Monroney label

The Monroney sticker, window sticker, or Automobile Information Disclosure label is a label required by federal law to be affixed on every new passenger car and light-duty truck sold in the United States. It lists the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), standard and optional equipment, destination charge, fuel-economy ratings, safety ratings, and certain environmental metrics. The label is named for Senator Mike Monroney (D-Oklahoma), who sponsored the 1958 legislation that created the requirement.

Legislative background

In 1955 Monroney’s Senate Interstate and Foreign Commerce subcommittee investigated dealer practices that hid a car’s true price behind inflated “list” figures and undisclosed fees.
To give purchasers reliable information, he introduced the Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it on July 7, 1958 (Pub.L. 85-506), and it took effect on January 1, 1959.

The law—codified at 15 U.S.C. §§ 1231–1233—covers vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of or less and seating for no more than twelve. Motorcycles, heavy-duty trucks, and buses are exempt. Selling a covered vehicle without an accurate sticker, or altering it, can incur civil penalties of up to $1,000 per vehicle and criminal sanctions for willful violations.

Evolution of label content

The original 1959 label showed only the MSRP, equipment, and destination charge.
In the 1970s, EPA city and highway fuel-economy estimates were added after the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.
For the 2008 model year, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 required greenhouse-gas and smog scores to appear alongside fuel-economy figures.
For the 2013 model year, a joint EPA– NHTSA rule introduced the “Fuel Economy and Environment” label. New elements include miles-per-gallon equivalent (MPGe) for alternative-fuel vehicles, gallons or kilowatt-hours per 100 mi, a five-year fuel-cost estimate, and a QR code linking to fueleconomy.gov for region-specific data.

Required information

Manufacturers must affix the label to a side window or windshield before the vehicle leaves the factory. A compliant Monroney sticker must display:

* Make, model, trim, engine, transmission, and VIN
* MSRP and destination charge
* Standard equipment and warranty coverage
* Factory-installed options with individual prices
* EPA city, highway, and combined fuel-economy ratings—or combined MPGe for electrified vehicles
* NHTSA crash-test ratings (if available)
* Greenhouse-gas and smog-forming emissions scores
* Five-year fuel-cost comparison with the average new vehicle
* QR code directing users to fueleconomy.gov

See also

* Fuel economy in automobiles
* Corporate Average Fuel Economy
* Vehicle emission standard

References

External links

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* {{cite news , last=Peele , first=Robert , title=The Senator Behind the Window Sticker , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/automobiles/04MONRONEY.html , newspaper=The New York Times , date=January 2, 2009 , access-date=May 11, 2025

Vehicle law
Energy conservation
Green vehicles
Pricing