Checked against Georgia law, in plain words

Kei Trucks in Georgia

Not street legal: why Georgia says no, the 2026 bill, and your options

Georgia's Department of Revenue tells county tag offices not to title or register kei trucks, even ones with a title from another state. Bills to change that came close in 2025 and 2026, but kei trucks in Georgia still can't get plates.

Not street legal in GeorgiaA 2023 state bulletin bars titles and plates. A 2025 bill was vetoed, and HB 957 died in the Senate in 2026.
See your options ↓
Road platesNo
Private landYes
2025 billVetoed
2026 billTabled
A white Daihatsu Hijet S100 kei truck parked on a street
A 1990s Daihatsu Hijet: the kind of truck Georgia won't title.

Photo: TTTNIS, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons ↗

The law

Why kei trucks are illegal in Georgia

There's no Georgia law naming kei trucks. The ban comes from a Department of Revenue policy bulletin to county tag offices.

The rule (DOR Policy Bulletin MVD-2023-05) Kei Vehicles are barred from titling and registration.
  • The bulletin says kei vehicles don't meet US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, so Georgia treats them as not street legal.
  • It applies even if the truck has a title from another state.
  • Titles issued by mistake get a letter from the state.
It also cites an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety warning that kei vehicles can't protect passengers in crashes with even the smallest US-standard vehicles. Confusion between states, it says, is why some got titled here by mistake.
  1. 2023DOR Policy Bulletin MVD-2023-05 told tag offices not to title or register kei vehicles.
  2. May 14, 2025HB 308, to allow kei vehicles, passed both houses, but the governor vetoed it. Reports say the Senate had added unrelated language.
  3. Feb. 9, 2026HB 957, allowing 25+ year imports on local roads, passed the House 162⁠–⁠5.
  4. March 31, 2026The Senate tabled HB 957, and the session ended without it.

Sources: Georgia DOR Policy Bulletin MVD-2023-05 ↗, Georgia General Assembly records for HB 308 (2025) and HB 957 (2026), The Autopian. Checked Nov. 9, 2026.

Options

What Georgians can do now

No road plates for now. Here's what owners do instead.

  1. 1
    Use it on private landFarms, hunting land and big properties. Owners use kei trucks off public roads.
  2. 2
    Ask your legislators for a new billTwo bills came close: HB 308 passed both houses in 2025 before a veto, and HB 957 passed the House 162⁠–⁠5 in 2026. A new session can bring it back.
  3. 3
    Don't rely on an out-of-state titleThe bulletin says even trucks with another state's title can't be titled here.
  4. 4
    Keep every import paperIf the law changes, the HS-7, customs entry and export certificate prove the truck's age.

Before you buy one as a Georgian

  • A Florida or Carolina title won't get you Georgia plates. The bulletin says so in plain words.
  • Plan where you'll use it: your own land, a farm or hunting land.
  • The state's own rule: Policy Bulletin MVD-2023-05 ↗.

Sources: Georgia DOR and Georgia General Assembly. Not legal advice.

Roads

Can you drive one on Georgia roads?

Not without a Georgia title and plate, which the state won't issue.

HB 957 would have opened local roads to 25+ year imports, with each local government able to opt out. Until a law like that passes, keep it on private land.

  • Private landFarms, hunting land and your own property, away from public roads.Yes
  • Public roadsGeorgia won't title or register kei trucks for the road.Not allowed
Buy

Buying a kei truck as a Georgian

The nearest dealers we found are in Florida and North Carolina.

Dealers in Florida and North Carolina sell plenty of 1990s trucks. A Florida or Carolina title won't get you Georgia plates.

See trucks for sale → Import cost calculator →

Prices nearby

  • 1990s Daihatsu HijetAsking · North Carolina dealer$8,000–$9,800
  • 1993 Subaru Sambar KS4 4WDAsking · 28,870 miles · Miami dealer$8,000
  • 1997 Suzuki CarryAsking · Miami listing$7,995

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

Owners

What Georgians say

2 stories from YouTube comments, told in our words.

Georgia residentYouTube comment · see the video ↗

Wish list

Would love to drive one for the fuel economy, low cost and hauling room, but lives in Georgia, which has come down hard on kei trucks.

Georgia viewerYouTube comment · see the video ↗

Admires them

Calls one truck among the cleanest they've seen, but can't drive one on the road where they live in Georgia.

Nearby

Kei truck rules next door to Georgia

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

Georgia questions

Are kei trucks legal in Georgia?

You can own one and use it on private land, but Georgia won't title or register kei trucks for the road, under DOR Policy Bulletin MVD-2023-05.

Why are kei trucks illegal in Georgia?

A 2023 Department of Revenue bulletin bars titling and registering them. It says kei vehicles don't meet US federal safety standards and cites a crash-safety warning from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Did HB 957 pass?

No. It passed the Georgia House 162⁠–⁠5 on Feb. 9, 2026, but the Senate tabled it on March 31, 2026, and the session ended.

Didn't Georgia almost legalize kei trucks in 2025?

Yes. HB 308 passed both houses in 2025, but the governor vetoed it on May 14, 2025. Reports say the Senate had added unrelated language to it.

Can I register my kei truck in Georgia with a Florida title?

No. The bulletin says Georgia won't title them even with a title from another state.

Can I use a kei truck on my farm in Georgia?

Yes. Kei trucks in Georgia can work on farms, hunting land and other private land, off public roads.

Which nearby states allow kei trucks?

Florida (streets posted 35 mph or less), Alabama and North Carolina allow them with road limits. You must register in the state where you live.

Next step

Planning ahead? Pick the right truck

If you have land to use it on now, compare the Carry, Acty, Hijet, Sambar and Minicab.

Compare kei trucks →