Not confirmed by South Carolina yet: what we found

Kei Trucks in South Carolina

Not confirmed: what the law says, what dealers and owners report, and what to ask

No South Carolina law or SCDMV rule names kei trucks. A local importer sells them with state titles, and owners report driving them. But nothing official says yes, so ask first.

Not confirmed in South CarolinaNo kei rule. Dealers sell them titled; get SCDMV's answer in writing.

See what to ask ↓

Kei lawNone

SCDMV policyNot published

Local importerIrmo

Ask firstIn writing

A white Honda Acty kei truck with a ladder rack parked in a store parking lot — A Honda Acty work truck with a ladder rack, in England.

The law

What South Carolina rules say about kei trucks

There's no kei-truck law. Here's what we found instead.

What we found

The vehicle registration chapter (Title 56, chapter 3) has no kei or mini-truck rule.
An Attorney General opinion says SCDMV treats UTVs as off-road vehicles that can't be registered.
An importer in Irmo sells kei trucks with a South Carolina dealer title.
An owner reports driving a kei van from Columbia to Myrtle Beach.

Those signs point toward yes, but SCDMV hasn't published a kei rule, so we can't confirm it.

Sources: South Carolina Code Title 56, chapter 3 ↗, South Carolina Attorney General opinion on UTVs, dealer listings, owner reports. Checked Nov. 9, 2026.

Options

What to do before you buy in South Carolina

A few calls first can save you a truck you can't plate.

1
Ask SCDMV in writingAsk whether a 25-year-old kei truck can be titled and registered for normal road use. Keep the reply.
2
Ask the dealer about platesAsk how its South Carolina buyers registered their trucks, and what papers they used.
3
Collect 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.
4
Buy insurance before you driveYou need liability insurance to register any vehicle.

What to ask SCDMV, in writing

Can a kei truck 25 years or older be titled and registered for normal road use?
Which papers do you need: customs entry, HS-7, EPA 3520-1, the Japanese export certificate?
The registration law, for reference: SC Code Title 56, chapter 3 ↗.

Sources: SCDMV. Not legal advice.

Roads

Where you can drive one

Only once SCDMV titles and registers it.

One Columbia owner says kei vehicles turn heads here, and are becoming common on the road. We found no rule limiting registered kei trucks to certain roads.