Checked against Wisconsin law, in plain words

Kei Trucks in Wisconsin

Not street legal: the 2013 law, the 2026 denial letters, and what owners can still do

A 2013 state law tells the DMV to refuse registration for kei-class vehicles. For years it went unenforced. In 2026, owners started getting letters saying no.

Not street legal in WisconsinState law tells the DMV to refuse kei-class vehicles, except collector (special interest) plates. Whether the DMV issues those now is unclear.
See your options ↓
Road platesNo
Law since2013
Collector platesLaw allows; ask
Private landYes
A white 1990 Subaru Sambar kei truck parked at a curb next to a full-size pickup truck
A 1990 Subaru Sambar next to a full-size pickup, in Lethbridge, Canada.

Photo: dave_7 from Lethbridge, Canada, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons ↗

The law

Why kei trucks aren't street legal in Wisconsin

The ban is in the state's vehicle code, added by 2013 Wisconsin Act 103.

The law (Wisconsin Statutes 341.10(6))
  • The DMV must refuse to register a vehicle that is a kei-class vehicle.
  • It must also refuse vehicles built after 1969 without a US safety label.
  • Another section, 340.01(38m), counts kei vehicles as off-road utility vehicles.
  • Section 341.10(6) itself says it does not apply to former military vehicles or to special interest vehicles that are eligible for registration under section 341.266. That section covers a vehicle 20 or more years old whose body is unaltered and is kept by a collector for its historic interest, if the owner also has a regularly plated vehicle. Whether the DMV treats a kei truck as one is not in the statute.
The law doesn't define "kei class vehicle," which is part of why enforcement has been uneven.
  1. Dec. 13, 20132013 Wisconsin Act 103 became law.
  2. 2013⁠–⁠2025Owners report registering kei trucks, some on collector plates.
  3. Jan. 2026Owners reported DMV letters denying kei registrations.

Sources: Wisconsin Statutes 341.10 and 340.01 ↗, 2013 Wisconsin Act 103, Legislative Council act memo, The Autopian (Jan. 16, 2026). Checked Nov. 10, 2026; collector plate rule re-checked Nov. 14, 2026.

Options

What Wisconsinites can do now

Normal road plates are out for kei trucks in Wisconsin. Here's what owners do instead.

  1. 1
    Use it on private landFarms, hunting land and big properties. That's legal everywhere.
  2. 2
    Ask about collector plates, carefullySection 341.266 sets the limits: the truck must be 20 or more years old with an unaltered body, kept for historic interest; you must also own a regularly plated vehicle; no hauling for hire; no more than 500 pounds of load; no driving in January unless you switch to regular plates; the fee is twice the regular annual fee, plus $50 the first time. Owners used to get them for kei trucks. Owners reported in 2026 that these may no longer be issued.
  3. 3
    Don't count on ATV or UTV platesOne owner says the DNR told them mini trucks can't be registered as off-road ATVs.
  4. 4
    Back a new lawAn importer is organizing owners to ask lawmakers for a kei law. Contact your state legislators.

Before you buy one in Wisconsin

  • Dealers here sell to buyers in other states and for private-land use. Ask any seller what plates, if any, the truck can get.
  • Don't count on collector plates. Owners report DMV letters denying kei registrations in 2026.
  • The law itself: Wisconsin Statutes 341.10 ↗ (subsection 6).

Sources: Wisconsin Statutes, The Autopian, owner reports. Not legal advice.

Roads

Can you drive one on Wisconsin roads?

Not without registration, which the DMV must refuse.

Collector plates, if you can still get them, allow only limited hobby driving. Without plates, keep it on your own land.

  • Private landFarms, hunting land and your own property, away from public roads.Yes
  • Public roadsThe DMV must refuse to register a kei class vehicle.Not allowed
Buy

Kei trucks for sale in Wisconsin

Several dealers here, but not for normal road use in the state.

Wisconsin dealers sell to buyers in other states and for private-land use. Ask any seller here what plates, if any, the truck can get.

See trucks for sale → Import cost calculator →

Prices you'll see

  • 2001 Mitsubishi MinicabAsking · Wisconsin dealer$8,995
  • 1999 Honda ActyAsking · Indiana dealer$11,000
  • 1997 Honda Acty Attack 4WDAsking · 42,203 miles · Illinois dealer$5,500

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

Wisconsin dealers we found

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

  • Milwaukee areaKrazy Kei Importskrazykeiimports.com
  • JanesvilleJDM Auto Importsjdmautoimports.com
  • FitchburgShogun Importsminikeitrucks.com
Owners

What owners here report

2 stories from a forum post and a news story, told in our words.

Sambar ownerMini Truck Talk forum · see the original ↗

Collector plates

Got collector plates for a 1994 Sambar. A 2024 try with another truck was much harder, and the DNR said mini trucks can't be registered as off-road ATVs.

New ownerThe Autopian, Jan. 2026 · see the original ↗

Denied

After sending a Japanese export certificate, a Sambar owner got a letter refusing registration under 341.10(6). Other owners got similar letters.

Nearby

Kei truck rules next door to Wisconsin

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

Wisconsin questions

Are kei trucks legal in Wisconsin?

Not for normal road registration. Wisconsin Statutes 341.10(6) tells the DMV to refuse kei-class vehicles. Private-land use is fine.

Why are kei trucks illegal in Wisconsin?

A 2013 law, Act 103, added kei-class vehicles to the list the DMV must refuse. It went largely unenforced until owners got denial letters in 2026.

Can I get collector plates for a kei truck in Wisconsin?

The law allows it: the kei ban does not apply to eligible special interest (collector) vehicles. Some owners got collector plates in the past. In 2026 the DMV sent at least one owner a refusal for regular plates, and it hasn't said how it treats collector applications for kei trucks now. Ask the DMV in writing.

Can I register a kei truck as a UTV in Wisconsin?

One owner says the DNR told them mini trucks can't be registered as off-road ATVs. Ask before you buy.

Why are there kei truck dealers in Wisconsin?

They sell to buyers in states that allow them, and for private-land use.

Is there a bill to legalize kei trucks in Wisconsin?

Not that we found in 2026. Owners are organizing to ask for one.

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 →