Checked against Washington law, in plain words

Kei Trucks in Washington State

Street legal at 25 years old: how to register, the VIN check and where to buy

Washington has no law against kei trucks. A truck 25 years or older is titled like other imports, and kei trucks in Washington work everywhere from Seattle yards to Spokane farms.

Yes, street legal in Washington25+ year imports are titled and registered through the normal DOL process.

Start my DMV checklist ↓

Truck age25+ years

PlatesRegular

Emissions testNone

VIN checkIf DOL asks

A silver 1990 Subaru Sambar supercharged kei truck in a parking lot — A 1990 Subaru Sambar with the supercharged engine.

The law

What Washington law says about kei trucks

Washington has no mini-truck law at all. Nothing bars kei trucks, so they're titled like other imports.

What we checked (RCW Title 46, DOL, State Patrol, Ecology)

No Washington law names or bans kei trucks.
Imports 25+ years old are titled through the Department of Licensing's normal process.
Kei trucks have a short Japanese frame number instead of a 17-character VIN, so DOL may send you for a State Patrol VIN inspection.
Emissions testing ended statewide on Jan. 1, 2020.

Some guides say kei trucks are limited to roads posted 35 mph or less. That rule (RCW 46.09.455) is for "wheeled all-terrain vehicles": utility vehicles on low-pressure tires of 20 psi or less. A kei truck with a regular title isn't one. If a truck is registered as a wheeled all-terrain vehicle instead, the 35 mph rule does apply.

Sources: RCW 46.09.310 and 46.09.455, Washington DOL ↗, Washington State Patrol VIN inspection pages, Department of Ecology. Checked Nov. 10, 2026.

How to title and register a kei truck in Washington

Six steps for kei trucks in Washington, finished at a vehicle licensing office.

Your Washington 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. DOL wants the customs paper from US Customs itself, signed and stamped, not a broker's copy.
3Buy insuranceLiability insurance is required to drive it.
4Apply at a licensing officeA county auditor or vehicle licensing office handles the title application.
5VIN inspection, if askedIf DOL gives you a Request for Inspection form, book a State Patrol VIN inspection. The State Patrol won't inspect without that form.
6Pay and get platesNo emissions test: Washington ended them in 2020.

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Papers to bring to the licensing office

Customs entry form CBP 7501, signed and stamped by US Customs (not a broker's copy)
DOT form HS-7
EPA form 3520-1
Japanese export certificate, with an English translation
Your bill of sale
The title application from DOL

If the licensing office isn't sure

Kei trucks are less common at some offices. Calmly show them:

DOL's own page for imported vehicles: Customs inspections ↗.
The State Patrol's VIN inspection page ↗, if they want the short Japanese frame number checked.
If someone mentions a 35 mph limit: that rule is for wheeled all-terrain vehicles, RCW 46.09.455 ↗, not a titled truck.
On paper:

Still stuck? Ask politely to speak with a supervisor.

Sources: Washington DOL and State Patrol. Not legal advice.

Cost

What it costs to register one

What	Cost
Use tax	6.5% state rate, plus a 0.5% motor vehicle tax (since Jan. 1, 2026), plus your local rate, on what you paid
Title and registration	Several fees by weight and location; DOL's fee calculator gives the total
VIN inspection	Only if DOL asks for one
Emissions test	None since 2020
Insurance	Owners report about $200–$400 a year

Sources: Washington DOL and Department of Revenue (motor vehicle sales/use tax). Your licensing office has current amounts.

Roads

Where you can drive one

The state sets no special road limits for a titled kei truck.

Freeways here run 60⁠–⁠70 mph, faster than most kei trucks, so owners use county roads and town streets. One owner fitted 14-inch wheels and ordered a snowplow for winter.

Town streetsEasy at kei truck speeds.Good fit
County roadsWhere most Washington owners drive.Good fit
Freeways (60⁠–⁠70 mph)Only if your truck can keep up. Washington 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 Washington

Washington dealers ask about $7,995 to $13,900.

The Import Guys in Ferndale and Mini Trucks Northwest in Spokane are the two main dealers we found. New Hijets sold here are for off-road use only.

See trucks for sale in Washington → Import cost calculator →

Real Washington prices

2000 Honda ActyAsking · Washington dealer$13,900
1999 Honda Acty SDX 4WDAsking · 49,527 miles · Ferndale dealer$12,900
1991 Honda ActyAsking · Ferndale dealer$10,900
1997 Suzuki Carry DD51T 4WDAsking · 42,875 miles · Monroe$8,995
1997 Honda Acty 4WDAsking · 46,262 miles · Ferndale dealer$7,995

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

Kei truck dealers for Seattle and Spokane buyers

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

Western Washington

Ferndale, north of BellinghamThe Import Guystheimportguys.com

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

Eastern Washington

SpokaneMini Trucks Northwestminitrucksnorthwest.com

Owners

What owners here say

4 stories from YouTube comments, told in our words.

Southeast Washington residentYouTube comment · see the video ↗

Work trucks

Sees a dozen or more kei trucks and vans around town, and the general contractor they work for owns two.

Owner of a 2000 Honda ActyYouTube comment · see the video ↗

Winter setup

Loves the 32,000-mile Acty with cold A/C. Fitted 14-inch wheels with all-terrain tires and has a snowplow on order.

Former Washington ownerYouTube comment · see the video ↗

Five at once

Bought five Daihatsu Hijet Jumbo trucks at an auction while living in Washington, and liked the extra legroom.

New Washington residentYouTube comment · see the video ↗

First sight

Had never seen kei trucks outside golf courses before moving to Washington, and calls them smart trucks.

Nearby

Kei truck rules next door to Washington

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

Washington questions

Are kei trucks legal in Washington state?

Yes. No Washington law bars them. A kei truck at least 25 years old is titled and registered through the Department of Licensing's normal process.

Do kei trucks need an emissions test in Washington?

No. The state ended emissions testing on Jan. 1, 2020.

Do I need a VIN inspection for a kei truck in Washington?

Only if the Department of Licensing asks for one. Then you book a State Patrol VIN inspection.

Are kei trucks limited to 35 mph in Washington?

Not with a regular title. Washington's 35 mph rule (RCW 46.09.455) is for wheeled all-terrain vehicles, meaning utility vehicles on low-pressure tires of 20 psi or less. A truck registered that way is limited to roads posted 35 mph or less that the county or city has opened.

Can an Oregon resident register a kei truck in Washington?

No. You register a vehicle in the state where you live. Oregon doesn't register kei trucks for the road yet.

Where can I buy a kei truck near Seattle?

The closest dealer we found is The Import Guys in Ferndale, north of Bellingham. Mini Trucks Northwest is in Spokane. Used trucks ran about $7,995–$13,900 in November 2026. We haven't found a dealer in Seattle itself yet.

Can you drive a kei truck on the freeway in Washington?

It's not banned, but Washington law (RCW 46.61.425) says you can't drive so slowly that you hold up normal traffic. Freeways run 60⁠–⁠70 mph and most kei trucks top out around 50⁠–⁠65 mph, so owners stick to county roads and town streets.

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 →