FMVSS 222: School Bus Passenger Seating explained.

What FMVSS 222 says it is for

The eCFR heads this section "Standard No. 222; School bus passenger seating and crash protection." Under 49 CFR part 571, the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards are the numbered standards that set safety performance requirements for motor vehicles and equipment. The text below is quoted from 571.222 as current through October 29, 2026.

This standard establishes occupant protection requirements for school bus passenger seating and restraining barriers.

The purpose of this standard is to reduce the number of deaths and the severity of injuries that result from the impact of school bus occupants against structures within the vehicle during crashes and sudden driving maneuvers.

What it applies to

The application section of the standard says:

This standard applies to school buses.

Applicability is decided by the text of the standard as written, including any exclusions it lists, and by the date-specific rules in it. This page does not decide whether a particular vehicle or item is covered.

How the standard is organized

The eCFR text of 571.222 has these top-level sections:

• S1: Scope
• S2: Purpose
• S3: Application
• S4: Definitions
• S5: Requirements
• S6: Test conditions

In all, the text has 75 numbered headings. Use the finder above to search them; for example, a search for "test" lists the headings that mention tests.

Second-level headings at a glance

These are the numbered sub-sections one level below the top, in order (first 12 of 14):

• S4.1 Determination of the number of seating positions and seat belt positions
• S5.1 Seating requirements
• S5.2 Restraining barrier requirements
• S5.3 Impact zone requirements
• S5.4 Each school bus having one or more locations designed for carrying a person seated in a…
• S5.5 Labeling
• S6.1 Test surface
• S6.2 Tires
• S6.3 Temperature
• S6.4 Seat back position
• S6.5 Loading bar
• S6.6 Head form

Key requirements, quoted from the text

These are excerpts from the requirements sections of 571.222, in the order the standard presents them. Long paragraphs are shortened where marked with [...]; the eCFR has the complete text, tables and figures, which this page omits.

S5 Requirements. (a) Large school buses. Each school bus with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 4,536 kg (10,000 pounds) shall be capable of meeting any of the requirements set forth under this heading when tested under the conditions of S6 of this standard or § 571.210. However, a particular school bus passenger seat (i.e., a test specimen) in that weight class need not meet further requirements after having met S5.1.2 and S5.1.5, or having been subjected to either S5.1.3, S5.1.4, S5.1.6 (if applicable), or S5.3. If S5.1.6.5.5(b) is applicable, a particular test specimen need only meet S5.1.6.5.5(b)(1) or (2) as part of meeting S5.1.6 in its entirety. Each vehicle with voluntarily installed Type 1 seat belts and seat belt anchorages at W seating positions in a bench seat, voluntarily installed Type 2 seat belts and seat belt anchorages at Y [...]

S5.1.2 Seat back height, position, and surface area. Each school bus passenger seat must be equipped with a seat back that has a vertical height of at least 610 mm (24 inches) above the seating reference point. The minimum total width of the seat back at 610 mm (24 inches) above the seating reference point shall be 75 percent of the maximum width of the seat bench. Each school bus passenger seat must be equipped with a seat back that, in the front projected view, has front surface area above the horizontal plane that passes through the seating reference point, and below the horizontal plane 610 mm (24 inches) above the seating reference point, of not less than 90 percent of the seat bench width in millimeters multiplied by 610.

S5.1.3 Seat performance forward. When a school bus passenger seat that has another seat behind it is subjected to the application of force as specified in S5.1.3.1 and S5.1.3.2, and subsequently, the application of additional force to the seat back as specified in S5.1.3.3 and S5.1.3.4: (a) The seat back force/deflection curve shall fall within the zone specified in Figure 1; (b) Seat back deflection shall not exceed 356 mm; (for determination of (a) and (b) the force/deflection curve describes only the force applied through the upper loading bar, and only the forward travel of the pivot attachment point of the upper loading bar, measured from the point at which the initial application of 44 N of force is attained.) (c) The seat shall not deflect by an amount such that any part of the seat moves to within 102 mm of any part of another school bus passenger seat or [...]

Defined terms

The standard defines 11 terms in its definitions section; the first 10 are quoted here from the eCFR.

• Fixed occupancy seat means a bench seat equipped with Type 2 seat belts that has a permanent configuration regarding the number of seating positions on the seat. The number of seating positions on the bench seat cannot be increased or decreased.
• Flexible occupancy seat means a bench seat equipped with Type 2 seat belts that can be reconfigured so that the number of seating positions on the seat can change. The seat has a minimum occupancy configuration and maximum occupancy configuration, and the number of passengers capable of being carried in the minimum [...]
• Maximum occupancy configuration means, on a bench seat equipped with Type 2 seat belts, an arrangement whereby the lap belt portion of the Type 2 seat belts is such that the maximum number of occupants can be belted.
• Minimum occupancy configuration means, on a bench seat equipped with Type 2 seat belts, an arrangement whereby the lap belt portion of the Type 2 seat belts is such that the minimum number of occupants can be belted.
• School bus passenger seat means a seat in a school bus, other than the driver's seat.
• Seat bench width means the maximum transverse width of the bench seat cushion.
• Small occupant seating position means the center seating position on a flexible occupancy seat in a maximum occupancy configuration, if the torso belt portion of the Type 2 seat belt is intended to restrain occupants whose dimensions range from those of a 50th percentile 6 year-old child only to those of a 50th [...]
• Wheelchair means a wheeled seat frame for the support and conveyance of a physically disabled person, comprised of at least a frame, seat, and wheels.
• Wheelchair occupant restraint anchorage means the provision for transferring wheelchair occupant restraint system loads to the vehicle structure.
• Wheelchair securement anchorage means the provision for transferring wheelchair securement device loads to the vehicle structure.

Limits of this page

This page quotes the text of 49 CFR 571.222 as published in the eCFR, current through October 29, 2026. It omits tables, figures, cross-referenced test procedures in other parts, and the preambles and rulemaking history that explain the rule. It does not tell you whether a given vehicle, part or product complies, how to run a test, or what a manufacturer must certify. Compliance questions go to the manufacturer's engineers, qualified counsel or NHTSA. The eCFR is an editorial compilation, not the official legal edition of the Federal Register.

Sources

Sources opened and read November 2, 2026.

• eCFR: 49 CFR 571.222, Standard No. 222; School bus passenger seating and crash protection. (current through October 29, 2026) (read November 2, 2026)
• eCFR: 49 CFR part 571, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (current through October 29, 2026) (read November 2, 2026)