# Kei Truck US (keitruckus.com)

> The US guide to Japanese Kei Trucks (mini trucks): state-by-state road laws, the 25-year import rule, import steps and costs, model guides for the Honda Acty, Subaru Sambar, Daihatsu Hijet, Suzuki Carry and Mitsubishi Minicab, and ownership guides. Published by Oiwa Garage (oiwagarage.co), a US Kei Truck parts store.

Status counts as of October 2026: Street legal: 12, Legal with limits: 19, No road use: 10, Unclear: 9.
Key facts: Kei Trucks have 660cc engines (since 1990) and a 350 kg (about 770 lb) rated load. They can be imported into the US once they are 25 years old, counted from the month of manufacture (NHTSA, 49 CFR 591.5(i)). Road use is decided by each state.
Machine-readable state data: https://keitruckus.com/data/kei-truck-laws.json

## Start here
- [What Is a Kei Truck?](https://keitruckus.com/what-is-a-kei-truck/): A Kei Truck is a small Japanese pickup built to Japan's Kei (light vehicle) rules: no longer than 3.40 m (about 134 in), no wider than 1.48 m, and powered by a 660 cc or smaller engine. Suzuki, Daihatsu, Honda, Subaru and Mitsubishi built them as road vehicles. In the US they arrive as 25-year-old imports, and road use depends on your state.
- [Are Kei Trucks Street Legal? Laws in All 50 States](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/): It depends on your state. A Kei Truck that is at least 25 years old can be imported legally, but titles, plates and road access are state law. As of October 2026, some states register them like any other vehicle, many allow road use with limits such as low-speed roads or no interstates, and some refuse road use entirely. Check your state's law and titling office before you buy.
- [The 25-Year Rule for Kei Trucks, Explained](https://keitruckus.com/25-year-rule/): The 25-year rule lets you import a Kei Truck that never met US safety standards once it is at least 25 years old, counted from its date of manufacture (49 USC 30112(b)(9)). You claim it on DOT form HS-7, box 1. As of October 2026, trucks built in October 2001 or earlier qualify, and one more month of production becomes eligible every month.
- [How to Import a Kei Truck, Step by Step](https://keitruckus.com/importing-a-kei-truck/): Yes, you can import a Kei Truck yourself if it is at least 25 years old by its build date when it reaches a US port. You buy it in Japan, ship it, file an Importer Security Filing, enter it with customs using DOT form HS-7 box 1 and EPA form 3520-1 code E, pay the 25% truck duty and fees, then title it in your state.
- [What Does a Kei Truck Cost in 2026?](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-cost/): Most running Kei Trucks sell for about $6,000-12,000 from US sellers in 2026 (estimate). Importing one yourself typically comes to $5,500-9,500 once it is titled and serviced, starting from a $2,000-4,000 truck in Japan. Government charges on a $2,500 truck run about $630-665: the 25% duty plus small processing and harbor fees. Freight, the yen and state taxes move the totals.
- [Buying a Kei Truck: Where to Buy and What to Check](https://keitruckus.com/buying-a-kei-truck/): You can buy a Kei Truck from a US importer or dealer with trucks on hand, from a private seller, or import one yourself from Japan. Whichever route you take, confirm your state will register it, see the import papers (HS-7, EPA 3520-1, CBP entry, export certificate), and inspect the frame, 4WD, clutch, gearbox, cooling system and timing belt record before you pay.
- [How to Read Japanese Auction Sheets for Kei Trucks](https://keitruckus.com/auction-sheets/): A Japanese auction sheet is the condition report an auction's inspector writes before a vehicle is sold. The overall grade runs from S for nearly new down to 1, with R or RA marking structural repairs. A letter rates the interior, and a body diagram marks each flaw with a code such as A2 for a scratch or C for corrosion. On a Kei Truck, read the rust codes first.
- [Kei Truck FAQ: Answers to the Questions Buyers and Owners Ask Most](https://keitruckus.com/faq/): Kei Trucks are small Japanese work trucks that can be imported into the US once they are 25 years old, counted from their date of manufacture; as of October 2026, that means trucks built in October 2001 or earlier. Your state then decides whether you can register and drive one on public roads. Expect a 660 cc engine and a 350 kg (about 770 lb) rated load.

## Models
- [Which Kei Truck Should You Buy?](https://keitruckus.com/models/): It depends on the job. The Suzuki Carry is the safest all-round pick, with the deepest US parts support. The Daihatsu Hijet suits farm work and, with its Jumbo cab, tall drivers. The Honda Acty and Subaru Sambar are the most comfortable on pavement, and the Mitsubishi Minicab is usually the budget buy. Condition matters more than the badge.
- [Honda Acty: Generations, the Attack Trim and What to Check](https://keitruckus.com/models/honda-acty/): The Honda Acty is Honda's Kei Truck, built from 1977 to 2021 with its engine mounted between the axles instead of under the seats. As of October 2026, any Acty manufactured in October 2001 or earlier can be imported under the US 25-year rule. That covers every HA3 and HA4 (1990-1999) plus HA6 and HA7 trucks built through October 2001.
- [Subaru Sambar: Rear Engine, Four Cylinders and What to Check](https://keitruckus.com/models/subaru-sambar/): The Subaru Sambar is Subaru's rear-engined Kei Truck, built by Subaru from 1961 until February 2012 and sold since then as a rebadged Daihatsu Hijet. As of October 2026, any Sambar manufactured in October 2001 or earlier can be imported under the US 25-year rule. That covers every KS3 and KS4 (1990-1999) plus TT1 and TT2 trucks built through October 2001.
- [Daihatsu Hijet: Chassis Codes, Jumbo Cabs and What to Check](https://keitruckus.com/models/daihatsu-hijet/): The Daihatsu Hijet is Daihatsu's cab-over Kei Truck, sold in Japan since 1960. As of October 2026, any Hijet manufactured in October 2001 or earlier can be imported under the US 25-year rule. That covers the S82P/S83P (1990-1994), the S100P/S110P (1994-1999) and S200P/S210P trucks built through October 2001, plus older 550 cc trucks. In each pair, the second code is 4WD.
- [Suzuki Carry: Generations, Chassis Codes and What to Check](https://keitruckus.com/models/suzuki-carry/): The Suzuki Carry is Suzuki's cab-over Kei Truck, built since 1961. As of October 2026, any Carry manufactured in October 2001 or earlier can be imported under the US 25-year rule. That includes every DC51T and DD51T (1991-1999), every DA52T and DB52T (1999-2001) and the first K6A-powered DA62T trucks. Later DA62T and DA63T trucks qualify month by month.
- [Mitsubishi Minicab: Generations, 3G83 Engine and What to Check](https://keitruckus.com/models/mitsubishi-minicab/): The Mitsubishi Minicab is Mitsubishi's cab-over Kei Truck, sold in Japan since 1966 and built on a Suzuki Carry base since 2014. As of October 2026, any Minicab manufactured in October 2001 or earlier can be imported under the US 25-year rule. That covers every U41T and U42T (1991-1999) plus U61T and U62T trucks built through October 2001.
- [Kei Vans: Which Japanese Mini Vans Can You Import?](https://keitruckus.com/models/kei-vans/): A Kei Van is the enclosed version of a Kei Truck, built to the same 660 cc and size limits on the same platforms. The main importable families are the Suzuki Every, Daihatsu Hijet Van, Atrai and Hijet Cargo, Honda Acty Van, Street and Vamos, Subaru Sambar Van and Dias, and Mitsubishi Minicab Van, Bravo and Town Box.
- [Kei Truck Specs: Size, Bed, Payload and Engines](https://keitruckus.com/specs/): A Kei Truck built from 1999 on is about 3,395 mm long and 1,475 mm wide (133.7 x 58.1 in), with an inside bed of about 1,940 x 1,410 mm (76.4 x 55.5 in). Every model is rated for 350 kg (about 770 lb), weighs roughly 650 to 860 kg empty and uses a 656 to 659 cc engine rated at 38 to 58 PS.

## Ownership
- [Kei Truck Maintenance: The Schedule, the Timing Belt and What to Do First](https://keitruckus.com/maintenance/): Treat every newly bought Kei Truck as overdue: replace the timing belt and water pump unless you have a dated receipt, then renew all fluids, filters and plugs. After that, common guidance is engine oil every 3,000-5,000 miles, a timing belt every 100,000 km (about 62,000 miles) or 10 years, and brake fluid and coolant every 2 years. The manual for your exact chassis overrides any general schedule.
- [Kei Truck Mods: What to Upgrade First and What to Leave Alone](https://keitruckus.com/mods/): Service the truck and register it stock, then fit good light-truck tires and, if you need clearance, a modest lift. Most bolt-on Kei Truck lift kits add about 1.5-2 inches; realign the front end and re-aim the headlights afterward. Keep lighting road-legal, remember that everything you bolt on counts against the 350 kg (about 770 lb) rated load, and check your state's size and equipment rules first.
- [Kei Trucks Off-Road: How the 4x4 Systems Work and Where They Stop](https://keitruckus.com/off-road/): Yes. A 4WD Kei Truck is a capable low-speed work vehicle on farm tracks, mud, snow and forest roads. Most use part-time 4WD, many with a low range, and some trims add a rear diff lock or, on the Honda Acty Attack, an ultra-low gear. Factory ground clearance is only about 145-190 mm (5.7-7.5 inches), so tires and careful lines matter more than power.
- [Kei Truck Campers: How to Build or Buy One That Stays Under the Load Limit](https://keitruckus.com/campers/): Yes, a Kei Truck can carry a slide-in camper, but the camper and everything in it must fit within the truck's 350 kg (about 770 lb) rated load, which in Japan does not include the two occupants. That means a light shell, modest water, weight kept low and forward, frame-mounted tie-downs, a carbon monoxide detector, and a check of your state's rules before you drive.
- [Kei Truck Specialty Bodies: Dump Beds, Scissor Lifts, Fire Trucks and More](https://keitruckus.com/specialty-bodies/): Kei Trucks were built with many specialty bodies: hydraulic dump beds, scissor-lift beds, panel and refrigerated boxes, fire pump carriers, small cranes and Hijet Jumbo cabs. The body doesn't change your state's Kei Truck rules. Before buying, run the hydraulics through full cycles, look for leaks and rust under the body, and plan to disable any emergency lights or siren before registering.
- [Kei Truck vs UTV: Which One Fits Your Work?](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-vs-utv/): It depends on the job. A Kei Truck is a titled road vehicle in states that register it, with an enclosed cab, a 350 kg rated bed and car-like running costs. A UTV is an off-highway machine with more suspension travel, ground clearance and towing capacity. Pick the Kei Truck for road errands and hauling in bad weather, and the UTV for rough terrain.

## Kei Truck laws by state
- [Alabama](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/alabama/): Legal with limits. Two routes: title it as a 25-year import, or take the mini-truck plate (governor set at 25 mph, interstates off limits, no title).
- [Alaska](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/alaska/): Street legal. Since June 24, 2026, AS 28.10.068 gives legally imported vehicles 25+ years old a standard Alaska title and plates.
- [Arizona](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/arizona/): Street legal. No Kei-specific law: 25-year imports title and register like any truck. Emissions tests apply in the Phoenix and Tucson areas.
- [Arkansas](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/arkansas/): Farm plate only. Mini-truck law: farm plate with a sworn farm-use affidavit. No interstates, controlled-access roads or roads posted over 55 mph.
- [California](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/california/): No road use. DMV refuses road and off-highway registration for direct imports that cannot prove federal safety and emissions compliance.
- [Colorado](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/colorado/): Off-road until 2028. Off-highway title only today. HB25-1281 opens road registration for applications filed from Jan. 1, 2028, on roads limited to 55 mph or less.
- [Connecticut](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/connecticut/): Unclear. No Kei law. The DMV's gray-market import process applies, but the commissioner may refuse vehicle classes judged unsafe. Outcomes vary.
- [Delaware](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/delaware/): Street legal. No Kei law. The DMV import procedure asks for federal safety proof only on imports under 25; pass the free DMV inspection to title and register.
- [Florida](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/florida/): Legal with limits. Titled and registered as a mini truck, but only on streets posted 35 mph or less. Crossing faster roads at intersections is allowed.
- [Georgia](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/georgia/): No road use. Revenue Department bulletin bars titles and plates and voids ones issued by mistake. HB 957 passed the House in 2026 but died in the Senate.
- [Hawaii](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/hawaii/): No road use (default). No registration for vehicles without FMVSS certification. A county-approved special interest (collector) exception is the only opening.
- [Idaho](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/idaho/): Unclear. Titles 25-year imports with a gray-market brand, but a statute bars plating non-FMVSS vehicles. OHV plates are a limited fallback.
- [Illinois](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/illinois/): No state plates. No registration: the Secretary of State cites 625 ILCS 5/3-401(c-1). Some towns allow non-highway vehicles on 35 mph roads.
- [Indiana](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/indiana/): Legal with limits. Titled and plated as a mini-truck. Any public road except interstates. The truck must be 60 in wide or less and 1,600 lb dry or less.
- [Iowa](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/iowa/): No road use. Iowa refuses title and plates without a federal safety label. An off-road utility vehicle registration is the only, untested, road route.
- [Kansas](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/kansas/): Legal with limits. Titled as a nonhighway micro utility truck. County and township roads are open; city streets only if allowed; no state or US highways.
- [Kentucky](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/kentucky/): Local opt-in only. Registers as a street-legal special purpose vehicle only where a city or county opts in. No interstates; 20-mile cap on centerline roads.
- [Louisiana](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/louisiana/): Legal with limits. Roads posted 55 mph or less; no interstates. Registered as an off-road vehicle: OMV title, $3-a-year decal, no brake tag.
- [Maine](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/maine/): No road use. Maine classes Kei Trucks as off-road vehicles that cannot be registered. Private land only. A 2026 state study advised no change.
- [Maryland](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/maryland/): Unclear. No statute names Kei Trucks. MVA import rules accept the 25-year HS-7 box but demand conformity, and refusals are reported. Ask first.
- [Massachusetts](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/massachusetts/): Street legal. RMV policy since September 2024 registers Kei Trucks with passenger or commercial plates. Yearly safety inspection. No statute yet.
- [Michigan](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/michigan/): Street legal. At 25 years old, Kei-class trucks and vans get a regular on-road title and plates from the SOS. No inspection or emissions test.
- [Minnesota](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/minnesota/): Local permit only. No state title or plates for mini trucks. Road use only where a county, city or town ordinance allows it, by permit, on designated roads.
- [Mississippi](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/mississippi/): Street legal. No Kei law either way. Title through the county tax collector with import papers and certified translations. No inspection, no 35 mph rule.
- [Missouri](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/missouri/): Street legal. Branded Non-USA-Std title once the Highway Patrol examines the truck, then normal registration. Safety inspection every two years.
- [Montana](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/montana/): Street legal. Ordinary title and plates using the Japanese export certificate and import forms. No inspection or emissions test, and low fees for older trucks.
- [Nebraska](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/nebraska/): Legal with limits. Titled as a minitruck at the County Treasurer for $10. Any road except interstates, expressways and freeways; headlights and taillights always on.
- [Nevada](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/nevada/): Unclear. No Kei law or DMV Kei statement. A gray market title route exists (branded Non-US Vehicle); Las Vegas and Reno smog tests are the hurdle.
- [New Hampshire](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/new-hampshire/): Street legal. Model year 1999 and older needs no title: register with a bill of sale and VIN verification. No periodic inspection since January 2026.
- [New Jersey](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/new-jersey/): Unclear. No Kei law or MVC Kei policy. Only the MVC Special Title Unit, by mail, can title a truck bought in Japan. Get its answer in writing first.
- [New Mexico](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/new-mexico/): Likely refused. No Kei law, but the MVD manual asks for a NHTSA bond release letter a 25-year import never gets. Plan on private-land use unless the MVD says yes.
- [New York](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/new-york/): No road use. The DMV refuses to title or register Kei-class vehicles unless FMVSS and EPA compliance is proven. Private land only; ATV registration does not fit.
- [North Carolina](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/north-carolina/): Legal with limits. Registers as a mini-truck for roads posted 55 mph or less, with annual safety inspection. No antique plates. Check the 130-inch length limit.
- [North Dakota](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/north-dakota/): Street legal. No Kei-specific law. Registers as a pickup by weight rating, with no inspection or emissions test. The 55 mph rule people quote is for OHVs.
- [Ohio](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/ohio/): Local opt-in only. Titled as mini-trucks, but road use needs a local ordinance, a police inspection and a 35 mph or lower limit. CAUV farms may run field to field.
- [Oklahoma](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/oklahoma/): Legal, no Interstates. Titled and registered like a light truck under 47 O.S. 1151.3. Every road except Interstate highways, with no speed cap and no safety inspection.
- [Oregon](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/oregon/): No road use. DMV refuses titles and registration for Kei vehicles. The Class IV ATV route needs off-road-only tires and design. HB 4063 died in March 2026.
- [Pennsylvania](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/pennsylvania/): Antique plate only. Unrestricted plates ended Dec. 2021. Antique plates allow road use one day a week at most, not for work or commuting. Farm and off-road titles exist.
- [Rhode Island](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/rhode-island/): No new registrations. A 2024 law bars new Kei registrations and all transfers. Trucks registered before June 1, 2024 may renew and use roads posted 35 mph or less.
- [South Carolina](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/south-carolina/): Open, unconfirmed. No Kei law, no inspection and no special road class, so it should register like any truck. SCDMV has published no position, so confirm first.
- [South Dakota](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/south-dakota/): Street legal. No Kei-specific law. Titles and plates through the county like a small pickup, $36 a year up to 2,000 lb. No inspection or emissions test.
- [Tennessee](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/tennessee/): Legal with limits. Mini-trucks register as Class I off-highway or medium speed vehicles. County roads and state roads posted 45 or less, 35 mph max, no interstates.
- [Texas](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/texas/): Street legal. SB 1816 made miniature vehicles ordinary titled and registered motor vehicles. No speed cap or road ban; the truck must be able to obey traffic laws.
- [Utah](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/utah/): Legal with limits. Kei-class imports register as novel vehicles. Street-legal ones may use roads except interstates, never above 50 mph; $2 a year in fees.
- [Vermont](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/vermont/): Legal up to 130 in. Act 153 (July 2026) treats Kei vehicles as pleasure cars and bars local bans, but only up to 130 in long; 1999+ trucks at 133.7 in are left out.
- [Virginia](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/virginia/): Unclear. No Kei law or DMV bulletin. Import rules allow a title for 25-year-old imports, but classification is unconfirmed; HB 219 is held for 2027.
- [Washington](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/washington/): Unclear. No Kei law or DOL ruling. Foreign vehicles can be titled, but no small-vehicle class fits a stock truck; get DOL's classification in writing.
- [West Virginia](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/west-virginia/): Legal with limits. Mini-trucks register like motorcycles ($8/yr) as special purpose vehicles. No interstates or federal-program highways; 20-mile cap on striped roads.
- [Wisconsin](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/wisconsin/): Collector plates only. Regular plates refused for Kei class vehicles. Collector plates only: stock body, second vehicle required, no January driving, 500 lb load cap.
- [Wyoming](https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws/wyoming/): Legal, no interstates. Mini farm trucks fit Wyoming's multipurpose vehicle class: public roads but no interstates; keep right if slow. No inspection or emissions test.

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- [About and editorial standards](https://keitruckus.com/about/)
- Parts: [Oiwa Garage](https://oiwagarage.co)