The Informal Dispute Settlement Procedures Rule

Forms and Documents

Document	Type	Status	Availability
Informal Dispute Settlement Procedures Rule-SS-2026-FINAL.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2026-07-15	Available

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
32330	Recordkeeping for disputes		Modified
196181	Disclosure to consumers - Warrantors		Modified
183058	Disclosure to consumers - IDSMs		Modified
183057	Audit reporting		Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 3084-0113	ICR Reference No: 202607-3084-002
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202212-3084-005
Agency/Subagency: FTC	Agency Tracking No:
Title: The Informal Dispute Settlement Procedures Rule
Type of Information Collection: Extension without change of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 07/15/2026

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	07/31/2026
Responses	34,541	27,350
Time Burden (Hours)	11,738	9,267
Cost Burden (Dollars)	425,987	344,560

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Abstract: Section 110(a)(2) of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. Section 2301, et seq.) directed the Commission to prescribe rules setting forth the minimum requirements for any informal dispute settlement procedure that the warrantor requires the consumer to use before pursuing any legal action in court. On December 31, 1975, the Commission issued its Rule on Informal Dispute Settlement Procedures, 16 C.F.R. 703 (the Rule or Rule 703), which sets minimum standards for informal dispute settlement mechanisms (IDSMs) established to resolve consumer warranty disputes. The purpose of the Rule is to carry out Congress's intent to encourage the fair and expeditious handling of consumer disputes through the use of alternative dispute resolution methods. Rule 703 applies only to those warrantors who (1) provide a written warranty, (2) on a consumer product, and (3) place a prior resort requirement in their warranty (i.e., require consumers to use a dispute resolution mechanism before exercising their legal remedies in court). Neither the Act nor Rule 703 requires warrantors to set up IDSMs. Furthermore, a warrantor is free to set up an IDSM that does not comply with Rule 703 as long as the warranty does not contain a prior resort requirement. Rule 703 contains procedural standards that must be followed by every IDSM that is incorporated, through a prior resort clause, into the terms of a written consumer product warranty. These standards include requirements concerning the mechanism's structure, the qualifications of staff or decision makers, the mechanism's procedures for resolving disputes, recordkeeping, and annual audits.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 15 USC 2301 et seq. Name of Law: Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 20655	04/17/2026
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 42963	07/13/2026
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 4

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Audit reporting
Disclosure to consumers - IDSMs
Disclosure to consumers - Warrantors
Recordkeeping for disputes

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	34,541	27,350	0	0	7,191	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	11,738	9,267	0	0	2,471	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	425,987	344,560	0	0	81,427	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: There are no program changes. The estimated total annual hours of burden has increased from 9,267 hours in 2023 to 11,738 in 2026. Although the Rule’s information collection requirements have not changed since 2023, staff adjusted its previous estimates because the annual audits filed by the two IDSMs currently operating under the Rule indicate that, on average, more disputes were handled since the previous submission to the Office of Management and Budget (12,420 disputes/year in 2023; 15,685 disputes/year projected in 2026). This factor results in an increased annual hours of burden estimate for the IDSMs. Because the annual burden hours have increased, the associated labor costs have also increased, from the estimated $239,093 in 2023 to $339,836 in 2026. The estimate of the total capital and non-labor costs has increased from $344,560 in 2023 to $425,987 in 2026. This new estimate presumes an increase in the costs associated with the annual audit requirement ($315,000 in 2023, $378,000 in 2026) and an increase in copying costs ($29,560 in 2023, $47,987 in 2026).

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $27,200

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 07/15/2026

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