40 USC § 17101 - Definitions

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t40/s17101"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "40 USC § 17101 - Definitions"
title_number: 40
title_name: "PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PROPERTY, AND WORKS"
section_number: "17101"
section_name: "Definitions"
chapter_number: 171
chapter_name: "SAFETY STANDARDS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1279.)"
---


# § 17101. Definitions

In this chapter, the following definitions apply:

**(1)** **Federal government.—** The term “Federal Government” includes the government of the District of Columbia.

**(2)** **Motor vehicle.—** The term “motor vehicle” means a vehicle, self-propelled or drawn by mechanical power, designed for use on the highways principally for the transportation of passengers, except a vehicle designed or used for military field training, combat, or tactical purposes.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1279.)

| RevisedSection | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 17101 | 40:703. | Pub. L. 88–515, § 3, Aug. 30, 1964, 78 Stat. 696. |

In clause (1), the words “the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the Government of the United States” are omitted as unnecessary.