North Dakota Century Code Title 39. Motor Vehicles § 39-21-30. Authority of department

1. The department may approve or disapprove any lighting devices or other safety equipment, component, or assembly, even though the device is of a type for which approval is not specifically required in this chapter. The department may issue and enforce regulations establishing standards and specifications for the approval of the lighting devices, safety equipment, components, or assemblies, their installation, adjustment and aiming, and adjustment when in use on motor vehicles. The regulations must correlate with and, so far as practicable, conform to the then current applicable standards and specifications of the society of automotive engineers.

2. The department shall approve or disapprove any lighting device or other safety equipment, component, or assembly, of a type on which approval is specifically required in this chapter, within a reasonable time after the device has been submitted.

3. The department may set up the procedure which must be followed when approval is sought for any lighting device or safety equipment, component, or assembly. The procedure may provide for submission of the device, equipment, component, or assembly to the American association of motor vehicle administrators, the society of automotive engineers, or other appropriate testing agency as the agent of the department and for the issuance of an approval certificate by the testing agency in the name of the department in lieu of submission of the device, equipment, component, or assembly to the department. Approval by the testing agency has the same force and effect as if it had been issued by the department.

4. The department upon approving any device, equipment, component, or assembly shall issue to the applicant a certificate of approval together with any instructions determined by the department. The department shall maintain lists of all devices, components, or assemblies which it has approved.