ATLANTA — After a bill to legalize miniature Japanese Kei cars in Georgia stalled in the state legislature, vehicle owners have turned to an attorney to help with their fight.
Many owners of the unique imports were initially issued tags and titles. That all changed when the Georgia Department of Revenue sent notices to tag offices saying Kei cars are “not compliant with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards” and, therefore, are “not street legal.”
Charlie Ping spent around $6,000 to transport his Kei car from Japan to Georgia.
He saw it as a chance to bring a piece of Japan to the streets of Georgia. His local tag office issued him all of the paperwork he needed to hit the road.
“I had the vehicle for six months and got a letter in the mail saying my title had been revoked from the revenue department, and I had ten days to return it,” said Ping.
Ping and others are frustrated by the state legislature’s failure to pass a bill that would have allowed Kei vehicles on certain roadways. The proposal passed the Georgia House by a vote of 168-1 but never made it to a vote in the full Senate.
“It’s a mess,” said attorney Steven Lefkoff. “There’s really no other way to say it.”
Lefkoff is representing some Kei car owners in their battle with the state. Next month, he will appeal to the Office of State Administrative Hearings. Lefkoff takes issue with the state’s stance that vehicles are not safe.
“They’re highway safe in Japan,” said Lefkoff. “There are loads of vehicles that are way less safe by any objective measure than the cars at issue in this case.”
Some states do allow them, leading the state revenue department to admit that drivers and tag offices “have been confused” about the law when it comes to Kei cars.
Kei cars are lighter and less expensive than most cars in Georgia. To import them into the United States, they must be at least 25 years old.
“It’s really no different than any classic or collectable vehicle as far as I’m concerned in terms of safety,” said Ping.
The state legislature could consider legalizing Kei cars next year. The sponsor of the bill that stalled this year has retired from the legislature, bringing uncertainty to the future of that proposal.