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 Houston, about 95 miles from College Station and Bryan. We don't have a Brazos Valley location, but it's a short enough trip that most buyers come see the truck and trailer it home. This page covers the drive, the Brazos County tax office, the fees, and the one thing Brazos County doesn't make easy: finding someone to do the VTR-68-A VIN inspection.
Quick facts
- Distance: about 95 miles, roughly 1¾ hours: US-290 West to Hempstead, then SH-6 North through Navasota.
- Shipping: the one published 2026 price for Houston to College Station is $500 to $650; a rented trailer is usually cheaper for a trip this short.
- County office: Brazos County Tax Office, 4151 County Park Court, Bryan (one location).
- VIN inspection: no published program in Brazos County; call College Station or Bryan police, or use the Heart of Texas task force's walk-up inspection in Waco.
- Tax and fees: about $603.50 for a $7,999.99 truck in Brazos County.
- Emissions test: none. Brazos County doesn't test, and a 25-year-old truck would be exempt anyway.
Getting a kei truck from Houston to College Station
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 College Station run as 1 to 2 days on the road, but brokers' minimum charges mean a 95-mile trip costs nearly 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 one published 2026 price for Houston to College Station is $500 to $650 on an open carrier.
| Source (route) | Published price | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| AmeriFreight (Houston–College Station, 2026) | $500–$650 | 1–2 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 $150 to $240 for 95 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 95 miles to College Station, roughly 1¾ hours with a trailer: I-10 West to I-610, US-290 West to Hempstead, then SH-6 North through Navasota into College Station and on to Bryan. 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 the US-290 and SH-6 run 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. College Station, Bryan, Wellborn and Kurten are in Brazos County, which has a single tax office in Bryan. Caldwell and Somerville are in Burleson County, Hearne and Franklin in Robertson County, Navasota in Grimes County and Brenham in Washington County, each with its own office.
| County | Main office | Phone | Hours and visits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazos | 4151 County Park Court, Bryan 77802 (the county's only tax office) | (979) 775-9930 | Hours and the appointment policy aren't shown on TxDMV's listing; the office has used drive-through windows from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. plus lobby title windows, so call to confirm the current setup before you go. Email taxoffice@brazoscountytx.gov. |
Outside Brazos County? Use your own county's office (TxDMV office finder). Brazos County doesn't publish its own 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. The title fee is $28 in Brazos, Burleson, Robertson, Grimes and Washington counties (none is an emissions or “affected” county), and 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazos | $500.00 | $28.00 | $51.75 | $11.50 | $12.25 | $603.50 |
| Burleson | $500.00 | $28.00 | $51.75 | $11.50 | $12.25 | $603.50 |
| Robertson | $500.00 | $28.00 | $51.75 | $11.50 | $12.25 | $603.50 |
| Grimes | $500.00 | $28.00 | $51.75 | $10.00 | $12.25 | $602.00 |
| Washington | $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 College Station and Bryan
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| College Station Police, 800 Krenek Tap Rd., College Station 77840 | College Station residents (ask) | No 68-A program is published. Call the non-emergency line, 979-764-3600, and ask for the auto theft or criminal investigations unit | Ask |
| Bryan Police, 303 E. 29th St., Bryan 77803 | Bryan residents (ask) | No 68-A program is published. Call 979-209-5300, or the Criminal Investigations Division at 979-209-5316 | Ask |
| Heart of Texas Auto Theft Task Force, 501 S. 32nd St., Waco (parking lot of the Hart-Patterson Track and Field complex), about 95 miles north on SH-6 | No residency restriction is stated | 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month, 9:00–10:00 a.m.; no appointment, first come, first served; if you're in line before 10 a.m. you'll be seen (Heart of Texas task force) | $40 by cashier's check or money order payable to “Auto Theft Task Force” |
We couldn't find a published VTR-68-A schedule for Brazos County, so start with a phone call to the city police where you live or to the Brazos County Sheriff's Office. If none of them does the inspection, the Waco task force's walk-up session is the nearest documented option; the truck has to be there, so it's a trailer trip either way. 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. Brazos, Burleson, Robertson, Madison, Milam and Leon counties are served by the Waco Regional Service Center (2203 Austin Ave., Waco 76701; 254-296-2700), open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There's no TxDMV center in Bryan–College Station.
Kei trucks around College Station and Bryan
Texas A&M is the center of gravity here: 81,000 students on a 5,200-acre campus, plus the agricultural research stations, veterinary facilities and farms that come with it. Kei trucks fit the area twice over: as a cheap, easy-to-park vehicle for students and campus-area landlords, and as a working truck for the small ranches and hay operations along SH-6, SH-21 and SH-30 in Brazos, Burleson and Robertson counties. Because we're only an hour and three-quarters away, you can inspect and test drive a truck in Houston and have it home the same afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to ship a kei truck from Houston to College Station?
The one published 2026 broker price is $500 to $650, because brokers charge a minimum even for 95 miles. A local flatbed or a rented car-hauler trailer is usually cheaper, and most Brazos Valley buyers pick up in person.
How long does the trip take?
About 1¾ hours each way. If you ship, carriers list 1 to 2 days on the road.
Where do I get a VTR-68-A inspection in College Station or Bryan?
Neither city publishes a 68-A program. Call College Station police (979-764-3600), Bryan police (979-209-5300) or the Brazos County Sheriff's Office and ask for the auto theft investigator. The nearest documented walk-up inspection is the Heart of Texas Auto Theft Task Force in Waco, on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month ($40).
Do kei trucks need an emissions test in Brazos County?
No. Brazos County isn't an emissions-testing county, and a truck 25 years or older would be exempt even in counties that test.
Can I see the truck before I buy?
Yes. From College Station it's a short 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 · Beaumont · 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: Brazos County tax office
- WTAW: Brazos County tax office drive-through and title windows (2020)
- College Station Police Department
- Bryan Police Department: contacts
- Heart of Texas Auto Theft Task Force: inspection schedule
- TxDMV: Waco Regional Service Center
- Visit College Station: getting here
- Texas A&M University: facts
- 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.