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H 8510Personal

Motor and Other Vehicles - Registration of Vehicles

This bill allows Kei cars and trucks to be registered and driven on roads under 35 miles per hour.

Introduced
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced May 1, 2026Committee House State Government & Elections

Plain-English Summary

This bill creates a new chapter in state law specifically for the registration and operation of "Kei cars" and "Kei trucks." It allows these vehicles to be registered and driven on public roads that have a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less. They are prohibited from driving on roads with speed limits over 35 mph, though they can cross roads with speed limits up to 45 mph at controlled intersections. It also allows cities and towns to ban these vehicles on specific local roads if they determine it poses a safety risk, provided they post warning signs.

For younger readers

A "Kei car" or "Kei truck" is a very small vehicle originally made in Japan. This bill makes rules for driving them in the state. It says people can register and drive these small cars on roads where the speed limit is 35 miles per hour or slower. They are not allowed to drive on faster roads, like highways, because the cars are so small. But, they can cross a faster road at a stoplight or stop sign. Cities and towns can also make rules to keep them off certain busy or dangerous roads.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Kei car ownersKei truck ownersMunicipal governmentsLocal law enforcementRhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely. The bill regulates motor vehicle registration and highway usage, which falls squarely within the state's police power to regulate public safety and transportation. It does not appear to infringe on free speech, due process, or protection from unreasonable searches and seizures.

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
Amount unknown

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Provides legal pathways for the use of highly fuel-efficient vehicles, aligning with environmental conservation goals and reducing carbon emissions.
  • Offers a highly affordable personal transportation option, which can greatly benefit lower-income individuals who cannot afford standard modern vehicles.
  • Empowers local municipalities to make localized safety decisions, allowing communities to protect public welfare based on their specific infrastructure and traffic conditions.
  • Restricting the vehicles to roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less may disproportionately limit the mobility of lower-income individuals who rely on them to commute.
  • Allowing municipalities to ban these vehicles could result in a patchwork of local laws, potentially leading to unequal enforcement and targeting of marginalized groups.
  • Kei vehicles lack many stringent modern safety features, which could increase the risk of serious injury in accidents, negatively impacting community health and welfare.
For Conservatives
  • Expands personal freedom and property rights by explicitly allowing the registration, operation, and transfer of ownership of imported Kei cars and trucks.
  • Removes previous government restrictions that prevented the transfer of Kei vehicle registrations, restoring free market principles to the ownership of these vehicles.
  • Decentralizes government authority by granting local municipalities the power to regulate or prohibit the vehicles on specific roads based on local needs.
  • Imposes strict government regulations on personal property by blanketly banning Kei vehicles from operating on roads with speed limits greater than 35 mph.
  • Grants local governments broad authority to ban these vehicles on municipal roads, which could severely restrict individual freedom of movement.
  • Mandating state inspections and specific DMV registration requirements adds unnecessary regulatory burdens and government red tape on private vehicle owners.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 35 additions · 13 deletions

SECTION 1. Section 31-3-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration of Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows: 31-3-5. Grounds for refusal of registration. The division of motor vehicles shall refuse registration or any transfer of registration upon any of the following grounds:

(1) That the application contains any false or fraudulent statement, or that the applicant has failed to furnish required information, or reasonable additional information requested by the division of motor vehicles, or that the applicant is not entitled to the issuance of registration of the vehicle under chapters 3 — 9 of this title;

(2) That the vehicle is mechanically unfit or unsafe to be operated upon the highways;

(3) That the division of motor vehicles has reasonable ground to believe that the vehicle is a stolen or embezzled vehicle, or that the granting of registration would constitute a fraud against the rightful owner;

(4) That the registration of the vehicle stands suspended or revoked for any reason as provided in the motor vehicle laws of this state;

(5) That the vehicle has been reported by any city or town to the division of motor vehicles as having unpaid fines in the aggregate amount of two hundred dollars ($200) or more, including any and all interest, penalties, or other monetary amount that may be imposed for failure to pay the fines by a specified date; provided, the registration shall be issued upon presentation of proof of payment of the outstanding fines, including any and all interest, penalties, or other monetary amount owed to the cities or towns reporting the unpaid fines. When the division of motor vehicles denies a registration to any person pursuant to this subsection, the city or town requesting the denial of registration shall add a five-dollar ($5.00) fee to the aggregate value of the sum of the fines and, upon payment, shall transmit the fee to the division of motor vehicles. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any vehicle owned by a rental company, as defined in § 31-34.1-1;

(6) That the vehicle does not comply with regulations promulgated pursuant to § 23-23- 5(18);

(7) That the vehicle does not comply with the provisions of chapter 47.1 of this title and any rules and regulations promulgated under that chapter;

(8) That a commercial motor vehicle is being operated by a commercial motor carrier that has been prohibited from operating in interstate commerce by a federal agency with authority to do so under federal law;

(9) That the registered owner of a vehicle failed to pay the required toll amounts, administrative fees, and fines as prescribed in § 24-12-37; or

(10) That the vehicle is a “Kei car” or “Kei truck” and is not in compliance with chapter 19.8 of title 31. Provided, however, that the registrant of any “Kei car” or “Kei truck” which was validly registered prior to June 1, 2024, shall not be denied renewal of that registration based solely on the vehicle type; and further, provided that, any such registrations shall not be permitted to be transferred. Every person lawfully operating a “Kei car” or “Kei truck” shall have the right to use the public highways in the state including any state highway, through highway, limited-access highway or public highway or roadway with a posted speed limit of thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) or less. Nothing in this subsection, however, shall be construed to prohibit a “Kei car” or “Kei truck” from crossing a public highway at an intersection where the public highway to be crossed has a posted speed limit between thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) and forty-five miles per hour (45 m.p.h.); provided the public highway the “Kei car” or “Kei truck” is traveling on and the public highway the “Kei car” or “Kei truck” is crossing the intersection toward both have a speed limit no higher than thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) and the intersection is controlled by traffic signals or stop signs.

SECTION 2. Title 31 of the General Laws entitled "MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 31-19.8-1. Kei car or Kei truck.

(a) A Kei car or Kei truck as defined in § 31-1-3, may be operated upon any public way provided such vehicle is registered in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, complies with all operational requirements pursuant to this chapter, and displays the registration number as provided in § 31-3-10. Kei cars and Kei trucks shall be subject to inspection as required by chapter 38 of this title. Every person lawfully operating a Kei car or Kei truck shall have the right to use the public highways in the state, including any state highway, through highway, limited access highway or public highway or roadway with a posted speed limit of thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) or less. No Kei car or Kei truck shall operate on any state highway, through highway, limited access highway or public highway or roadway with a speed limit greater than thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.)

(b) Kei cars or Kei trucks shall be subject to the traffic laws and regulations of the state and the provisions of this section.

(c) Nothing in subsection (a) of this section shall be construed to prohibit a Kei car or Kei truck from crossing a public highway at an intersection where the public highway to be crossed has a posted speed limit between thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) and forty-five miles per hour (45 m.p.h.), provided the public highway the Kei car or Kei truck is traveling on and the public highway the Kei car or Kei truck is crossing the intersection toward both have a speed limit no higher than thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) and the intersection is controlled by traffic signals or stop signs.

(d) A municipality may, by ordinance, prohibit the operation of Kei cars and Kei trucks on a laned roadway or local highway or a portion of a highway within its jurisdiction and under its control, regardless of posted speeds, where it finds that use of the highway or a particular portion of the highway by the Kei car or Kei truck would represent an unreasonable risk of death or serious injury to occupants of the Kei car or Kei truck as a result of general traffic conditions which shall include, but not be limited to, excessive speeds of other vehicles, traffic volumes, use of the highway by heavy trucks or other large vehicles or if the established speed limit on the highway increases above thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) beyond the point where a Kei car or Kei truck could safely exit the highway. The municipality shall post signs where necessary to provide notice to the public of such prohibited access.

(e) The director of the division of motor vehicles is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.