This Truck Is Stealing Hearts Across the Country. But It’s Still Illegal in 19 States.

by Matt Crisara
June 12, 2025

Oregon Is Legalizing the Cute but Hardy Kei Truck ollo - Getty

Kei trucks are small but mighty Japanese vehicles that are gaining popularity in the United States.

Texas and Colorado recently legalized Kei trucks, and the Oregon Senate is looking to follow suit.

Should the bill pass, it would allow Kei trucks on public roads with sub-65 mph speed limits.

Oregon is one of many states vying to allow the limited use of Japanese Kei trucks on public roads. Following in the footsteps of Texas and Colorado, Oregon’s new legislation (Senate Bill 1213) would allow the use of these cute little trucks on roads with sub-65 mph speed limits. Should the bill pass, Oregonians will be able to enjoy many of the practical benefits of Kei vehicles, and Oregon will become the 31st state to open most of its public roads to Kei trucks.

Kei trucks are dwarfed by even Ford’s small Maverick pickup truck, and have unsurprisingly grown tremendously popular over the past couple of years. However, they aren’t 50-state legal quite yet.

What Is a Kei Truck?

urbancow - Getty

Kei vehicles, also known as kei-jidōsha cars, were built to satisfy a Japanese automotive standard limiting footprint and engine displacement. Implemented in 1949, these regulations aimed to stimulate car ownership and the Japanese automotive industry. They were revised many times over, but generally establish that automobiles be no more than 11.2 feet long, 4.9 ft wide, 6.6 ft tall, and feature engines no bigger than 660 cc. Japanese automakers and lawmakers eventually settled on a “gentleman’s agreement” to allow a maximum of 63 horsepower.

Many in the United States are drawn to Kei trucks for their novelty, but these peculiar pickups are capable machines in their own right. Even with their microscopic size, the bed of the truck isn’t considerably smaller than what you’d find on a modern mid-size pickup truck—for context, these trucks generally feature six-foot-long beds, which are comparable to those of just about any brand-new Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, GMC Canyon, etc... Obviously, they can’t manage the same payloads, but many of the Kei trucks feature folding bed sides (which we think are worth the cost of admission alone).

Previous Solutions To Ownership

Many states still disallow the use of Kei trucks on public roads. Pennsylvania—Popular Mechanics’ home state—is no exception, and Kei trucks there still occupy a legal grey area. However, there are three pathways to register these vehicles.

Off-Road Title

Just as it says in the name, an off-road title allows the owner to operate their vehicle on private property. Driving on public roads isn’t allowed with an off-road title. This type of title is a one-time fee, meaning that the vehicle isn’t subject to an annual inspection.

Farm Exemption

Farm exemptions would allow Kei trucks to be used exclusively on farm land. The farm exemption differs from an off-road title in that it only gives you a two-year exemption—you’ll need to get it renewed after it expires. Conveniently, the farm exemption also exempts you from the annual state inspection.

Antique Registration

Antique registration is currently the only way for Pennsylvanians to get their Kei trucks on the road for limited use. To qualify, the vehicle must be at least 25 years old, used for occasional transportation needs, and not used for commercial purposes or general daily transportation.

Once you have the legal green light, you’ll need to figure out where on Earth to buy one of these things. Thankfully, this issue has been solved by online Kei “dealerships” that handle the import process and sometimes even assist with vehicle registration.

Where To Buy?

As a habitual Kei-vehicle window-shopper, I’ve found the best results using three websites: Cars From Japan, Northwest Mini Trucks, and Boeki. Even if you’re not in the area, most of these spots will be able to ship the vehicle to you. Some businesses, including Boeki, will even let you test drive a vehicle before buying it.

Research and common sense are two of the best tools you can have when buying a Kei truck—and any used vehicle, for that matter. But if you do decide to acquire one, hopefully you’ll soon be able to take your delightfully undersized truck out on the open road.