a serial number was assigned was manufactured in full compliance with the certificate of approval by design type.

In order that the Certifying Authority can schedule an appropriate inspection, a manufacturer shall give notification to that Authority before each production run of road vehicles or containers to be built pursuant either to plans approved by the Certifying Authority, or revised plans (approved or unapproved).

(a) Any manufacturer, carrier, or owner may, within 30 days after he has been notified by a Certifying Authority of an adverse determination, including any review provided, appeal that determination to the Commissioner.

(b) Any determination which is appealed remains in effect pending a decision by the Commissioner.

The decision of the Commissioner on any matter appealed to him is final.