Last updated: October 15, 2026. Shipping prices are published estimates, not quotes. Office details are from each county's website; call before you go. General information, not legal advice.
Our kei trucks are on our lot in east Houston, about 85 miles from downtown Beaumont straight down I-10, which makes Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange and the Hardin County towns the closest buyers we have outside Greater Houston. We don't have a Beaumont location, but you can see a truck in the morning and have it home on a trailer by lunch. This page covers the trip, the Jefferson, Orange and Hardin county tax offices, and where to get the VIN inspection.
Quick facts
- Distance: about 85 miles to Beaumont and 110 to Orange, all on I-10 East; about 1½ hours.
- Shipping: brokers' published 2026 prices run from about $500 to $700 even for this short run; a local flatbed or a rented trailer is usually cheaper.
- County office: Jefferson County Tax Office in Beaumont, Port Arthur or Mid-County; Orange County in Orange; Hardin County in Kountze.
- VIN inspection: Beaumont Police Auto Theft Task Force, 255 College St.; call 409-842-6341 to arrange it.
- Tax and fees: about $602 for a $7,999.99 truck in Jefferson, Orange or Hardin County.
- Emissions test: none. None of the three counties tests, and a 25-year-old truck would be exempt anyway.
Getting a kei truck from Houston to Beaumont
Option 1: have it shipped
We help arrange transport with independent carriers, and you pay the carrier directly. The carrier picks the truck up at our lot during business hours once the balance is paid. Carriers list the Beaumont run as 1 to 2 days on the road, but most brokers have a minimum charge that makes an 85-mile trip cost almost as much as a trip to Dallas. How quickly a carrier can pick up varies, so plan on several days to a week from booking to delivery.
What it costs: the two published 2026 prices for Houston to Beaumont are $500 to $700 and $525 to $575 on an open carrier.
| Source (route) | Published price | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| AmeriFreight (Houston–Beaumont, 2026) | $500–$700 | 1–2 days |
| Sherpa Auto Transport (Beaumont–Houston, 2026) | $525–$575 | Up to 2 days |
Prices are for a running vehicle on an open carrier. By the mile, short trips cost the most: Sherpa Auto Transport's rule of thumb of $1.55 to $2.50 a mile for trips under 500 miles (Sherpa, 2026) would be only $130 to $215 for 85 miles, but brokers' minimum charges push the real quotes to $500 or more. For a trip this short, a local tow or flatbed company, or a rented car-hauler trailer behind your own truck, is usually the cheaper option; get both kinds of quote. Brokers don't list a separate price for kei trucks, so expect to be quoted at a car or pickup rate even though a kei truck is smaller. An enclosed trailer costs about 30% to 50% more (Homeland Auto Transport), and a vehicle that doesn't run costs more again, often $150 to $300 extra for winching (AmeriFreight). Prices change with season and fuel, so ask for a written quote.
Option 2: come to Houston and trailer it home
It's about 85 miles to Beaumont on I-10 East, roughly 1½ hours with a trailer, and our lot is just off I-10 on the east side of Houston, so you skip the city traffic entirely. Orange is another 25 miles on I-10; Kountze, Lumberton and Silsbee are up US-69 and US-96 from Beaumont. Kei trucks are no more than about 11 ft 2 in long and 4 ft 10 in wide (Japan's size limits for kei vehicles), so they fit on a typical car-hauler trailer. Check your trailer's weight rating and bring straps. Coming in person also lets you inspect and test drive the truck first; call or text (713) 385-9798 to set a time. Lot hours are Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Can I just drive it home? Not legally until it's titled and registered. Texas law lets a miniature vehicle on public highways only after it “has been registered and titled” (Transportation Code §545.429). A 2016 TxDMV policy limited 30-day temporary permits to vehicles already titled or registered in Texas (TxDMV), so ask your county tax office whether a fresh import qualifies for any temporary permit before you count on one (TxDMV temporary permits). And even once it's registered, Texas allows highway speed limits of 70 mph and higher (TxDOT), well above a comfortable cruising speed for a 660 cc kei truck, so I-10 isn't a good way to get one home either.
Which county office to use
You title and register the truck in the county where you live, within 30 days of the sale. Beaumont, Port Arthur, Nederland and Groves are in Jefferson County; Orange, Vidor and Bridge City in Orange County; Kountze, Lumberton and Silsbee in Hardin County. Each has its own tax office.
| County | Main office | Phone | Hours and visits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | Jefferson County Courthouse, 1149 Pearl St., Beaumont 77701; Port Arthur Sub-Courthouse, 525 Lakeshore Dr. (closes noon–1 p.m.); Mid-County office, 4605 Jerry Ware Dr., Beaumont 77705 | (409) 835-8516 | Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. No appointment system is posted. The county's auto FAQ lists Form 130-U, the signed ownership document, proof of insurance in the buyer's name and an unexpired ID, with a 2.25% fee for card payments (Jefferson County Tax Office). |
| Orange | 123 S. 6th St., Suite A, Orange 77630 | (409) 882-7971 | Hours not posted on TxDMV's listing; call. Email MVPC@co.orange.tx.us. |
| Hardin | 300 W. Monroe St., Kountze 77625 | (409) 246-5180 | Hours not posted on TxDMV's listing; call. |
Outside these counties? Use your own county's office (TxDMV office finder). None of the three publishes a checklist for imported vehicles, so follow TxDMV's out-of-state and imported vehicle requirements (TxDMV), including a certified English translation, and call ahead to confirm what they want to see.
Tax and fees in your county
Example: a $7,999.99 kei truck bought from us and titled in your county. Under the current statute the title fee is $28 in Jefferson, Orange and Hardin counties: the $33 fee applies in federal nonattainment areas and in the Health and Safety Code's “affected counties,” and the 2019 rewrite of that list left the Beaumont–Port Arthur counties off it. Some county pages written before then still say $33, so confirm the fee when you call. The state registration fee is $50.75 plus $1 for TexasSure. The processing fee ($4.75) and inspection program replacement fee ($7.50) are the same everywhere (TxDMV, DPS). Only the local fees change (TxDMV 2026 fee chart).
| County | Sales tax (6.25%) | Title | State registration | Local fees | Processing + inspection fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | $500.00 | $28.00 | $51.75 | $10.00 | $12.25 | $602.00 |
| Orange | $500.00 | $28.00 | $51.75 | $10.00 | $12.25 | $602.00 |
| Hardin | $500.00 | $28.00 | $51.75 | $10.00 | $12.25 | $602.00 |
None of these counties runs emissions testing, and a kei truck old enough to import would be exempt anyway (TCEQ). Plan for the VIN inspection fee below, and a translation or appraisal if your county asks for one (see the Texas guide).
Where to get the VTR-68-A VIN inspection in Beaumont
A truck imported from Japan needs Form VTR-68-A, a VIN inspection done by a law enforcement auto theft unit, before the county will title it (TxDMV). The truck has to be there, so this is another reason to bring it home on a trailer or carrier first.
| Agency | Who it serves | How to book | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaumont Police Auto Theft Task Force (Southeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force), 255 College St., Beaumont 77701 | Southeast Texas; the unit reported doing 882 VTR-68-A inspections in 2022 | Call the unit office at 409-842-6341, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. No schedule, booking method or residency rule is published (Beaumont Police) | Not posted; Texas caps the fee at $40 |
| Orange County and Hardin County sheriff's offices | County residents | Ask your sheriff's office whether it does 68-A inspections; otherwise use the Beaumont task force | Ask |
Bring your ID, proof of insurance, the bill of sale and all the import papers.
If the county office has questions
Kei titles are still new to many clerks. Our Texas title guide covers the common problems: non-17-digit chassis numbers, outdated inspection checklists, translations, and the “off-highway use only” remark. If you're still stuck, the TxDMV regional service center for your county can help with title problems. Jefferson, Orange, Hardin, Liberty and Chambers counties are served by the Beaumont Regional Service Center (8550 Eastex Fwy., Beaumont 77708; 409-895-3200), open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Kei trucks around Beaumont
The Golden Triangle is refinery and petrochemical country: Motiva's Port Arthur refinery is North America's largest at 730,000 barrels a day, and the plants along the Neches and Sabine employ crews who want a cheap second vehicle for the yard or the deer lease. North of Beaumont, Hardin County's Big Thicket and the Piney Woods toward Jasper are hunting-lease and timber land where a 4x4 kei truck replaces a UTV for similar money, with a license plate. And because we're an hour and a half away, Beaumont-area buyers can do what most of our Texas customers can't: drive over, inspect and test drive the truck, and tow it home the same day.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to ship a kei truck from Houston to Beaumont?
Brokers' published 2026 prices start around $500 even for the 85-mile run because of minimum charges. A local flatbed or a rented car-hauler trailer is usually cheaper, and most Beaumont-area buyers simply pick up in person.
How long does the trip take?
About 1½ hours each way on I-10. If you ship, carriers list 1 to 2 days on the road.
Where do I get a VTR-68-A inspection in Beaumont?
The Beaumont Police Auto Theft Task Force at 255 College St. does them; call 409-842-6341 first, because the schedule isn't published.
Is the title fee $28 or $33 in Jefferson County?
$28 under the current statute, which no longer lists Jefferson, Orange or Hardin as “affected counties,” but confirm with the tax office when you call, since some older county pages still show $33.
Can I see the truck before I buy?
Yes, and from Beaumont it's an easy trip: call or text (713) 385-9798 to set a time to inspect and test drive any truck that's in Houston.
Shop kei trucks
Browse trucks in stock in Houston, or reserve one that is arriving soon from Japan with a $1,000 deposit that counts toward the price. New to kei trucks? Start with our kei truck buyer's guide, our guide to what a kei truck costs in Texas and the Texas title and registration guide. Questions? Call or text (713) 385-9798.
Other Texas cities: Houston (our lot) · Dallas–Fort Worth · Fort Worth · Austin · San Antonio · El Paso · Corpus Christi · Lubbock · College Station–Bryan · Waco · Tyler–Longview · Rio Grande Valley
Buying from a nearby state: Louisiana · Oklahoma · Arkansas · New Mexico · All locations
Sources
- TxDMV registration fee chart, 2026
- TxDMV: out-of-state and foreign vehicles
- TxDMV regional service centers: hours and appointments
- TxDMV: Jefferson County tax office
- Jefferson County Tax Office: locations and hours
- Jefferson County Tax Office: auto FAQ
- TxDMV: Orange County tax office
- TxDMV: Hardin County tax office
- Beaumont Police: Auto Theft Task Force
- TxDMV: Beaumont Regional Service Center
- Transportation Code §501.138 (title fee: $28 or $33)
- Motiva: Port Arthur refinery
- Health and Safety Code §386.001 (affected counties, $33 title fee)
- TCEQ: vehicle emissions inspections
- TxDMV: temporary permits (30-day permit limits)
- SB 1816 (Transportation Code §545.429)
Written by Farhad Musazada, Skyline Kei Trucks. Sources checked October 15, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email us and we'll fix it.
All vehicles are sold by Wideway Motors LLC as is, with no warranty. We help arrange shipping through independent carriers; you pay the carrier directly, and we are not the carrier. Seller makes no representation that any vehicle can be titled, registered or driven on public roads, and being unable to do so is not grounds to cancel a purchase. See our Terms of Sale and Shipping & Pickup Policy.