HB 630: State Board of Registration; remove used car division and the used parts division; provisions

Georgia currently regulates used motor vehicle dealers and used motor vehicle parts dealers through the State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers and Used Motor Vehicle Parts Dealers, which has operated with a used car division and a used parts division handling most day-to-day licensing decisions separately. HB630 eliminates both divisions and transfers all their powers and duties directly to the full board. The bill shrinks the board from 14 to 10 members, changes who sits on it (including requiring at least one independent online used car dealer among the three dealer representatives), and removes seats such as the auto salvage pool operator, rebuilder, and pawnbroker. It rewrites the license application process in a new O.C.G.A. § 43-47-8, covering background checks, bonding amounts ($35,000 for car dealers, $10,000 for parts dealers), and insurance requirements. It also updates rules for changing a business location, sets board-determined fees instead of fixed dollar amounts in some places, and makes conforming changes throughout the chapter so references to 'the division' become 'the board.' Members serving as of June 30, 2025 keep their current terms.

• Eliminates the used car division and used parts division of the State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers and Used Motor Vehicle Parts Dealers, moving all their powers to the full board.
• Reduces board membership from 14 to 10 and changes who qualifies to serve, including requiring one independent used car dealer who sells at least 100 vehicles a year mostly online.
• Repeals the old license application law (O.C.G.A. § 43-47-8) and replaces it with new requirements covering background checks, bonding, insurance, and photographs of the business location.
• Lets the board set certain fees (such as the temporary site permit fee and location-change fee) by rule instead of fixing them in statute.
• Adds a new ground for license suspension or revocation: vacating a business location for 30 days or more without filing a change of location application.
• Changes licenses from annual to biennial renewal and allows the board to set continuing education requirements.

Used motor vehicle dealers and used motor vehicle parts dealers licensed in Georgia, applicants seeking such licenses, current and future members of the State Board of Registration, and the board's division director, who continues to process applications and location changes for the board.

Licensed dealers would deal with one unified board instead of two separate divisions for decisions on applications, fees, and discipline, and would face updated bonding, insurance, and location-change rules. The board's smaller, restructured membership changes which industry voices have seats, including a new requirement for an online used car dealer representative.

• Section 2 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 43-47-3, cutting the board from 14 to 10 members and removing the used car and used parts divisions entirely.
• Section 5 rewrites the board's general powers in O.C.G.A. § 43-47-6, adding authority to protect public health, safety, and financial well-being and to set minimum size standards for business locations.
• Section 7 repeals and replaces O.C.G.A. § 43-47-8, setting a $35,000 bond for used car dealers and $10,000 for used parts dealers, plus liability insurance minimums of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident.
• Section 9 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 43-47-9 to require licensees to submit a change of location application at least 30 days before relocating, reviewed by the division director.
• Section 10 adds a new basis for discipline in O.C.G.A. § 43-47-10: vacating a business location for 30 or more days without filing a change of location application.
• Section 12 keeps the $500 per-violation fine cap in O.C.G.A. § 43-47-14 but shifts enforcement authority from the divisions to the board alone.
• A new subsection (b.1) in Section 2 lets board members serving as of June 30, 2025 finish their current terms under the old rules before new appointment rules apply.

1. 2025-07-01Effective Date
2. 2025-05-09Act 90
3. 2025-05-09House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-04House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2025-04-02Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2025-04-02Senate Taken from Table (Senate)

• Marcus Wiedower (R, HD-121)Primary sponsor
• Jason Ridley (R, HD-6)
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)
• Brian Prince (D, HD-132)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-99)
• Lehman Franklin (R, HD-160)
• Larry Walker, III (R, SD-20)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   165 yea, 3 nay (4 not voting, 8 excused)

   PASSAGE: House Vote #257

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   52 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 1 excused)

   PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE: Senate Vote #429

3. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

   173 yea, 1 nay (1 not voting, 5 excused)

   Agree to Senate Substitute: House Vote #421

• used car dealers
• occupational licensing
• auto parts dealers
• consumer protection
• state boards