HB957: HB957 Motor vehicles; operation of miniature on-road vehicles on certain highways; provide

Georgia law does not currently have a clear category for small foreign-made vehicles designed for roadway use abroad, sometimes called kei cars or similar imports. This bill creates a legal definition for 'miniature on-road vehicle' in Georgia's motor vehicle code (O.C.G.A. Title 40) and sets out how these vehicles can be registered, plated, taxed, and driven. The bill exempts older imported vehicles (more than 25 years old) or newer ones modified to meet federal safety standards from Georgia's usual certificate of title requirements. It sets a $20 annual registration fee, requires headlights, brake lights, taillights, a rearview mirror, and safety belts, and limits where the vehicles can be driven: municipal streets or county roads, with permission to cross state highways, unless a local government bans them by ordinance. Local governments that ban the vehicles must post highway signs saying so. The bill also sets ad valorem (property) taxes on these vehicles based on a $100 valuation, similar to antique cars. Most changes take effect October 1, 2026, except one license plate provision that takes effect January 1, 2032.

• Creates a legal definition in Georgia's motor vehicle code (O.C.G.A. § 40-1-1) for 'miniature on-road vehicle,' covering imported small roadway vehicles that go 25 to 65 mph, are 80 inches wide or less, have four or more wheels, a steering wheel, a non-straddle seat, and weigh under 4,000 pounds.
• Exempts these vehicles from Georgia's normal certificate of title process if they are more than 25 years old, or if newer models have been modified by a federally registered importer to meet U.S. safety standards.
• Sets a $20.00 annual state licensing fee for these vehicles, the same rate charged for motorcycles and multipurpose off-highway vehicles.
• Requires the vehicles to have headlights, brake lights, taillights, a rearview mirror, and safety belts, and limits them to municipal or county roads (with permission to cross state highways).
• Gives local governments the power to ban these vehicles by ordinance or resolution, but requires posted highway signs before any such ban takes effect.
• Sets an ad valorem (property) tax basis of $100.00 valuation for these vehicles, similar to the rate used for antique and hobby vehicles, under O.C.G.A. § 48-5-473.

Georgians who import or want to drive small foreign-market vehicles, vehicle importers registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation, county and municipal governments deciding whether to allow the vehicles on local roads, and the Georgia Department of Revenue and county tag offices that handle registration, plates, and taxes.

People who import these small foreign vehicles would gain a clear legal path to register, plate, and drive them on local Georgia roads instead of facing an unclear legal status. Local governments would get explicit authority to ban them from their roads, and drivers would face a flat annual fee and a specific property tax formula.

• Section 1 revises the definition of 'miniature on-road vehicle' in O.C.G.A. § 40-1-1, spelling out speed, width, wheel, steering, seat, and weight requirements.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 40-2-27 to exempt these vehicles from standard registration rules if they are over 25 years old or have been modified to meet federal safety standards.
• Section 3 amends O.C.G.A. § 40-2-31 to let the Georgia Department of Revenue commissioner set a custom license plate size and require plates to identify the vehicle type; Section 4 makes a related change effective January 1, 2032.
• Section 6 sets the annual license fee at $20.00 under O.C.G.A. § 40-2-151, grouping these vehicles with motorcycles and multipurpose off-highway vehicles.
• Section 8 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 40-6-359 through § 40-6-362 to require safety equipment and to limit operation to municipal streets or county roads, with permission to cross state highways.
• Section 9 amends O.C.G.A. § 40-6-371 to let local governments prohibit these vehicles and requires posted traffic-control signs before any local ban takes effect.
• Section 10 amends O.C.G.A. § 48-5-473 to set the ad valorem tax basis for these vehicles at a $100.00 valuation.
• Section 11 sets most of the Act's effective date as October 1, 2026, except Section 4, which takes effect January 1, 2032.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Tabled (Senate)
2. 2026-03-25Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2026-03-25Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2026-02-10Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2026-02-09House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2026-02-09House Third Readers (House)
7. 2026-02-03House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2026-01-15House Second Readers (House)

• Rob Clifton (R, HD-131)Primary sponsor
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)
• Holt Persinger (R, HD-119)
• Beth Camp (R, HD-135)
• Kimberly New (R, HD-040)
• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 9, 2026

   160 yea, 5 nay (2 not voting, 8 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #486

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   39 yea, 10 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Motion To Table Remaining Legislation On The Rules Calendar: Senate Vote #912

• motor vehicles
• vehicle registration
• imported cars
• license plates
• local traffic ordinances