By Farhad Musazada, owner of Skyline Kei Trucks. Last updated: October 22, 2026. Statute and agency rules verified October 2026; fees, taxes and shipping estimates checked October 2026. Based on Tennessee Code Annotated §§ 55-8-101 and 55-8-185 (as rewritten by Public Chapter 255 of 2025) and Tennessee Department of Revenue guidance (sources at the end). Shipping prices are published estimates, not quotes. General information, not legal advice.
Our kei trucks are on our lot in east Houston, about 565 miles from the Tennessee line, which is the Mississippi River at Memphis. Memphis is about 568 miles away, Jackson 655, Clarksville 771, Nashville 780, Chattanooga 810 and Knoxville 919. Tennessee names mini trucks in its motor vehicle code: they are Class I off-highway vehicles, and since April 24, 2025 they can use county roads and state highways posted 45 mph or less statewide, at up to 35 mph and in daylight, but never interstates. So the answer is yes, with limits. This page covers the statute, the plate, the paperwork, the taxes and getting the truck home.
Key facts
- Street legal: with limits. County roads and state highways posted 45 mph or less, at up to 35 mph, in daylight; never interstates or controlled-access highways (Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-185).
- How it registers: as a Class I off-highway vehicle, a class that “includes mini-trucks” (§ 55-8-101). The title, off-highway plate and Department of Revenue sticker come from your county clerk.
- Paperwork: the Japanese export certificate with an English translation, our bill of sale, DOT HS-7 (Box 1), CBP Form 7501, EPA Form 3520-1, ID and proof of Tennessee residency, proof of insurance; the clerk may ask for an affidavit.
- Taxes: 7% state sales tax, a 2.75% single article tax on the $1,600 to $3,200 slice and your county's rate on the first $1,600: about $640 on a $7,999.99 truck. No farm exemption for mini-trucks.
- Fees: title $14 to $16 (Knox and Hamilton counties); ask your clerk for the off-highway plate fee; some counties add a wheel tax.
- Insurance: required for road use; minimum 25/50/25, or a $65,000 single limit.
- Helmets: not required for people riding within an enclosed cab (§ 55-9-302).
- Inspection: none in the title process, and Tennessee's last emissions testing ended in 2022.
Are kei trucks legal in Tennessee?
Yes, on the roads the statute opens to them. Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-101(12) defines a Class I off-highway vehicle as a motorized vehicle on four to six tires with a top speed over 35 mph, a dry weight up to 3,500 pounds, a width of 80 inches or less, non-straddle seating for two to four and a steering wheel, and adds: “‘Class I off-highway vehicle’ includes mini-trucks.”
Road use is set by § 55-8-185, rewritten by Public Chapter 255 of 2025 (Senate Bill 728/House Bill 810, signed and effective April 24, 2025). A Class I vehicle counts as a “utility terrain vehicle,” and one “may be operated on any state highway where the speed limit is forty-five miles per hour (45 mph) or less or any county road in the state,” except interstates, controlled-access highways and roads a county, city or the Department of Transportation has closed for safety (the Department of Safety had to publish that list by October 1, 2025). It “may be operated only at a rate not to exceed thirty-five miles per hour (35 mph),” in daylight (30 minutes before dawn to 30 minutes after dusk) unless it is used for agricultural purposes, and it may cross a faster highway after a full stop but never an interstate. A violation is a Class C misdemeanor with a $50 fine.
The truck must be registered and insured; the driver must be 16 or older with a full license, not a permit; no passenger may need a child safety seat; and equipment it has, such as lights, turn signals, brakes, horn, seat belts and windshield, must work and be used. The helmet rule follows Tennessee's helmet law, § 55-9-302, which exempts “persons riding … within an enclosed cab,” as in a kei truck.
The statewide permission doesn't mention city streets, so ask your city before you drive on its streets. Some websites call Tennessee fully street legal for kei trucks; the statute doesn't say that, and we found no Department of Revenue rule that plates a mini-truck as an ordinary truck. Public Chapter 255 also repealed the old Class I section, § 55-8-203, so guides that cite it are out of date.
Moving the truck to another state later, or want to see how Tennessee compares? Our kei truck laws by state map covers all 50 states, with each state's status, statute and the 2026 changes.
Do you get a license plate in Tennessee?
Yes, but not a regular truck plate. Your county clerk issues the title and an off-highway vehicle plate. The Department of Revenue's off-highway vehicle page says registration requires proof of ownership and that the clerk may require an affidavit for a Class I registration. A titled off-highway vehicle must also carry a Department sticker, issued by the clerk, that is non-renewable, non-transferable and void if the vehicle is sold. If the truck never leaves your land, you can get a title-only certificate instead.
The same page lists mini-trucks under “medium speed vehicle” too, but that class tops out at 35 mph, must meet the federal low-speed vehicle standard (49 CFR 571.500) and is limited to streets posted 40 mph or less (§ 55-8-101(38)). The Class I route opens more roads.
Agricultural use is exempt from the section's registration and equipment requirements and from the daylight rule, but not from the insurance requirement. It doesn't make the purchase tax-free, though: the Department's Agricultural Use Affidavit says “the agricultural sales and use tax exemption does not apply to mini-trucks.”
How do you title an imported kei truck in Tennessee?
At the county clerk's office in your county. The Department of Revenue's imported vehicle page asks for a manufacturer's certificate of origin, a bill of sale, the HS-7 and a photo of the federal safety standards (FMVSS) label, a list that fits a new U.S.-spec vehicle. A 25-year-old kei truck has no origin certificate and no FMVSS label: its ownership document is the Japanese export certificate, and Box 1 of the HS-7 declares it old enough to be imported without the label. Bring the full set:
- The Japanese export certificate, with an English translation
- Our bill of sale
- DOT Form HS-7, with Box 1 (25 years or older) checked
- CBP Form 7501 (the customs entry summary) and EPA Form 3520-1
- Proof of identification and proof of Tennessee residency (Department of Revenue)
- Proof of liability insurance, which the statute requires before the truck goes on a road
- The off-highway vehicle affidavit, if your clerk asks for one
- Payment for the tax, title, plate and county fees
The chassis number on the export certificate (format like S210P-0123456) is the VIN. It is shorter than a 17-digit U.S. VIN, so expect questions. If your clerk hasn't titled an imported mini-truck before, the Department's Vehicle Services call center is (615) 741-3101. No inspection appears in the Department's requirements, and emissions testing has ended statewide: the state program in Hamilton, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson counties stopped on January 14, 2022 (NewsChannel 5), and Davidson County's program on February 4, 2022 (NewsChannel 5).
What are the taxes and fees in Tennessee?
The county clerk collects the tax when you title. The Knox County and Hamilton County clerks publish the same structure: 7% state sales tax on the price; a 2.75% state single article tax on the part of the price between $1,600 and $3,200 (at most $44); the county's local rate on the first $1,600 only (2.25%, or $36, in both counties); and a $1 local collection fee. Texas doesn't charge its motor vehicle sales tax on a vehicle “purchased in Texas for use exclusively outside Texas” that isn't used here beyond the trip out or registered here; the buyer gives the seller Form 14-312 (Texas Comptroller). Tennessee credits only sales tax actually paid to another state (§ 67-6-507), so its tax is due in full.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| State sales tax (7%) | $560.00 |
| State single article tax (2.75% of the $1,600.01 to $3,200 portion) | $44.00 |
| Local option tax (first $1,600 only) | $36.00 at 2.25% (Knox and Hamilton counties); your county's rate applies |
| Local collection fee | $1.00 |
| Title | $14.00 (Knox) to $16.00 (Hamilton) |
| Off-highway vehicle plate | ask your county clerk (the state's standard passenger plate fee is $26.50) |
| Total | about $655 to $657 plus the plate fee and any wheel tax |
Example for a $7,999.99 truck; rates and fees from the Knox and Hamilton county clerks and the Department of Revenue (VR-4). Some counties add a wheel tax with a new plate (Knox County's is $36), and recording a lien costs $11. Rates and fees vary by county, so call your clerk first.
How do you get it home from Houston?
On a trailer or a carrier. An unregistered kei truck can't be driven on Texas roads, and a registered one still can't use Tennessee's interstates or its state highways posted above 45 mph. Kei trucks are no more than about 11 ft 2 in long and 4 ft 10 in wide, so they fit a standard car-hauler trailer behind a half-ton pickup. Our lot is just off I-10 on the east side of Houston; Memphis is about 10 hours of driving each way and Nashville about 14, before stops. Lot hours are Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; call or text (713) 385-9798 to set a time.
| Destination | From our lot | Published price range (2026) | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | about 568 miles | Freedom Auto Transport $448–$641; moveBuddha $760–$1,025 | 1–2 days (moveBuddha: 1–6) |
| Clarksville | 771 miles | Freedom $563–$805; moveBuddha $799–$1,167 | 2–3 days (moveBuddha: 2–7) |
| Nashville | 780 miles | Freedom $567–$810; moveBuddha $840–$1,237 | 2–3 days (moveBuddha: 2–7) |
| Chattanooga | 810 miles | Freedom $580–$829; moveBuddha $813–$1,269 | 2–3 days (moveBuddha: 2–7) |
| Knoxville | 919 miles | Freedom $639–$913; moveBuddha $861–$1,402 | 2–3 days (moveBuddha: 2–7) |
Prices are the brokers' own published estimates for a running vehicle, not quotes. Freedom and moveBuddha publish one range per route, and Freedom says open, door-to-door shipping keeps the price in the lower end of its range. A kei truck is smaller and lighter than the cars they price, but brokers don't list a separate rate for them. 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. We help arrange an independent carrier and you pay the carrier directly; see delivery to your state.
Where do you go to title and register it?
Titles and off-highway plates are issued by the county clerk where you live. The Department of Revenue's county clerk directory lists every clerk's address, phone and hours; in Memphis, for example, the Shelby County Clerk is at 150 Washington Ave., Memphis 38103, (901) 222-3000. Questions the clerk can't answer go to the Department of Revenue's Vehicle Services call center: (615) 741-3101, or (888) 871-3171 toll-free in Tennessee (call center numbers). The Department is at 500 Deaderick Street, Nashville 37242, tn.gov/revenue. The Department of Safety doesn't handle titles or plates.
Kei trucks in Tennessee
The 2025 law suits farm country: county roads are open unless the county closes them, and so are the two-lane state highways posted 45 mph or less between fields and small towns. Tennessee had 63,105 farms in 2022, averaging 170 acres (USDA Census of Agriculture), the scale where a small truck that runs between pastures on a county road earns its keep with feed, fencing and hay. Hunting camps and wooded property suit them too, where a 4x4 kei truck's low range and narrow width help (see our guide to 4x4, high and low range and diff lock). Plan routes around the 35 mph cap and the daylight rule.
Frequently asked questions
Are kei trucks street legal in Tennessee?
Partly. Mini-trucks are Class I off-highway vehicles. Since April 24, 2025, a registered, insured one may use county roads and state highways posted 45 mph or less, at up to 35 mph in daylight, with a licensed driver 16 or older; never interstates or controlled-access highways.
Can I drive a kei truck on the highway in Tennessee?
Only on state highways posted 45 mph or less, at no more than 35 mph. Interstates and controlled-access highways are excluded, and a faster highway may be crossed, not driven along.
Do I get a regular license plate?
No. The county clerk issues a title, an off-highway vehicle plate and the Department of Revenue's off-highway sticker. For private land only, you can title it without registering it.
Do I need to wear a helmet in a kei truck?
No. Tennessee's helmet requirement doesn't apply to people riding within an enclosed cab (§ 55-9-302(b)(1)).
How much is the tax on a kei truck in Tennessee?
About $640 on an $8,000 truck at a 2.25% local rate ($560 state, $44 single article, $36 local), plus title, plate and county fees. Mini-trucks don't qualify for the agricultural exemption.
Can you ship a kei truck to Nashville or Memphis?
Yes. We help arrange an independent carrier and you pay the carrier directly; published 2026 estimates run from about $450 (Memphis) to $1,400 (Knoxville). Some buyers bring a trailer.
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 comparison of the Hijet, Carry, Acty and Sambar and how buying from us works. Questions? Call or text (713) 385-9798.
Buying from another state: Louisiana · Oklahoma · Arkansas · New Mexico · Mississippi · Alabama · Missouri · Kansas · Florida · Arizona · South Carolina · Delivery to your state · All locations · Laws in all 50 states (map)
Sources
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-185: utility terrain vehicles on highways
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-101: definitions
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-203: repealed (2025)
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-9-302: helmets
- LegiScan: SB 728, Public Chapter 255 (2025)
- Department of Revenue: off-highway vehicles
- Department of Revenue: Agricultural Use Affidavit
- Department of Revenue: imported vehicles
- Department of Revenue: titling a vehicle
- Department of Revenue: registration fees (VR-4)
- Department of Revenue: call center numbers (VTR-1)
- Department of Revenue: county clerk locations
- Knox County Clerk: sales tax and fees
- Hamilton County Clerk: title and tag fees
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-6-507: credit for tax paid elsewhere
- Texas Comptroller: vehicles taken out of state
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-12-102: insurance minimums
- NewsChannel 5: five counties end emissions testing
- NewsChannel 5: Davidson County ends emissions testing
- USDA: 2022 Census of Agriculture, Tennessee
- Freedom Auto Transport, Houston to: Memphis, Clarksville, Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville
- moveBuddha: Texas to Tennessee
- Homeland Auto Transport: Houston
- AmeriFreight: non-running vehicles
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.
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 in any state, and being unable to do so is not grounds to cancel a purchase. Laws and agency practice change; confirm with your state's motor vehicle agency before you buy. See our Terms of Sale and Shipping & Pickup Policy.
