Checked against Texas law, in plain words

Kei Trucks in Texas

Street legal since 2025: how to register, what it costs and where to buy

Texas lets you title, register and drive a kei truck on public roads, as long as it's at least 25 years old. Here's how, what it costs and where Texans buy them.

Yes, street legal in TexasSince June 20, 2025, under Senate Bill 1816. Regular title and plates.

Start my DMV checklist ↓

Truck age25+ years

PlatesRegular

Safety inspectionNone

Emissions testNone

A white Honda Acty kei truck parked on a brick street in front of an old storefront, just imported to Texas — A Honda Acty, freshly imported to Texas from Japan.

The law

What Texas law says about kei trucks

Senate Bill 1816 never says "kei truck". It calls them "miniature vehicles" and treats kei trucks in Texas like any other motor vehicle for title and registration.

The key line (Transportation Code, Section 545.429) A person may operate a miniature vehicle on a public highway only if:

the vehicle has been registered and titled in accordance with the laws of this state; and
the vehicle is capable of operating in compliance with applicable traffic laws in this title.

In plain words: it needs a Texas title and plates, and it has to be able to follow the traffic laws on the road you drive, speed rules included. The truck must also meet federal law, which for an import means being at least 25 years old. UTVs and golf carts don't count.

Before 2024Many county offices wouldn't title them, so most stayed on ranches and deer leases.
2024Owners were still turned away. A group called Lone Star Kei pushed the state, and in April 2024 TxDMV agreed to title them.
Spring 2025SB 1816 passed 31⁠–⁠0 in the Senate and 142⁠–⁠0 in the House.
June 20, 2025Signed by the governor and in force the same day, because it passed with more than two-thirds of each house. TxDMV says kei trucks are titled and registered under its normal rules.

Sources: SB 1816 enrolled text (capitol.texas.gov) ↗, TxDMV notice of Aug. 29, 2025 ↗, Texas Standard, The Autopian. Checked Nov. 9, 2026.

How to title and register a kei truck in Texas

Six steps. Your county tax office has the final say, so call them first.

Your Texas 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.
3Buy Texas insuranceYou need liability insurance before you can register. Owners mostly use State Farm, Progressive or a farm policy.
4Fill out Form 130-UThe Application for Texas Title and/or Registration. Some offices also ask for Form VTR-61 on imports.
5Go to your county tax officeTake every paper. Missing one customs form is the most common reason offices say no.
6Pay and get platesNo safety inspection (Texas ended them on Jan. 1, 2025) and no emissions test: Texas only tests gas vehicles 2 to 24 years old.

Your ticks are saved on this device only.

Papers to bring to the county tax office

Customs entry form CBP 7501
DOT form HS-7
EPA form 3520-1
Japanese export certificate, with an English translation
Your bill of sale
Form 130-U (some offices also ask for VTR-61)
Proof of Texas liability insurance

If the county office says no

Before 2025, many Texas offices turned kei trucks away, and a few clerks may still be unsure. Calmly show them:

The law: Senate Bill 1816 ↗ (Transportation Code, Section 545.429)
TxDMV's own notice of Aug. 29, 2025: Title and Registration Related Bills ↗. It says miniature vehicles are titled and registered under existing department policies.
On paper:

Still stuck? Ask politely to speak with a supervisor.

Sources: TxDMV, Texas DPS, a Texas registration guide by a kei parts seller (Oiwa Garage, July 2026). Not legal advice.

Cost

What it costs to register one

What will you pay for the truck?We add Texas sales tax, title and registration.

TapClick the box and type your price. The total updates as you type.

Sales tax (6.25%): $437.50
Title: $28–$33
Registration: about $51
Inspection replacement fee: $7.50
At the county office: about $524–$529

Plus county fees, which differ by county.

Insurance (about $200–$400 a year, owners report) is separate. Fees change; your county tax office has current amounts.

What	Cost
Vehicle sales tax	6.25% of what you paid. On a $7,000 truck, that's $437.50.
Title	$28 or $33, depending on your county
Registration	About $51 base for a light truck, plus county fees
Inspection	None. A $7.50 inspection replacement fee is added at registration.
Insurance	Owners report about $200–$400 a year

Sources: Tarrant County tax office, TxDMV, Texas DPS and owner reports. Fees change; your county office has current amounts.

Roads

Where you can drive one

The law allows public roads only where your truck can obey the traffic laws. Texas also bans driving so slowly that you hold up normal traffic.

In real life, highways here run 70⁠–⁠80 mph and most kei trucks top out around 50⁠–⁠65 mph. Owners stick to Farm-to-Market roads, county roads and town streets. One Texan says the slow lane alone runs about 70 mph.

Town streetsEasy at kei truck speeds.Good fit
Slower country roadsLike many county and Farm-to-Market roads. Where most Texas owners drive.Good fit
Fast highways (70⁠–⁠80 mph)Only if your truck can keep up. Texas bans driving so slowly that you hold up traffic, and most kei trucks top out at 50⁠–⁠65 mph.Only if it keeps up

Buy

Kei trucks for sale in Texas

Dealers here ask about $6,400 to $10,500 for a 25-year-old kei truck.

Owners say prices jumped once trucks became road legal here. Rare paint schemes go higher. Anything newer than 25 years is sold "off-highway use only" and can't get plates.

See trucks for sale in Texas → Import cost calculator →

Real Texas prices

1999 Daihatsu Hijet JumboAsking · 86,000 miles · Bellville dealer$10,500
1994 Honda Acty 4x4 dumpAsking · Luling dealer$9,795
1999 Honda Acty 4x4Asking · Luling dealer$8,995
1997 Daihatsu Hijet 4x4, A/CAsking · Luling dealer$8,495
1997 Suzuki CarryAsking · Houston listing$6,400

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

Kei truck dealers near Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio

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

Near Houston

HoustonSkyline Kei Trucks
Bellville, west of HoustonKei Truck Texaskeitrucktexas.com

Near Austin and San Antonio

AustinSunshine Imports
San AntonioJDM Drivesjdmdrives.com
Luling, between Austin and San AntonioTexas JDMtexasjdm.com

Near Dallas–Fort Worth

Weatherford, west of Fort WorthWeatherford Mini Trucks

We haven't found a dealer in Dallas itself yet.

Owners

What owners here say

4 stories from YouTube comments, told in our words.

Texas importerYouTube comment · see the video ↗

Deer camp

First saw one at deer camp in 2014, when a buddy towed in a Honda Acty. It won over the whole hunting group, and now imports kei trucks in Texas.

Owner of two ActysYouTube comment · see the video ↗

Road legal

Has a 1992 Acty Attack truck and a 1995 Acty van that's Texas titled, licensed and road legal. Drives it all the time.

Sambar owner in AustinYouTube comment · see the video ↗

A/C

Drives a Subaru Sambar KS4 with A/C around Austin and is seeing more kei trucks on the road.

Texas buyerYouTube comment · see the video ↗

Prices

Says a truck in good shape now costs $8,000+ in Texas: prices shot up after they became road legal.

Nearby

Kei truck rules next door to Texas

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

Texas questions

Are kei trucks street legal in Texas?

Yes. Since June 20, 2025, a kei truck that is at least 25 years old can be titled, registered and driven on public roads in Texas, under Senate Bill 1816.

Do kei trucks need an inspection in Texas?

No. Texas ended safety inspections for non-commercial vehicles on Jan. 1, 2025, and its emissions test only covers gas vehicles 2 to 24 years old.

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

Only if your truck can keep up. The law lets a miniature vehicle on a public highway only if it can obey the traffic laws, and Texas bans driving so slowly that you hold up normal traffic (Transportation Code 545.363). Most kei trucks top out around 50⁠–⁠65 mph and Texas highways run 70⁠–⁠80 mph, so owners use back roads, Farm-to-Market roads and town streets.

When did kei trucks become legal in Texas?

Senate Bill 1816 was signed and took effect on June 20, 2025. TxDMV had already agreed to title kei trucks in April 2024; the law made it permanent.

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

No. A newer import doesn't meet federal safety and emissions rules, so Texas won't title it for the road. Dealers sell these as "off-highway use only".

How much does it cost to register a kei truck in Texas?

Plan on 6.25% sales tax on the price, a $28 or $33 title fee, about $51 base registration plus county fees, a $7.50 inspection replacement fee, and insurance of about $200–$400 a year.

Do I need a 17-digit VIN to register a kei truck in Texas?

No. Kei trucks don't have one. They carry a shorter Japanese frame number (for example HA4-1234567), and that's the number that goes on Form 130-U, exactly as it appears on the export certificate. Some insurance websites only accept 17 characters, so call the insurer instead.

Do I need a special license to drive a kei truck in Texas?

No. A regular Texas driver's license (Class C) is all you need, the same as for a pickup.

Is a kei truck a UTV in Texas?

No. A titled kei truck is a motor vehicle with regular plates. The law's definition leaves out off-highway vehicles, UTVs and golf carts.

Next step

Pick your truck: compare the 5 brands

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

Compare kei trucks →