Massachusetts DMV reverses ban on light vehicles after backlash

A few months ago, the Massachusetts Department of Motor Vehicles decided to no longer allow owners of light vehicles to register their vehicles, arguing that the cars did not meet federal safety standards and were dangerous for public roads. It then began refusing to register any imported cars, including full-size models such as the Nissan Skyline and BMW 5 Series. However, today it reversed that stance.

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It’s unclear why the Massachusetts DMV initiated this fight, but the problem is obvious. The federal government says that U.S. citizens can import any vehicle as long as it’s 25 years old or older. Likewise, for unknown reasons, the DMV decided to first ban citizens of the state from registering Kei vehicles, and then, when it seemed unsure what Kei vehicles were, ban all imported vehicles.

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Today, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation released an announcement. The RMV will now allow Kei owners to register their vehicles. Already registered vehicles can continue to be used as if none of this nonsense ever happened in the first place. Kei vehicles can also have passenger or commercial license plates reinstated, depending on their intended use. This is great news for Massachusetts enthusiasts, and maybe the battle is won, but the war may not be over.

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Included in the announcement is this statement: “RMV intends to register Kei vehicles while continuing to review the safety implications of Kei vehicles on public roads. Plans for a formal study on this topic are underway and will be announced when completed.” It certainly sounds like the RMV may change its stance on this issue again in the future.

For now, advocates are continuing to gather momentum for a Massachusetts Department of Transportation board meeting tomorrow (September 18) at noon in Boston. The next big hurdle for the group appears to be convincing the RMV that these cars are indeed safe enough to be driven on public roads. We’ll continue to report on this story as it progresses.

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Photo credit: Peter Ferraro / Stephen Rivers