In short
Act 67-2004 provides that every retail gas station in Puerto Rico must have a working air pump for filling motor vehicle tires during the period it remains open to the public. The law charges the Department of Consumer Affairs with approving by regulation all the rules and procedures needed for its proper implementation. The statement of motives explains the safety purpose: it is concerning that fewer gas stations each day provide air pump service, which creates an inconvenience for drivers that could turn into a tragedy if they were forced to change tires in desolate, poorly lit or unsuitable places — something that could have been avoided had air pump service been available.
What is it?
It is the law requiring Puerto Rico’s retail gas stations to keep an air pump available for tires. Its operative text is a single sentence, and its logic is road safety: the Legislature approved it with the declared aim of helping prevent accidents on the country’s highways, on the premise that the motor vehicle is a necessity in an economy that practically runs 24 hours and that gas stations have proliferated along public roads.
Who can do it?
Any driver who needs to fill their motor vehicle’s tires at a retail gas station in Puerto Rico. The one bound is the station: the law speaks of every retail gas station, without distinguishing by size, brand or municipality.
Requirements
- That it be a retail gas station in Puerto Rico.Verified against the official source
- That the station be open to the public: the duty runs during the period it remains open.Verified against the official source
Documents you need
Information pending verification.
Cost
Step by step
Step 1: Know what the law requires, word for word
Article 1 in full says: every retail gas station in Puerto Rico must have a working air pump for filling motor vehicle tires during the period it remains open to the public. Two words carry the weight: "working" — the equipment existing is not enough if it is broken — and "during the period it remains open" — not only during daytime or office hours.
Step 2: Do not assume the law says the air is free
It is the most common confusion and must be said plainly: the law requires having the pump working, but its text does not say the service must be free. If your station charges for air, that is not a violation of this law under its letter. The implementing rules and procedures were entrusted to DACO’s regulation, which is where any additional rule would have to be sought.
Step 3: Take the complaint to DACO
Article 2 charges the Department of Consumer Affairs with approving by regulation all the rules and procedures needed for the proper implementation of this Act. That is the agency the matter belongs to: if the station has no pump, or has a broken one while open to the public, the complaint goes to DACO.
Where to do it
The Department of Consumer Affairs: the law expressly charged it with the regulation and with it the implementation. The OGP page for this law points to Regulation 7582 as the regulation approved under it and warns to verify at the Department of State whether it remains in force or has been amended — we did not read it, so that is where to look for the detailed rules.
How long it takes
What to do if something goes wrong
This is a single-duty law, and the honesty here lies in not inflating it. What it says: every retail gas station must have a working air pump while open to the public. What it does not say: it does not say the air is free, sets no fines or penalties in its own text, establishes no complaint procedure, requires no pressure gauges or calibration, and does not cover stations that do not sell at retail. All of that was left to the regulation DACO was to approve. The OGP page identifies Regulation 7582 as the one approved under it and warns to verify its validity at the Department of State; we did not read it and therefore publish neither fines nor technical requirements. The law took effect four (4) months after its approval.
Common mistakes
- Believing the law requires giving air for free: its text only requires having the pump working.
- Accepting a broken pump: the law requires having it "working", not just installed.
- Thinking it only applies during daytime: the duty runs the entire period the station remains open to the public.
- Looking for the fine in the law: it sets none; implementation was left to DACO’s regulation.
- Taking the complaint to the wrong agency: the matter belongs to the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Frequently asked questions
Is a gas station required to have an air pump?
Yes. Every retail gas station in Puerto Rico must have a working air pump for filling motor vehicle tires during the period it remains open to the public.
Must it be free?
The law does not say so. Its text requires having the pump working and charges DACO with approving by regulation the implementing rules and procedures. We do not assert a free-of-charge rule the statute does not establish.
What if the pump is broken?
The law requires having it working during the time the station remains open to the public, so a pump installed but out of service does not meet the text. The complaint belongs to the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Official sources
These are the government pages this guide is based on.
- Departamento de Asuntos del Consumidor (DACO)
DACO
bvirtualogp.pr.gov
- DACO services
DACO
www.daco.pr.gov
Last verified
August 24, 2026
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