Victory: Massachusetts Will Allow Kei Trucks to Be Registered Again

For the last few months, owners of JDM cars in Massachusetts have been battling the state’s Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) over the legality of their imports. Though their cars are federally approved, the state bowed to pressure from a private interest to keep these vehicles off the road. But a coordinated campaign by owners has turned the tables, as the RMV has announced it will resume accepting registrations of kei vehicles. At least, for the time being.

The announcement was issued Tuesday to celebration from owners of affected vehicles, which don’t just include kei trucks. Poor implementation of the kei ban at the behest of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators led to misinformed RMV clerks denying titles for non-kei imported vehicles, including full-size passenger cars like the R34 Nissan Skyline and Mitsubishi Delica. Now, though, the RMV has tapped out as legislators threatened to go over its head and legalize kei vehicles at the state level.

The RMV said in its announcement that it had “completed its preliminary assessment of industry standards related to Kei trucks, cars and vans” and decided to reinstate the registration of kei vehicles. It adds that it is “continuing to review safety implications of Kei Vehicles on the public roadways” and will perform a “formal study” thereon. But for now, new kei vehicle registrations are permitted, while existing ones will be honored. This also lifts the pressure on owners of larger JDM vehicles that RMV staff previously misidentified as kei cars.

It’s not guaranteed that kei vehicles will remain legal, as the RMV worded its announcement in a way that would allow it to backtrack on today’s announcement. It’s unclear if the timing is related to the state congress’s announcement of legislation that would take the matter out of the RMV’s hands. In any case, this showdown between JDM car owners and the state’s motor vehicle bureau has given owners in other states trying to crack down on JDM cars clearer strategies for winning their own battles.

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