New Jersey [lack of] Registration

[Terry Kennedy]

At the present time New Jersey will not register the Atom. This is for a long list of reasons, not just one or two items. The particular statute being used is:

39:3-5. Registration refused

The director may refuse registration in the case of any automobile, commercial motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, tractor or omnibus that shall not comply with the requirements of this title or that shall seem to him unsuitable for use on the roads and highways of this State. The director shall deny registration to any motor vehicle that has failed to comply with applicable inspection requirements of chapter 8 of Title 39, or of any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto, within the time limits established by the director and to any vehicle subject to the inspection jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation that has failed to comply with the applicable inspection requirements of Titles 27 and 48 of the Revised Statutes or of any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto. The director may suspend or revoke the registration reciprocity privilege of any motor vehicle that has failed to undergo inspection in accordance with chapter 8 of Title 39 or that is subject to the inspection jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation and has failed to undergo inspection in accordance with the requirements of Titles 27 and 48 of the Revised Statutes or of any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

I have an attorney who specializes in collector car law who feels that this grants illegally broad discretion to the director of the MVC. He feels that there is a good case to get this law overturned, or at least enter into a consent decree to register the Atom. However, this is likely to be a long, expensive process without any guarantee of success. He suggests registering in some other state, as was also suggested by many of the MVC people I spoke to.

I'm going to pursue registering in another state where I have a presence. If anybody from NJ with a serious intent to purchase an Atom wants the contact info for my attorney, I'd be glad to provide it, and could probably chip in some money toward a lawsuit.

[rfmarz@frontiernet]

I'm sorry to hear of your plight, Terry. It always chaps me how nobody working for the government is willing to stick his/her neck out for something new and things seem to forever get more restrictive. 

[maverick1]

Terry, sorry to hear you're having such a difficult time registering your Atom in NJ. This does give you a very good reason to move down to sunny California.
Cheersâ?¢

[dford]

Overly broad discretion is an understatement.

[cshama]

Sounds completely idiotic. The people I have dealt with at the DMV have thankfully been too dim to quote me anything longwinded like that.