Kei Car Owners Clash with State Authorities in Nationwide Battle for Registration Rights

Across the United States, a growing number of states are cracking down on the registration of kei cars, a class of compact vehicles popular among enthusiasts of Japanese domestic market (JDM) vehicles. The latest battleground is Massachusetts, where JDM car owners have organized to fight the state's efforts to ban these vehicles. This clash between car owners and state authorities is part of a wider war over what types of vehicles are allowed on American roads, with private interests like the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) playing a significant role in shaping these policies.

Kei Car Owners Refuse to Back Down in the Face of State Bans

Massachusetts Kei Car Owners Organize to Overturn Registration Ban

Massachusetts JDM car owners have found themselves in a familiar situation, facing the same frustrations as their counterparts in states like Rhode Island, Georgia, and Maine. Suzuki Carry owner Matt Isgro recounted how owners have been turned away by the state's Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) in recent months, being told their cars are not legal to register. Despite the 25-year exemption that allows these vehicles to be legally imported, the RMV has claimed they do not meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), a justification used in previous bans.Owners with already registered vehicles have also been warned that their tags will be revoked and cannot be renewed. The RMV has even reportedly refused to title these cars, creating problems for owners looking to resell their vehicles. While states do have the legal authority to decide what vehicles can be registered, the RMV's actions have sparked a significant backlash from the JDM community, who argue that the agency's understanding of kei cars is severely flawed.

Owners Confront Uncooperative State Authorities

Massachusetts JDM car owners have banded together to voice their concerns to state legislators, and lawmakers have been receptive to their pleas. Suzuki Cara owner Raymond Moy has reported that the representatives and senators he has spoken to are communicative and are arranging meetings to address the issue. However, the RMV has allegedly been less cooperative, with Suzuki Carry owner Mason Mongeon stating that a state senate aide said official inquiries "were being stonewalled."When members of the public attempted to voice their complaints about the RMV's actions during a MassDOT board meeting on July 17, they were met with further resistance. Mongeon recounts that while the public was told they could leave voice messages to be played for up to two minutes, the board only played one of the dozens of messages received, dismissing the rest as identical. Additionally, one member of the public who showed up to speak had their microphone cut off, despite some fellow owners saying they spoke for well over the allotted time.

The AAMVA's Alleged Role in Driving Kei Car Bans

Evidence has emerged that links Massachusetts' sudden crackdown on kei cars to the AAMVA, a lobbying group that has been previously implicated in similar bans in other states. The AAMVA's internal document, which advocated for ceasing the registration of "mini-trucks" (the organization's term for kei trucks), was cited as a reason for the ban in Rhode Island. The organization later updated its language to "off-road vehicles" to argue for their ineligibility, a move that effectively set the precedent for the policy enacted in Massachusetts.Colleen Ogilvie, the secretary and treasurer for the AAMVA's northeast region, also serves as the Registrar for the Massachusetts RMV. This connection has led some to believe that the AAMVA's agenda has directly influenced the state's actions, with the Registrar potentially using their authority to revoke vehicle registrations based on the organization's recommendations.

The AAMVA's Justification and the Ongoing Battle

The AAMVA has defended its stance, citing concerns over the safety features and structural designs of kei vehicles, which it considers to be "off-road vehicles" that do not comply with the FMVSS. The organization acknowledges the 25-year exemption for vehicle importation but argues that this does not apply to registration, leaving the decision up to individual states.Despite the AAMVA's claims, there have been sporadic reports of owners successfully registering their JDM cars in Massachusetts since the ban took effect, suggesting that some RMV clerks may be more lenient in their enforcement of the policy. Additionally, the RMV has reportedly paused the revocation of JDM car registrations as it reevaluates its stance on these vehicles.The situation remains far from resolved, with the Massachusetts legislative session ending soon and no guarantee of legal protections for kei car owners before the next session in January. However, the JDM community is not waiting idly; they are sharing information and strategies across state lines, educating authorities, and actively fighting to protect their right to register and operate these vehicles on American roads.As the battle continues, the underlying pattern of state motor vehicle authorities favoring the agenda of private interests over federal vehicle policy remains a significant concern. The influence of organizations like the AAMVA in shaping these policies raises questions about the transparency and fairness of the decision-making process, and the JDM community is determined to hold these authorities accountable.