- Jan 26, 2026
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- Brent
Georgia dealers — HB 1267 just dropped and it's worse than a simple parking space requirement. This bill creates an entirely new two-tier dealer classification system. Here's what's actually in the bill text:
The Classification Trigger (Pg 23, Ln 567-569)
If your location can't display 5 vehicles, you're no longer a "used car dealer." You're reclassified as a "Motor Vehicle Broker" — regardless of how many cars you actually sell.
That means a dealer moving 500 units/year from a professional office suite gets classified BELOW a guy selling 20/year off a gravel lot. The only difference? Parking spaces.
What Lower-Tier "Brokers" Lose:
What the Bill REMOVES from Existing Law:
The E-Commerce Problem:
The bill defines 7 dealer models. E-commerce dealers — arguably the largest and fastest-growing segment — aren't mentioned once. Not defined, not accommodated, not acknowledged. Just forced into "broker" status because offices don't have parking lots.
What Needs to Happen:
Chairman Corbett's Motor Vehicle Committee is where this lives or dies. If you're a GA dealer, your association needs to be on this. If you're out of state, this is the kind of legislative model that spreads.
Three committee members are still undecided. If you're in their districts or know someone who is, a phone call matters right now:
Bill text: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1267/2025
Anyone else tracking this? What's NIADA's position?
The Classification Trigger (Pg 23, Ln 567-569)
If your location can't display 5 vehicles, you're no longer a "used car dealer." You're reclassified as a "Motor Vehicle Broker" — regardless of how many cars you actually sell.
That means a dealer moving 500 units/year from a professional office suite gets classified BELOW a guy selling 20/year off a gravel lot. The only difference? Parking spaces.
What Lower-Tier "Brokers" Lose:
- One dealer plate. Period. Upper-tier gets 3 initial + 1 per 20 sold. Lower-tier gets 1 master plate with zero growth path regardless of volume. (Pg 15, Ln 366-372)
- TOPs are effectively dead. You need to exceed 5 sales before you can get more than 5 TOPs — an impossible prerequisite for anyone starting out. (Pg 6, Ln 122-125)
- Visually distinct plates. Your plate literally looks different so everyone on the road knows you're lower-tier. (Pg 12, Ln 288-290)
- Private plate use gone. With 1 plate, using it for private purposes means zero operational plates. Upper-tier has 2+ remaining. (Pg 12-13, Ln 298-306)
- $100K surety bond. Same cost as upper-tier, but you get fewer tools to operate with. (Pg 32, Ln 802-803)
What the Bill REMOVES from Existing Law:
- The "sales office in a building" requirement that's been law since 2007
- The 250 sqft minimum that was added in 2025
- Replaces both with "a permanent location" — which could mean a residential address
The E-Commerce Problem:
The bill defines 7 dealer models. E-commerce dealers — arguably the largest and fastest-growing segment — aren't mentioned once. Not defined, not accommodated, not acknowledged. Just forced into "broker" status because offices don't have parking lots.
What Needs to Happen:
Chairman Corbett's Motor Vehicle Committee is where this lives or dies. If you're a GA dealer, your association needs to be on this. If you're out of state, this is the kind of legislative model that spreads.
Three committee members are still undecided. If you're in their districts or know someone who is, a phone call matters right now:
| Member | District | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rep. Matt Barton (R, Vice-Chair) | Dist. 5 — Gordon, Murray | (404) 656-3947 | [email protected] |
| Rep. Vance Smith (R) | Dist. 138 — Harris, Muscogee, Troup | (404) 656-0254 | [email protected] |
| Rep. Jason Ridley (R) | Dist. 6 — Murray, Whitfield | (404) 656-3947 | [email protected] |
Bill text: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1267/2025
Anyone else tracking this? What's NIADA's position?
