Checked against Arizona law, in plain words

Kei Trucks in Arizona

Q: Can you drive a kei truck on the highway in Arizona?

There's no kei-specific ban, but interstates run 65–75 mph and most kei trucks top out around 50–65 mph. Owners use town and rural roads.

Street legal at 25 years old: inspection, emissions and where to buy

Arizona has no kei-truck law. Its import rule simply stops applying once a truck is 25 years old, so kei trucks in Arizona get a normal title and plates.

Yes, street legal in ArizonaAt 25+ years old, imports are titled through the normal MVD process.

Start my MVD checklist ↓

Truck age25+ years

PlatesRegular

MVD inspectionExpect one

EmissionsPhoenix, Tucson

A red Honda kei truck parked in front of a small building in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, at sunset — A Honda kei truck in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

The law

What Arizona law says about kei trucks

Arizona's rule for foreign-made imports asks for extra emissions and safety papers. It has an age cutoff.

The key line (Arizona Administrative Code R17-4-206) is exempt from this subsection if it is older than 25 years from its manufacture date

Younger imports need EPA and federal safety conversion papers.
Older than 25 years: titled like other imported vehicles.

Arizona dealers sell kei trucks with Arizona titles. A 2024 forum claim about an "ATV only" memo is disputed by other owners, and we found no such rule.

Sources: Ariz. Admin. Code R17-4-206 (Cornell LII) ↗, ADOT MVD, ADEQ, dealer websites. Checked Nov. 9, 2026.

How to title and register a kei truck in Arizona

Six steps at ADOT MVD or an Authorized Third Party office.

Your Arizona MVD 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.
3Buy Arizona insuranceYou need liability insurance to register. Owners mostly use State Farm, Progressive or a farm policy.
4Get the truck inspectedADOT inspects "grey market" imports. A truck without a US federal label usually needs a Level II ($20) or Level III ($50) inspection at an ADOT inspection site.
5Emissions test, if you live in Phoenix or TucsonThose areas test gas vehicles built in 1967 or later. Elsewhere in Arizona, no test.
6Apply and payFill out the Title and Registration Application at MVD, pay the fees and get your plate.

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Papers to bring to the MVD

Title and Registration Application (MVD form 96-0236)
Customs entry form CBP 7501
DOT form HS-7
EPA form 3520-1
Japanese export certificate, with an English translation
Your bill of sale
Proof of Arizona insurance
Emissions test results, if you live in the Phoenix or Tucson area

If the MVD office isn't sure

Kei trucks are common in Arizona, but a clerk may still ask about the import rule. Calmly show them:

The rule itself: R17-4-206 ↗. Subsection A.2 exempts imports older than 25 years from the extra conversion papers.
Ask which inspection the truck needs (Level II or Level III) rather than accepting a no.
On paper:

Still stuck? Ask politely to speak with a supervisor.

Sources: R17-4-206, ADOT MVD, ADEQ emissions rules and dealer reports. Not legal advice.

Cost

What it costs to register one

What	Cost
Title	$4
Registration	$8, plus a small air quality fee
MVD inspection	$20 (Level II) or $50 (Level III), once, when you first title it
Vehicle License Tax	Based on the truck's value, so low on an old kei truck
Emissions test	Only in the Phoenix and Tucson areas
Insurance	Owners report about $200–$400 a year

Sources: ADOT MVD fee pages and ADEQ. Collectible vehicles with collector insurance may skip emissions tests; ask MVD.

Roads

Where you can drive one

Arizona sets no special road limits for kei trucks.

Interstates here run 65⁠–⁠75 mph, faster than most kei trucks, so owners stick to town streets and rural roads. An owner who drove open side-by-sides for 30 years likes the kei truck's roof for shade from the desert sun.

Town streetsEasy at kei truck speeds.Good fit
Rural roadsWhere most Arizona owners drive.Good fit
Interstates (65⁠–⁠75 mph)Allowed, but most kei trucks top out at 50⁠–⁠65 mph.Too fast for most

Buy

Kei trucks for sale in Arizona

Arizona dealers ask about $8,700 to $10,000, and sell them with Arizona titles.

AZ Kei Trucks in Mesa shows dozens of Actys and Sambars already sold. Pacific JDM in Scottsdale also finds trucks in Japan and ships them in.

See trucks for sale in Arizona → Import cost calculator →

Real Arizona prices

1999 Subaru Sambar 4WDAsking · 42,875 miles · Scottsdale dealer$10,000
1996 Honda ActyAsking · 44,739 miles · Scottsdale dealer$9,500
1997 Subaru Sambar Classic 4WD73,000 miles · Mesa dealer (sold)$9,300
2001 Daihatsu Hijet 4WDAsking · 45,360 miles · Scottsdale dealer$9,000
1999 Honda Acty 4WD44,000 miles · Mesa dealer (sold)$8,700

Seen Nov. 7⁠–⁠8, 2026. Not offers or guarantees. We're not paid by any dealer.

Arizona kei truck dealers, Phoenix area

We haven't visited or checked these yet. Call before you drive out.

Phoenix area

Mesa, Phoenix areaAZ Kei Trucksazkeitrucks.com
ScottsdalePacific JDMpacificjdm.com

We haven't found a dealer in Tucson yet.

Owners

What owners here say

3 stories from YouTube comments, told in our words.

Arizona shopperYouTube comment · see the video ↗

On the road

Wants one someday and sees them regularly on Arizona roads.

Side-by-side driverYouTube comment · see the video ↗

Shade

Has driven open side-by-sides for nearly 30 years and would rather have a kei truck: the sun is the problem here, and a roof helps.

Owner of two kei trucksYouTube comment · see the video ↗

Then and now

Owned a 1991 Suzuki and a Daihatsu and was always told they couldn't be registered for the street.

Nearby

Kei truck rules next door to Arizona

Moving or buying across the line? The rules change at the border.

Live somewhere else? Check your state

TapClick the yellow button. Your answer shows up right here.

Questions

Arizona questions

Are kei trucks street legal in Arizona?

Yes. Arizona has no kei-truck ban. A kei truck at least 25 years old is titled and registered through the normal MVD process.

Do kei trucks need an emissions test in Arizona?

Only if you live in the Phoenix or Tucson area, where gas vehicles built in 1967 or later are tested. Elsewhere, no test.

Do I need an inspection to register a kei truck in Arizona?

Yes, once. ADOT inspects "grey market" imports, and a truck without a US federal label usually needs a Level II ($20) or Level III ($50) inspection at an ADOT inspection site.

Can you drive a kei truck on the highway in Arizona?

There's no kei-specific ban, but interstates run 65⁠–⁠75 mph and most kei trucks top out around 50⁠–⁠65 mph. Owners use town and rural roads.

Where can I buy a kei truck in Arizona?

Dealers in Mesa and Scottsdale, in the Phoenix area, sell them with Arizona titles, at about $8,700–$10,000 in November 2026. We haven't found one in Tucson yet.

Can I register a kei truck newer than 25 years in Arizona?

Not easily. Younger imports need EPA and federal safety conversion certificates under rule R17-4-206.

Next step

Pick your truck: compare the 5 brands

Carry, Acty, Hijet, Sambar or Minicab: see which fits your land, your height and your budget.

Compare kei trucks →