Checked against Alaska law, in plain words

Kei Trucks in Alaska

Fully road legal since 2026: what SB 239 changed, and how to title yours

Until 2026, kei trucks here could only get all-purpose vehicle plates, like an ATV. A 2026 law, SB 239, lets the DMV title and register 25-year-old imports as regular road vehicles.

Yes, street legal in AlaskaSince SB 239 (2026), 25+ year imports get a regular title and registration.

Start my DMV checklist ↓

LawSB 239 (2026)

Truck age25+ years

Before 2026APV plates

Votes20⁠–⁠0 and 39⁠–⁠0

A white Subaru Sambar kei truck parked in a lot beside other cars — A Subaru Sambar in a parking lot.

The law

What the new Alaska law says

SB 239 lines up state rules with the federal 25-year import rule. Before, a DMV rule used a fixed 1981 cutoff.

The law (SB 239, 2026)

The DMV can't require current US safety standards to register a legally imported vehicle 25 years old or older.
It can't refuse, suspend or revoke a title for that reason.
The DMV now applies it: no US safety label or maker's letter needed, just ownership and import papers.
Before, kei trucks were registered as all-purpose vehicles (APVs), with limited road use.

Some kei trucks are still listed in DMV records as APVs. Ask the DMV to reclassify yours.

Apr. 29, 2026The Senate passed SB 239, 20⁠–⁠0.
May 18, 2026The House passed it 39⁠–⁠0, and the Senate then agreed to the changes.
July 2026Now law. The DMV's foreign vehicles page cites it (AS 28.10.068 and 28.10.221(e)).

Sources: Alaska Legislature (SB 239) ↗, Alaska's News Source (July 7, 2026), Jalopnik (July 17, 2026), Senior Voice Alaska. Checked Nov. 9, 2026.

How to title and register a kei truck in Alaska

Five steps for kei trucks in Alaska, at the DMV.

Your Alaska DMV checklistTick each step as you do it.

1Check the ageMost kei trucks come in under the federal 25-year exemption, counted from the month the truck was built. In November 2026, that means built in October 2001 or earlier. A truck built in November 2001 turns 25 on its build day this month, so check the exact date (if you don’t know it, wait until Dec. 1, 2026). Buying one that is already in the US? The import is done; you need its import papers.
2Get the import papersCustoms entry (CBP 7501), DOT form HS-7, EPA form 3520-1, the Japanese export certificate with an English translation, and your bill of sale.
3Already on APV plates?Ask the DMV to change the record to a regular vehicle under SB 239.
4Buy insuranceYou need liability insurance for road registration.
5Title and registerBring Form V1, your papers and a VIN inspection (Form 811) done in Alaska to a DMV office. Alaska has no safety or emissions inspection.

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Papers to bring to the DMV

Vehicle Transaction Application, Form V1
VIN inspection, Form 811, done in Alaska
Customs entry form CBP 7501
Japanese export certificate (the foreign ownership document), with an English translation
Your bill of sale
Proof of insurance

If the DMV office isn't sure

The law is new, and some records still list kei trucks as all-purpose vehicles. Calmly show them:

The DMV's own page: Foreign Vehicles ↗. It says vehicles 25 years or older, legally imported, can be titled and registered without meeting current US safety standards.
On paper:

Still stuck? Ask politely to speak with a supervisor.

Sources: Alaska DMV and SB 239. Rules for the new process may still be updated. Not legal advice.

Roads

Where you can drive one

No special road limits under the new law.

Highways here run 55⁠–⁠65 mph, so plan your routes. 4WD trucks with good tires handle snow and gravel roads well.

Town streetsEasy at kei truck speeds.Good fit
Rural roadsSnow and gravel are fine for a 4WD truck with good tires.Good fit
Highways (55⁠–⁠65 mph)Allowed, but plan routes: most kei trucks top out at 50⁠–⁠65 mph.Plan your route

Buy

Buying a kei truck in Alaska

The nearest dealers we found are in Washington; some owners import straight from Japan.

Washington dealers ask $8,000–$9,000 for late-1990s 4WD trucks, before shipping north. One owner paid $14,500 delivered for a low-mile truck with a lift and ATV tires.

See trucks for sale near Alaska → Import cost calculator →

Prices you'll see

1997 Honda Acty 4WDAsking · 46,262 miles · Ferndale, Washington$7,995
1998 Honda ActyAsking · Washington dealer$8,900
2002 Suzuki mini truckDelivered in Alaska, with lift and tires · owner report$14,500