Is a Kei Truck Street Legal in Missouri?

Are Kei Trucks street legal in Missouri?

Missouri has no statute or policy that names Kei Trucks. What it does have is a title class built for this kind of vehicle. RSMo 301.010 defines a Non-USA-Std motor vehicle as one not originally built to comply with US emissions or safety standards, and RSMo 301.190 says an original Missouri title in that class needs a signed examination from the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP). The finished title carries the brand "Non-USA-Std Motor Vehicle."

Nothing in Missouri law then limits where a titled, registered truck in that class may drive. We found no Department of Revenue (DOR) statement about Kei Trucks specifically, so treat this as the statutory reading and confirm it with a license office before you buy. Compare other states on the Kei Truck law map.

Does the 45 mph utility vehicle rule apply to Kei Trucks?

No. The 45 mph figure comes from RSMo 304.032, which covers utility vehicles. That section lets cities and counties permit utility vehicles on certain roads and requires operators to stay under 45 mph. Under RSMo 301.010, a utility vehicle is a machine built and used only for off-highway work, between 50 and 80 inches wide, mostly for landscaping, lawn care or maintenance.

A Kei Truck was built for public roads in Japan, so it is not a utility vehicle, and local UTV ordinances are not its way onto Missouri roads. The state's all-terrain vehicle class has the same off-highway requirement, so it is no better a fit.

How do you get a Missouri title for a Kei Truck?

The examination runs on DOR Form 551. The owner fills in the first part, and an MSHP officer, or an auto theft unit in St. Louis City or St. Louis County, examines the truck and signs off. The Missouri Titling Manual (revised August 2025) says to get the form first, from a license office or by mail for $34 ($25 for the form plus a $9 processing fee), and to contact an examining agency at least four weeks ahead. A completed Form 551 is good for six months from the inspection date, and it goes to the DOR central office with your title application.

Bring your import papers to the examination: the Japanese export certificate with an English translation, your bill of sale, the CBP 7501 entry summary, the HS-7 (the DOT declaration of safety-standard status, with box 1 marked for the 25-year exemption) and EPA Form 3520-1, the emissions import declaration. Missouri expects title applications and sales tax within 30 days of purchase. Our guide to importing a Kei Truck explains each form, and the 25-year rule page covers the age test.

1. Get Form 551 first

   Pick up the Vehicle Examination Certificate (Form 551) at a license office, or order it by mail for $34. Fill in the owner section before the examination.

2. Book the Highway Patrol examination

   Contact the Highway Patrol, or an auto theft unit in St. Louis City or St. Louis County, at least four weeks ahead. Bring the truck, your import papers and English translations.

3. Apply for the title

   Send the completed Form 551, the title application, ownership papers and customs forms to the DOR central office while the form is valid (six months from the exam). Title and sales tax are due within 30 days of purchase, so ask about timing if the truck arrives late.

4. Pass the safety inspection

   Have a licensed Missouri inspection station check the truck, since it is more than 10 years past its model year. In the St. Louis area, ask whether the emissions test applies too.

5. Register and plate it

   With the title, the inspection certificate and proof of insurance in hand, register the truck at a license office like any other light truck.

What inspections does Missouri require for a Kei Truck?

Under RSMo 307.350, a vehicle more than 10 years past its model year, or one with 150,000 miles or more, needs a safety inspection every other year at a licensed station before registration. Even model years test in even calendar years, and odd model years in odd ones. A House-passed plan to end most of these inspections was stripped from the final version of SB 1408 in May 2026, so the rule still applies.

In St. Louis City and nearby counties, gasoline vehicles from model year 1996 on also need an emissions test every two years. A 1996-2001 Japanese-market truck may not connect to US test equipment, so ask a station before you buy one for a St. Louis-area address.

A 25-year-old work truck usually fails on small things: lamps, lenses, mirrors and brakes. Check the Kei Truck lights and mirrors before your appointment, and use our buying guide to judge a truck before you commit.

Across the river, Nebraska takes a different approach: a dedicated minitruck class that keeps these trucks off interstates, expressways and freeways but needs no safety inspection.