Last updated: October 22, 2026
We import more than 300 kei trucks a year to our lot in Houston, and the first question from almost every out-of-state buyer is the same: can I put plates on it where I live? Federal law settles the import side (25 years old or older), but registration is up to each state. This page tracks all 50 states in one place.
Tap or click a state on the map, or pick it from the list. Green states register a 25-year-old kei truck like any other vehicle. Amber states register it with kei-specific limits such as speed-limited roads, no interstates, a special plate class or local opt-in. Red states will not register it for the road. Grey means the state has no kei-specific law and no published agency position, so get a written answer before you buy. Every state card shows the statute or agency rule it rests on, with a link to the primary source.
Kei truck laws by state
Are kei trucks street legal in your state?
Federal law lets a kei truck into the country once it is 25 years old. Your state decides whether you can register it for the road. Here is where all 50 states stand as of October 2026, checked against each state's statutes, DMV rules and 2024–2026 bills. Tap a state for the details.
All 50 states at a glance, with sources
How we check: each state's entry was read from its statutes, administrative code and DMV or revenue-department procedures, then compared with 2025–2026 bill records and DMV practice. Where no agency document names kei trucks, the status says so. Counts: 18 street legal, 20 legal with limits, 11 no road use, 1 check with the DMV.
| State | Status | What that means | Key law or policy | Source |
|---|
General information, not legal advice. Laws, DMV policies and county practice change; confirm with your state DMV or county tax office before you buy or register a vehicle. Last reviewed October 2026. Questions about a specific state? Call or text (713) 385-9798.
Buying from us in Houston and taking it home
In Texas a kei truck is street legal under SB 1816, and you title and register it at your county tax office with the documents that come with the truck; our Texas title and registration guide walks through every step and the fees. If you live in another state, the truck leaves our lot on a trailer or with a carrier (we can help arrange one; you pay the carrier directly) and your state's status on this map decides what happens next. We have buyer pages for Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Kansas, Florida, Arizona and South Carolina, and a hub for Texas cities and nearby states. Not sure about your state? Call or text (713) 385-9798 before you reserve a truck; we would rather tell you no than sell you a truck you cannot plate.
Ready to look? See the kei trucks in stock and arriving, or read how buying works.
Is the truck you want old enough to import?
Every vehicle on this site has already cleared U.S. Customs, so the question is settled for our listings. If you are looking at a truck somewhere else, or wondering when a newer model year opens up, enter its build month and year.
Is a vehicle old enough to import yet? Check its build date
Enter the month and year the vehicle was built (from the maker's label, or the first-registration date on its Japanese export certificate). The tool counts 25 years forward, the way the federal rule does.
Federal rule: a vehicle that was never certified to U.S. safety standards can be imported once it is at least 25 years old, counted from its date of manufacture (49 U.S.C. 30112(b)(9); DOT Form HS-7, box 1). EPA's separate 21-year exemption (Form 3520-1, code E) is already met by then. Every vehicle we sell has cleared U.S. Customs under this rule, so for our listings the question is settled; the tool is for a truck you are thinking of importing yourself, or for checking when a newer model year opens up. General information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Why can a kei truck be imported but not registered in some states?
Importing and registering are two different laws. The federal 25-year rule (49 U.S.C. 30112(b)(9)) lets a vehicle built 25 or more years ago enter the country without meeting current U.S. safety standards. Registration is a state decision: most states treat a legally imported 25-year-old vehicle like any other used vehicle, some created a special class with road or speed limits, and a few refuse to register anything that was never certified to U.S. standards.
What paperwork comes with a truck from Skyline Kei Trucks?
Every truck is 25 years or older and comes with its U.S. import documents: the DOT HS-7 declaration (Box 1), the EPA Form 3520-1, the Customs entry (CBP 7501) and the Japanese export certificate with an English translation, plus our bill of sale. Those are the documents the states on this map ask for when they title an imported vehicle.
Can I drive a kei truck through a state where it can't be registered?
A vehicle validly registered in your home state can generally be driven through other states, the same as any car with out-of-state plates. The problem comes if you move to a state that refuses kei registrations and have to re-register there. Check the state you live in, not the ones you pass through.
Which states changed their kei truck rules recently?
Texas made kei trucks ordinary titled vehicles with SB 1816 (June 2025). Alaska (June 2026) and Vermont (July 2026) passed laws registering them, Kentucky created a street-legal special purpose vehicle class (2025) and Tennessee opened county roads and slower state highways to Class I off-highway vehicles (April 2025). Colorado passed a law that takes effect for applications from January 1, 2028. Going the other way, Rhode Island banned new registrations (July 2024), Illinois began revoking plates (2025), Wisconsin began refusing regular registration (late 2025) and Georgia's governor vetoed one bill in 2025 and the state Senate tabled another in 2026.
How often is this map checked?
Each state was checked against its statutes, administrative code and DMV procedures in October 2026, then compared with 2025 and 2026 bill records. We re-check when a bill passes or a DMV changes its procedure, and at least every few months. If you have a newer document from your state, text (713) 385-9798 or email contact@skylinekeitrucks.com and we will update the map.
Written by Farhad Musazada, owner of Skyline Kei Trucks
Farhad imports more than 300 kei trucks a year to Houston and meets buyers at the lot at 6100 Harvey Wilson Dr. He writes these guides from the paperwork our buyers take to the county tax office and the official sources listed on each page. Spotted something out of date? Email us and we will check it.