States where minis are legal

So let me get this straight:

Legal as of Nov 1 in Oklahoma and signed by Gov.
Arizona considering similiar law but recently defeated in Senate.

Any other states with Minis tagged or any States that have ruled Minis as Class 2 ATV's?

Chuck in Indy

 

My mini truck has plates and is registered road legal in California.

 

Of all the states, HOW did you get it legal in CA? They outlaw everything
PS
That's a very nice looking truck by the way

 

here's what i think an oklahoma entrepreneur should do...

if you want to hear my "get rich quick" scheme... (is there any better way to get rich?)

start a business for the people in the less fortunate states of "buying" their trucks from them and shipping them from into oklahoma. get them registered and plated. then "sell" them back to whom you "bought" them from with a little profit added on.

people would be beating down your door if you could do it for a good price, and you wouldn't have to charge a lot to do it since the volume of business would be incredible.

 

I saw 2 minis in Bayou LaBattre Alabama. both driven by mexicans with Miss plates on them.

 

Legal here in Wyoming as of 1/1/2008

 

The Bill is still alive in Arizona. Waiting on a revote. They had questions regarding emissions.

Jeff

 

Gumball is that a left hand drive mini? Did it have a VIN or a Chasis number?

Jeff

 

It was a Hijet intended for sales in Califorina ordered for Yosemite forrest services. It was required to have plates for use there... and so I bought it already registered with a pink slip. Quite an awesome deal IMO. ... and yes, left hand drive with VINs.

 

in Mississippi

in last weeks paper the Mississippi Highway patrol was quoted as saying that these trucks are legal . one thing you DON'T do here is argue with a MHP!

 

The Attorney General of Mississippi, the state's highest law enforcement official (and a member of this forum), drives a Hijet.

Sam

 

Great Grand Paw always said "the South would rise again!"

 

excuse my possible ignorance but why would a mini truck be illegal in some states of america?

 

it's not an ignorant question, it's ignorant law makers.

the US has very strict emission and crash regulations. with that being said a vehicle must be properly tested to achieve the honor of being allowed on the roads in the US. these mini trucks are not "road worthy" according to the federal motor vehicle safety standards.

however golf carts are legal as neighborhood vehicles as well as the rhino type vehicles. these little trucks fall into a nasty little category labeled as "grey market".

the problem i have run into in trying to register mine is that it was originaly designed as a "passenger" vehicle so it must adhere to passenger vehicle federal standards. so i tried to register it like a golf cart or rhino since it is imported specifically as an "off-road" vehicle. but because it's original intent was to be a passenger vehicle, even though it's imported specifically for off road use they won't put it in the off road category.

 

Washington state allows them with some special catagories:
Farm use, on or off road, FAR or FEX.
FEX license you buy once. You get a small orange sticker for the rear window. You can drive it legally on the road but only within 12 miles of your farm/business.
FAR you license like any other vehicle, you pay each year to renew. Hauling farm products you are limited to 15 miles of the farm/business. Hauling "machinery or tools" you have un-limited mileage on road. You have to have an original copy of the import papers to do this.
It will be interesting to see if this opens up more and more as fuel prices climb.

 

Last I heard, Louisiana would be legal 8-15-2008

 

Today's Nashville Tennessean has a front page article about a new law, effective July 1, 2008, allowing registration of "medium speed vehicles," defined as those that can go at least 30mph but not more than 35mph and which meet federal safety standards. (SB 2857, Pub. Law Ch. 959) Golf carts are excluded. The article focussed on new electric vehicles but stated that gasoline powered vehicles are included. Vehicles registered under the law can travel up to 35mph on any road whose speed limit is 40mph or less. It seems to me that Kei trucks might be able to qualify and that the motor vehicle authorities are going to have to grapple with this issue. These trucks go faster than 35mph but otherwise seem to qualify. They also fall within the public purpose for the enactment of this law: to permit small, fuel efficient vehicles to travel on low speed state streets and roads.

Sam



"SB2857 by *Johnson. (*HB2679 by *Casada.)

Motor Vehicles - Permits the operation of medium speed vehicles on public highways. - Amends TCA Title 55.

Fiscal Summary for SB2857 / *HB2679
Increase State Expenditures - $3,000/One-Time Increase State Revenue - $97,800 Increase Local Revenue - Not Significant Increase Local Expenditures - Not Significant


Bill Summary for SB2857 / *HB2679

This bill allows a medium speed vehicle to be operated at a rate not to exceed 35 miles per hour only on streets where the posted speed limit is 40 miles per hour or less. A "medium speed vehicle" is any four-wheeled electric vehicle, excluding golf carts, whose top speed is greater than 30 miles per hour but not more than 35 miles per hour and that otherwise meets or exceeds the federal safety standards. This bill would not prohibit a medium speed vehicle from crossing a road or street at an intersection where the road or street has a posted speed limit of more than 40 miles per hour. Any person operating a medium speed vehicle must have in possession a valid Class D driver license. The registration fee for a medium-speed vehicle would be $9.50.

A county or municipality may prohibit the operation of medium speed vehicles on any road under the county or municipality's jurisdiction if the governing body of the county or municipality determines that such prohibition is necessary in the interest of safety. The department of transportation may also prohibit the operation of medium speed vehicles on any road under the department's jurisdiction if the department determines that such prohibition is necessary in the interest of safety.

NOTE: Section 3 amends T.C.A. 55-4-111; it appears that the intent is to amend T.C.A. 55-4-111(a)(1) specifically. Also, in the amendatory language of Section 4, there is a reference to "speed motorized bicycles," but it appears that this reference should be to "motorized bicycles."

ON APRIL 28, 2008, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 2857 FOR HOUSE BILL 2679, ADOPTED AMENDMENTS #1 AND #2, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2857, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 corrects typographical errors noted in the bill summary.

AMENDMENT #2 includes four-wheeled gasoline powered vehicles, other than golf carts, with a top speed greater than 30 miles per hour but less than 35 miles per hour, within the meaning of "medium-speed vehicles" for purposes of this bill. Under this amendment, a medium-speed vehicle may be powered by gasoline or electric energy."

 

I really want a law passed in Michigan to make these buggers road legal. But I want them legalized on everything but freeways. All the limits about not traveling on a road with over a 40mph limit....that would suck. I live in the country and have 3 small towns around me, but all 3 require me to hit a main road with a limit of 55. My mighty Mits can run 70mph, and it's gotta stretch it's legs somewhere....

 

sam,

if these trucks met federal safety standards there wouldn't be an issue registering them at all, but since they don't that is why they are imported as "off road only"... i'm speaking from experience on this one.

 

And yet many kei trucks have been registered in several states. I think that the law is referring primarily to things like headlamps, windshields, rearview mirrors, etc. I am not sure that all vehicles being registered in the U.S. meet current collision standards. A vehicle that is limited to 25mph or 35mph might have less stringent collision requirements than one which can go 110mph. I am sure people will try to register kei trucks in TN and that we will have a chance to get more details.

Sam

 

Response to Andy

Andy:

Please let my 60+ years of experience dealing with local and Federal Govt enlighten you and others just a bit. Nothing like this is going to happen overnight. Our elected officials are generally not very bright. That's why they are politicians. None of them want to go out on a limb about anything that might upset their applecart. Al politicians are in it because their ego is larger than their sensibilities. That being said, what can be done?

First: All of us need to be proactive with our elected officials. Use all your contacts, friends, relatives, etc. to get into their ears. Education is King. Make them aware that other states have enacted legislation. That will make all these guys more comfortable with change. Just bitching that nothing is getting done is a worthless exercise in ignorance

Second: I will take 35 mph. We must take baby steps before we can take giant steps. Lets face it, 35 is 55. Getting on the road legally is the goal. No cop is going to bother a law abiding guy when he is probably not even sure of the Law himself.

Third: Get you local news rag out to photograph or film these new interesting ATVs. Make sure no mention is made other than they are off road, but be sure to mention the fabulous gas mileage. I assume you all have noticed that gas prices are high (Duh). Everybody is talking about this, and 60 mpg is going to create a stir with the locals.

Eventually we will get this passed here in Indiana. I have given a truck to several State Senators and Reps to use on their farms for a day. All three are buying Minis.

Andy, the other problem in Michigan is: Its not a Ford. The state lobby there is very tight. But.....all of us together will make a difference.

Good luck in Michigan

 

It seems to me that a dealer in electric cars south of Nashville found a couple of cooperative state legislators and got an amendment written mainly for him. We will see if kei truck owners and dealers will be able to squeeze into this legal opening.

Sam

 

Very good points, Cmaranto. I can sit and complain about how Kei's aren't legal, but I haven't done anything about it yet. The point about 35 being 55... I believe you're right on the ball. Maybe *any* form of legalization is something to aspire to. Also, letting the reps. and senators borrow the trucks....that's just brilliant.

Thanks for the advice and insight.

-Andy

 

Louisiana will make them legal Aug 15 2008

 

Another facet of legalizing mini trucks

I've been looking over the forums about getting these mini trucks street legal, and I haven't seen anyone mention this yet (but please forgive me if someone has and I haven't seen it)... I've been interested in buying a used mini truck, preferably with a blown engine for cheap, and converting it to electric. Now, from what I have read in the forums, I get the sense that the reason the Feds say these trucks are not for on-road use is that they don't meet Fed standards for emissions. If I converted a mini truck to electric powered, would that not make the emissions standard no longer apply, therefore allowing the truck to become legal to license for on-road use? I firmly believe a mini truck would be an excellent candidate to convert to electric because of its light weight and cargo area (for a bank of batteries). I wonder if that argument holds water...

 

Safety standards (i.e. crash test) are the big one as to why they are not authorized on the road in the eyes of the Fed's. They have been smogged in both Arizona and California and passed. California has the strictest smog laws in the nation.

Jeff

 

I agree, I think alot of these politicions have a problem with these trucks running on the freeways. I personally don't have a problem with it. Not any different then a motorcycle as far as i'm concerned. But I think it would be easier to push these changes through later after you already have them legal on the lower speed limit roads.

 

Really, that would not work. Once it left OK, and arrived back in its 'home state', it would have to be registered in that home state. Then you are back at square one. That home state is NOT obligate to register it.

I suspect, if the truth be known, there is no fed. law prohibiting it...........but rather a promulgated rule/regulation that was adopted by the EPA, DOT, or some other BS agency.....that prohibits it.

 

That is what I understand. I don't think I would be brave/stupid enough to try. A 'head-on' in a mini at 45 mph would be REALLY bad. It ain't worth the risk for a few MPG.

Now, somewhere like Kansas with a lot of straight rural road, where you can see traffic coming for a long ways............yea, that would be better.