Constituent complaint drives classic car import law through Legislature

The Alaska House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 239 on May 18, 2026, aligning Alaska's importation laws regarding classic cars with federal regulations after a constituent could not register a federally legal vehicle.

Senator Cathy Tilton, a Republican from Wasilla, introduced the bill after a constituent imported a classic car that met federal requirements but could not be registered in Alaska. Current state law treats cars newer than 1981 as not classic. Federal law uses a rolling standard that classifies vehicles older than 25 years as classic and exempts them from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for roadway use or importation. A recompiled 2023 version of Alaska Statutes Title 28 continued to define certain classic or historic vehicle categories using the fixed model-year cutoff rather than a rolling 25-year standard.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration administers federal law that allows motor vehicles at least 25 years old to be imported into the United States without complying with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. The federal 25-year rule derives from the Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act of 1988. That law banned importing nonconforming vehicles for road use but created an exemption for vehicles at least 25 years old considered classic or antique. State vehicle registration rules are separate from federal import standards. A vehicle legally imported under the 25-year rule can still face state-level barriers to being titled or registered for road use.

Senate Bill 239 is intended to align Alaska's treatment of classic vehicles with the federal rolling 25-year standard, replacing the current 1981 cutoff.

Tilton said Senate Bill 239 removes burdensome regulation and allows Alaskan automotive enthusiasts to enjoy the same rights as the majority of collector car owners in the Lower 48. She said government officials frequently talk about cutting red tape. Senate Bill 239 actually uses the scissors, she said.

The bill will now be transmitted to Governor Mike Dunleavy for review. The Senate Republican Caucus said it looks forward to coordinating with the executive branch to see the legislation signed into law. The change is intended to allow Alaskans to register federally legal classic cars that previously fell outside the state's 1981 threshold.