Registration, inspection of mopeds to take effect

Moped riders across Hawaii will need to obtain safety checks and be registered annually under a new state law that takes effect Jan. 1 — although not everyone will need to complete the paperwork right away.

The law, passed by the 2016 Legislature, is aimed at regulating mopeds more like automobiles, which for years have been required to get safety checks and be re-registered annually. The change was prompted by complaints about a lack of oversight of mopeds and, in particular, their sometimes intentionally noisy mufflers.

Under the old law, mopeds needed to be registered only once per owner, required no license plate and had to undergo safety checks only in Hawaii and Maui counties.

On Oahu the city is converting to the new system with a staggered implementation schedule. When the island’s roughly 36,000 moped owners are required to obtain their safety checks and new annual registrations is being determined by which months their mopeds were originally registered.

For example, owners of mopeds that were originally registered in January should get safety checks and be registered by Jan. 31, while those whose mopeds were originally registered in February should have it completed by Feb. 28, and so forth.

The city Department of Customer Services is attempting to reach known moped owners by mail 45 days prior to the registration deadline dates. So those with January registrations — who are required to get the new paperwork by Jan. 31 — should already have been notified by mail, city officials said Thursday.

Safety check inspections must be done at participating safety check inspection stations before moped owners can obtain registration.

City officials are emphasizing that because of this, a moped owner will need to take the odd step of going to the inspection station twice, once before obtaining registration and once afterward.

That’s because the owner initially will be obtaining “failed” moped safety check certificates from the safety check station, minus safety check emblems since a valid registration card is required to receive the emblem.

The moped owner should then take the “failed” certificate to a satellite city hall to obtain registration and license plates, and then return to the original service station with proof of registration in order to get an emblem for the new plates.

The new law also means additional costs for moped drivers. Previously, new owners needed to pay only a one-time $15 registration fee after acquiring a new moped. Starting Jan. 1 they will need to pay $27 for registration and 50 cents for an emblem. This coming year, renewal registrations must also pay an additional $5 for a new license plate that’s being issued for all mopeds.

Additionally, participating service stations are allowed to charge up to $13.24 per safety check for mopeds.

The new law also mandates that the plates be fastened securely — and in a manner in which the numbers can be seen — on the rear of mopeds. The safety check emblems must be placed on the upper right corner of the plates.

Mopeds that do not have new license plates, annual registration emblems and safety check stickers within their designated months may be cited in the same manner as automobiles, city officials said. Fines would be up to $100 per citation.

The City Council introduced a bill last year requiring that mopeds obtain safety checks. Council members said noisy mopeds caused by loud mufflers are among the biggest complaints they receive.

During a public hearing the Honolulu Police Department questioned the efficacy and enforceability of safety checks. Ultimately, Council members decided to hold off on the bill pending action at the Legislature.

Hawaii and Maui counties already require moped owners to get safety inspections, so they now require owners to get registered by the end of the month when they need to get their annual safety inspection.

Kauai County is believed to be following the Honolulu model for deciding when moped owners need to get registered.

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