Kei Trucks Now Street Legal in 22 States, New 50-State Kei Truck Guide Finds

Kei Truck US, published by Japanese mini truck parts leader Oiwa Garage, maps street-legal registration laws, DMV forms, and import costs in all 50 states.

LONG BEACH, CA, UNITED STATES, October 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Kei Truck US today announced the launch of the nation’s most comprehensive, free 50-state resource covering Kei truck laws by state, import eligibility, and ownership costs. Published by Long Beach-based Oiwa Garage, the leading U.S. supplier of Kei truck parts and accessories, the platform provides an interactive color-coded map, plain-English legal summaries, and the exact DMV title and registration paperwork required in every state.

Japanese Kei trucks (keitora)—compact, right-hand-drive 4WD utility trucks built to Japan’s light-vehicle standards with 660cc engines and a 350 kg (770 lb) payload capacity—have surged in popularity among American drivers, farmers, tradespeople, and off-road enthusiasts. While U.S. federal law permits importing Japanese mini trucks once they reach 25 years of age under the NHTSA 25-year import rule, whether a Kei truck is street legal to title, plate, and drive on public roads is decided entirely at the state level.

Following two years of rapid legislative shifts across the country, the October 2026 Kei Truck US 50-State Legal Guide reveals a clear national breakdown:

- 22 States Allow Full Street-Legal Registration: Kei trucks can be titled, plated, and driven on public roads much like standard passenger vehicles.
- 20 States Allow Conditional or Restricted Road Use: Registration is permitted with operational limits, such as low-speed or medium-speed vehicle classifications, speed-zone caps, interstate highway restrictions, or county-level opt-ins.
- 8 States Prohibit On-Road Registration: Public road use remains blocked, restricting Japanese mini trucks to off-road, farm, or private-property utility use.
- Major Legislative Shifts (2024–2026): Grassroots advocacy recently unlocked and protected street-legal registration pathways in Texas, Kentucky, and Vermont, while Colorado enacted legislation opening on-road Kei truck registration starting in January 2028. Conversely, Rhode Island halted new on-road registrations following a 2024 policy change.

“People want the functionality and bed space of a pickup truck, but they don’t want the massive footprint or to spend $60,000 on one,” said George Zotos, Founder and CEO of Oiwa Garage. “Every single week in our 200,000-member owner communities, buyers ask whether a Kei truck is street legal in their state, and the information online was outdated or contradictory. We went statute by statute across all 50 states and put every answer on one interactive map with the exact DMV forms you actually need. Once owners get their truck legally on the road, Oiwa Garage is right there with the OEM and aftermarket parts to keep it running reliably for decades.”

Beyond the interactive 50-state map, Kei Truck US features a 25-Year Import Eligibility Checker, a Kei Truck Landed-Cost Calculator that totals auction price, ocean freight, 25% customs duty, and port fees, plus buyer and maintenance guides for the Honda Acty, Suzuki Carry, Subaru Sambar, Daihatsu Hijet, and Mitsubishi Minicab.

Readers can explore and cite the free 50-state legal map at https://keitruckus.com/kei-truck-laws or browse thousands of in-stock Japanese mini truck parts at https://oiwagarage.co/.

About Kei Truck US
Kei Truck US (keitruckus.com) is a free reference for owners and buyers of Japanese Kei trucks in the United States, covering state laws, importing, costs, models, and ownership. It is published by Oiwa Garage.

About Oiwa Garage
Oiwa Garage (oiwagarage.co) is a Long Beach, California company that sells OEM replacement parts and custom accessories for Japanese Kei trucks, including the Honda Acty, Subaru Sambar, Daihatsu Hijet, Mitsubishi Minicab, and Suzuki Carry, and manages Kei truck owner communities with over 200,000 members.

George Zotos
Oiwa Garage
+1 562-661-8862