Code of Federal Regulations Title 49. Transportation § 49.599.502 Record retention

(a) Manufacturers, dealers, salvage auctions, and disposal facilities shall keep records of all transactions under the CARS Act and regulations thereunder for a period of five calendar years from the date on which they were generated or acquired by the manufacturer, salvage auction, dealer, or disposal facility, and shall promptly make those records available to NHTSA Enforcement or DOT's Office of the Inspector General upon request.

(b) Records to be retained under this subpart include all documentary materials and other information-storing media that contain information concerning transactions under the CARS Program, including any material generated or communicated by computer, electronic mail, or other electronic means. Such records include, but are not limited to, lists, compilations, certifications, dealer application information, salvage auction or disposal facility information, owner eligibility information, vehicle eligibility information (including vehicle fuel economy), dealer applications for reimbursement under the program, vehicle identification number data, vehicle ownership information, vehicle title, registration and insurance information, sales agreements, bills of sale, lease agreements, manufacturer's certificate or statement of origin, other rebate and/or incentive programs used in conjunction with transactions under the program, bank account and routing number information, electronic funds transfer and payment information, reports made to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS), reports regarding vehicle scrappage values and payment, reports in connection with the transfer of vehicles to salvage auctions and disposal facilities;  reports from disposal facilities in connection with the crushing or shredding of vehicles under the program, and any other documents that are related to transactions.

(c) Duplicate copies need not be retained. Information may be reproduced or transferred from one storage medium to another (e.g., from electronic format to CD–ROM) as long as no information is lost in the reproduction or transfer, and when so reproduced or transferred the original form may be treated as a duplicate.