---
type: "LegalText"
title: "49 U.S.C. § 32701"
description: "Findings and purposes"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 49
title_name: "TRANSPORTATION"
chapter_number: "327"
chapter_name: "ODOMETERS"
section: "32701"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 32701"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc49@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t49/s32701"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-49/usc49.xml"
source_hash: "6821767ef1f5005dcd5ebda3f29c7c912d108590a3418ab127d9bc2bea41defb"
raw_snapshot_hash: "0786acdd244d8f42c5a8e8ed1ec2a8dcb47dd0e02a286752710a20745702a4fb"
text_hash: "d8a38f712da17d97dee29b46db90b2e17ea89a795782eb48a40fe4f2aa0393a0"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 49 U.S.C. § 32701 - Findings and purposes

## Text

(a) Findings.— Congress finds that—

(1) buyers of motor vehicles rely heavily on the odometer reading as an index of the condition and value of a vehicle;

(2) buyers are entitled to rely on the odometer reading as an accurate indication of the mileage of the vehicle;

(3) an accurate indication of the mileage assists a buyer in deciding on the safety and reliability of the vehicle; and

(4) motor vehicles move in, or affect, interstate and foreign commerce.

(b) Purposes.— The purposes of this chapter are—

(1) to prohibit tampering with motor vehicle odometers; and

(2) to provide safeguards to protect purchasers in the sale of motor vehicles with altered or reset odometers.

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1048.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision Notes RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 32701(a)15:1981 (1st sentence).Oct. 20, 1972, Pub. L. 92–513, § 401, 86 Stat. 961. 32701(b)15:1981 (last sentence).