Import a Kei Truck, Car or Van from Japan: Rules by Country (2026)

A kei vehicle is a car, truck or van built to Japan’s smallest road-vehicle class. Whether you can import and register one depends on its build date, the country you are importing into and, in several countries, the state or province. This guide covers what a kei vehicle is, how an import works from auction search to registration, what to maintain, and what each regulator says as of 22 October 2026.

Rules change. Every legal statement below names its authority and the date we read it. Where a rule varies by state or could not be confirmed, we say so. This is general information, not legal advice.

What is a kei truck, kei car or kei van?

A kei vehicle is a Japanese “light automobile” that stays within set size and engine limits. Zenkeijikyo, the all-Japan kei association, lists the current limits as 3.40 m long, 1.48 m wide, 2.00 m high, with an engine of 0.660 litres (660 cc) or less. Its table dates the current length and width to 1 October 1998.

Two further sources agree on these numbers: SOMPO Direct, a Japanese insurer, which says the limits are set by the Road Vehicles Act enforcement regulations, and Kuruma-news, which also gives 1 October 1998 as the start date of the current class. We could not open the regulation text itself, so the legal citation rests on those two summaries.

The Japanese registration does not travel with the vehicle. What travels is the chassis number, the build date and the documents your exporter obtains.

Which body types are imported?

Kei vehicles come as cars, cab-over trucks and boxy vans.

• Kei cars: hatchbacks, tall wagons and small sports cars such as the Honda Beat or Suzuki Cappuccino.
• Kei trucks: cab-over flat-beds such as the Suzuki Carry, Daihatsu Hijet, Honda Acty, Subaru Sambar and Mitsubishi Minicab.
• Kei vans: cargo and passenger versions from the same families, such as the Suzuki Every, Hijet Cargo, Acty Van and Sambar Van.

WATTSHIP’s kei catalogue lists the models we track. The kei legality tool shows each country’s rule in one place. For the history of the class, see why Japan built kei cars.

Why do people import kei vehicles, and what are the downsides?

Buyers import them for farm, workshop, campus and small-delivery use because the vehicles are compact and mechanically simple. Four-wheel-drive versions exist for many models. The downsides matter as much as the appeal.

• They were designed for Japanese roads and speed limits. Many places that allow them restrict them to lower-speed roads.
• A 660 cc engine works hard on a motorway.
• Safety equipment reflects the design era. Many older kei trucks lack airbags and stability control, so check the specific model.
• Mechanical parts are widely sold by Japanese suppliers, but body panels and trim can take longer to source.

How do you import a kei truck from Japan, step by step?

The steps are the same for most destinations: choose the market, confirm the age rule, find and verify the vehicle, deregister it in Japan, ship it, then clear customs and register. The legal checks in steps 2 and 8 are what differ by country.

1. Decide the destination and the use first

Write down where the vehicle will be registered and what it will do. A farm-only vehicle that never touches a public road faces different requirements from one that must be titled and plated.

2. Confirm the age rule for that destination

Age rules are counted from the build date, not the model year on a listing. A vehicle built late in a year can become eligible months after one built early in the same year. The 25-year calendar shows when common kei models cross each threshold. Confirm the real build month from the compliance plate or export certificate before you pay.

3. Find the vehicle

Kei trucks and vans reach buyers through Japanese auctions and dealer stock. Inspectors grade each vehicle and record damage, rust and mileage on an auction sheet. Our guides to reading a Japanese auction sheet and buying at Japanese auction step by step explain the grades. Kei trucks used on farms or near the coast can have chassis and underbody rust, so the sheet’s diagram and comments matter more than the headline grade.

4. Verify the chassis number and build date

Ask the exporter for the chassis number, photographs of the compliance plate and engine bay, and the build date. Our chassis code guide explains how to read the code. Check that the number matches the export paperwork. Verify mileage independently before shipment.

5. Arrange inspection and purchase

Use an exporter who inspects the vehicle in person or provides a full photo set. Agree in writing on the vehicle, price, what the price covers (fees, deregistration, inland transport in Japan) and who carries risk during shipping. WATTSHIP’s Japan inspection tool is one place to start.

6. Deregister the vehicle in Japan

Japan Customs states that the owner of a registered vehicle must apply for deregistration and obtain the Certificate of Registration Deletion in advance, and present it to customs at export inspection. The certificate is valid for six months from issue. Japan Customs lists this as applying to export declarations made from 1 July 2005.

New Zealand’s transport agency says a mini-vehicle of 660 cc or less needs the original export certificate issued by the Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organisation, while other vehicles use a different certificate. Ask your exporter which certificate your vehicle receives and what your destination accepts.

7. Ship it

Kei vehicles ship roll-on roll-off or in containers. Lashing and wheel chocking affect whether the vehicle arrives undamaged. Compare the two methods in container vs RoRo shipping, model how many fit with the kei container packer, and put shipping, duty, port charges and local compliance in one estimate with the landed cost tool.

8. Clear customs, comply and register

Duty, taxes and required documents differ by country. Some destinations ask for a safety inspection, an emissions declaration or an age declaration. The country sections below cover the main markets.

Can you import a kei truck, car or van? Rules by country

Each country sets its own age rule, and registration is usually decided separately at state, province or territory level. The headline rules below describe national import law as published by each authority on the date we read it.

Can you import a kei truck into the United States?

Yes, once the vehicle is at least 25 years old. Under 49 U.S.C. 30112(b)(9), the federal safety-standards import restriction does not apply to a motor vehicle that is at least 25 years old. CBP states the general rule the other way round: vehicles less than 25 years old must comply with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to be permanently imported.

The importer declares the vehicle on form HS-7. The form’s age-exempt box is defined in 49 CFR 591.5(i)(1) as “the vehicle is 25 or more years old.” NHTSA’s importation FAQ, as returned by our search tool (the page itself returned an access error), describes the 25 years as running from the date of manufacture.

Example for orientation only: for an entry in October 2026, a 25-year-old vehicle was built in October 2001 or earlier. Confirm with your customs broker how the month is counted for your build date.

Does the 25-year rule cover emissions too?

No. Emissions are a separate federal check. EPA’s import regulation at 40 CFR 85.1511(f) provides an exemption for vehicles more than 20 years old, which EPA and importer guidance describe as vehicles 21 years or older in original configuration. EPA’s import page says it has long interpreted the equivalence requirement to mean a replacement engine must match the original engine in model and configuration, and it encourages importers to contact its Imports Hotline first. Importer guides add that the 21-year test counts calendar years of manufacture and importation, and that the importer declares the exemption on EPA Form 3520-1. We saw that detail only in search excerpts of EPA’s form instructions, not in the PDF itself.

Because a 25-year-old vehicle is past 21 years, the safety age rule is the limiting one. See our explainer on the 25-year import rule and the US kei import guide.

Are kei trucks street legal in every US state?

No. Federal import eligibility does not decide whether a state will title and register a kei truck or where it may be driven. Titling, registration and road access are set by each state. Reports in 2025 and 2026 describe states changing their rules, and published state lists disagree with each other. For example, one news outlet names 16 states in its list while another article says 28 states allow kei trucks. We could not verify a state list against state agencies, so we do not publish one.

Before buying, get the answer in writing from the motor vehicle agency of the state where the vehicle will be registered, and ask about any speed or road-type limits. Our US state kei truck article discusses the topic, and the check-legal-import-state guide explains how to verify a rule.

Can you import a kei truck into Canada?

Yes, once the vehicle is 15 years old or older and the importer can prove its age. Transport Canada states that vehicles 15 years or older, based on the month and year of manufacture, and buses manufactured before 1 January 1971, are not regulated under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act at importation. CBSA Memorandum D19-12-1 says age-exempt vehicles are recorded on Form 1 by ticking the vehicle entry box, not the Registrar of Imported Vehicles box, and that a vehicle without identification markings that let CBSA validate its age does not qualify as age-exempt.

Provinces license vehicles separately. Transport Canada warns that importing a vehicle does not guarantee you can register it, and that some provinces will not license right-hand-drive vehicles. It tells importers to contact their provincial or territorial licensing authority before importing. See the Canada kei import guide.

Can you import a kei truck into the United Kingdom?

Usually yes, because GOV.UK exempts older vehicles from vehicle approval, but you must still complete the import steps. GOV.UK lists two relevant exemptions from vehicle approval: light goods vehicles weighing 3,500 kg or less that are more than 10 years old, and cars and minibuses with 8 or fewer passenger seats (not counting the driver) that are more than 10 years old. A kei truck is a goods vehicle, so the first line is the one that applies to it. A kei car or passenger van falls under the second.

GOV.UK’s import steps are an import declaration, paying VAT and customs duty at the border, telling HMRC within 14 days that the vehicle has arrived, getting vehicle approval where required, registering and taxing it with DVLA, and insuring it before driving. GOV.UK says you can be prosecuted for using the vehicle on a public road before completing these steps, with an exception for driving to a pre-booked MOT or approval test.

The Vehicle Certification Agency says its GB Conversion IVA scheme does not deal with vehicles over 10 years old and refers those importers to DVLA. We found importer pages that quote different duty rates for Japanese vehicles, so we state none here. Check HMRC for the current rate. See the UK kei import guide.

Can you import a kei truck into Australia?

Yes, a vehicle with a build date at least 25 years before the application date can apply for concessional entry, but registration is decided by each state or territory. The Department of Infrastructure’s guidance, as returned by our search tool (its pages timed out when fetched directly), says the vehicle’s relevant build date must be at least 25 years before the date of application. Applications go through the department’s ROVER online system.

For build-date evidence the department lists documents such as the original sales document, a deregistration certificate from certain countries, or a photograph of the vehicle identification number, chassis number or compliance plate. If the build month cannot be shown, the department defaults to December of the build year. The same guidance says the vehicle must still pass the relevant state or territory inspection. See the Australia kei import guide.

Can you import a kei truck into New Zealand?

Yes, but the vehicle needs a border inspection, entry certification and registration, and a kei needs the right Japanese export certificate. NZTA’s used-vehicle guidance, as returned by our search tool (the NZTA pages returned empty content when fetched), says border inspection by an approved inspection organisation, entry certification, then registration and licensing are required for road use. For mini-vehicles of 660 cc or less it names the original export certificate issued by the Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organisation. NZTA’s entry certification manual lists a different certificate type for other vehicles, so ask an entry certifier which document applies before you buy. See the New Zealand kei import guide.

Can you import a kei truck into Kenya?

Kenya counts a used vehicle’s age from the year of first registration, and the cut-off moves forward each year. The Kenya Revenue Authority’s motor vehicle page states that a used vehicle must be less than 8 years old from the year of first registration. KEBS notices reported by the Business Daily (November 2024) and The Star (19 December 2025) set the first-registration cut-off at 1 January 2018 for 2025 and 1 January 2019 for 2026, for right-hand-drive vehicles only.

Those reports mean a kei vehicle first registered before the current cut-off will not clear. We found no KEBS notice for 2027. If the pattern continues the cut-off would move again on 1 January 2027, but that is an inference, not a published rule. Confirm the current year’s cut-off with KEBS or a licensed clearing agent. See the Kenya kei import guide.

What about other countries?

We have not verified rules for other countries, so this guide does not state them. Our pages cover the six markets above. For any other destination, ask the national customs or vehicle-standards authority for its used-vehicle age and right-hand-drive rules before you pay for a vehicle. WATTSHIP’s country import guides show how we present each market, and the landed cost tool supports the markets listed there.

What does it cost to import a kei vehicle?

Total cost is the vehicle price plus shipping, duty and taxes, port and clearance fees, compliance work, registration and a first service, and it varies by country and vehicle. We do not quote a typical figure here because duty rates, freight and fees change and differ by destination. Use the landed cost tool for an estimate, see per-model pages such as Suzuki Carry import cost to the US, and read how much it costs to import a car from Japan.

What should you maintain on an imported kei vehicle?

Treat it as an old Japanese light vehicle in a new country: replace fluids, belts and wear items first, then inspect the structure.

• Fluids and filters: change engine oil, coolant, transmission and differential oil, brake fluid and fuel filters on arrival. You rarely know the service history.
• Timing belt or chain: many kei engines use a belt. Without proof of replacement, replace it before use.
• Rust and underbody: inspect chassis rails, floor and cab mounts, especially on vehicles from farms or coastal areas.
• Brakes and suspension: rubber bushes, ball joints and hoses perish with age.
• Four-wheel drive: check transfer case and hub operation, since a part-time system left unused may be stiff.
• Tyres: kei sizes are small and not stocked everywhere. Confirm local availability.
• Parts: cross-reference parts by chassis code (for example DA63T for a Carry), not by marketing name.
• Lights and speedometer: some markets want indicators or a speedometer in local units. Ask your registration authority before you spend money.

What mistakes do kei importers make?

Most mistakes come from assuming one approval covers every step. See also our list of common import mistakes.

1. Buying on model year instead of build month and arriving before the vehicle is eligible.
2. Assuming a national import exemption means a state or province will register the vehicle.
3. Trusting a mileage figure without independent verification.
4. Skipping a rust inspection because the headline grade looked good.
5. Ignoring the right-hand-drive question in jurisdictions that restrict it.
6. Not budgeting for parts, tyres and a full first service.

What should you check before you buy?

Confirm the build month, the destination rule, your state or province’s registration rule, and the full landed cost before paying.

1. Confirm the build month from the compliance plate and export certificate.
2. Look up the destination in the kei legality tool, then confirm with the regulator listed in Sources.
3. Ask your state, province or territory what it requires to title and plate this type of vehicle.
4. Price the landed cost, not just the vehicle.
5. Put the vehicle identification, price and fees in a written agreement with your importer.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 25-year rule for kei trucks?

In the US, a motor vehicle that is at least 25 years old is exempt from the federal safety-standards import restriction (49 U.S.C. 30112(b)(9)). NHTSA describes the 25 years as counted from the manufacture date, so check the build month, not the model year.

Can I import a kei truck into the US before it is 25 years old?

CBP says vehicles under 25 years old must comply with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to be permanently imported. Vehicles that do not comply need a DOT-registered importer to modify them, with a DOT bond at one and a half times the dutiable value, per CBP.

Are kei trucks street legal everywhere in the US?

No source we checked says they are. Import eligibility is federal, while titling, registration and road access are set by each state, and state rules are changing. Ask your state’s motor vehicle agency in writing.

What is the age rule for importing a kei truck to Canada?

Transport Canada exempts regulated-class vehicles that are 15 years or older, counted from the month and year of manufacture. Provinces license separately, and some will not license right-hand-drive vehicles.

Can I import a kei truck to the UK?

GOV.UK exempts light goods vehicles of 3,500 kg or less that are more than 10 years old from vehicle approval. You still declare the import, pay VAT and duty, notify HMRC, register and tax with DVLA, and insure the vehicle.

Can I import a kei truck to Australia?

A vehicle with a build date at least 25 years before the application date can apply for concessional entry through the department’s ROVER system, per the Department of Infrastructure. Each state or territory still decides whether to register it.

Can I import a kei truck to New Zealand?

NZTA requires border inspection, entry certification and registration for road use. For 660 cc and under, it names an export certificate from the Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Organisation.

Can I import a kei truck to Kenya?

Kenya requires used vehicles to be less than 8 years old from the year of first registration, per the Kenya Revenue Authority. KEBS notices reported in the press set a 1 January 2019 cut-off for 2026 and right-hand drive only. Most older kei trucks will not qualify.

What is the maximum size and engine of a kei vehicle?

Zenkeijikyo lists 3.40 m long, 1.48 m wide, 2.00 m high and 660 cc or less. These limits have applied since 1 October 1998.

Do I need to deregister a kei truck in Japan before export?

Yes if it is registered. Japan Customs says the owner must obtain the Certificate of Registration Deletion in advance and present it at export inspection.

Sources

All sources below were opened or searched on 2026-10-22. Where a page could not be fetched directly, the entry says how the wording was obtained. Rules change, so use these as the place to confirm before you buy.

• Zenkeijikyo, kei vehicle standards. https://www.zenkeijikyo.or.jp/kei/standards. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• SOMPO Direct, light car size (kei limits, Road Vehicles Act enforcement regulations). https://www.sompo-direct.co.jp/otona/oshiete/car/light-car-size.html. Read as a search excerpt 2026-10-22.
• Kuruma-news, evolution of the kei standard (1 October 1998 start). https://kuruma-news.jp/post/350079. Read as a search excerpt 2026-10-22.
• 49 U.S.C. 30112, Cornell LII. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/30112. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• 49 CFR 591.5, Cornell LII (paragraph (i)(1), vehicle 25 or more years old). https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/591.5. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Importing a Motor Vehicle. https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/importing-car. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• NHTSA, Importation and certification FAQs. https://www.nhtsa.gov/importing-vehicle/importation-and-certification-faqs. Returned HTTP 403 on fetch; wording taken from a search summary of the page, 2026-10-22.
• 40 CFR 85.1511, Cornell LII. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/40/85.1511. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• EPA, Learn About Importing Vehicles and Engines. https://www.epa.gov/importing-vehicles-and-engines/learn-about-importing-vehicles-and-engines. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• EPA Form 3520-1 (2024). https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-08/form3520-1-2024-08-secured-enabled.pdf. PDF could not be read as text; wording taken from search excerpts, 2026-10-22.
• Transport Canada, Importing older vehicles into Canada. https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/importing-vehicle/importing-older-vehicles-canada. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• Transport Canada, Importing a vehicle from countries other than the US and Mexico. https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/importing-vehicle/importing-vehicle-countries-other-united-states-mexico. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• CBSA Memorandum D19-12-1. https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d19/d19-12-1-eng.html. Fetched 2026-10-22 (first 100,000 of 101,505 characters read).
• GOV.UK, Exemptions from vehicle approval. https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-approval/exemptions-from-vehicle-approval. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• GOV.UK, Importing vehicles into the UK. https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• Vehicle Certification Agency, Vehicle importing. https://www.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/vehicle-importing/. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• Australian Department of Infrastructure, How to import your older vehicle (25 years or older). https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/media/news/how-import-your-older-vehicle-25-years-or-older. Fetch timed out; wording taken from search excerpts of this page and of the department’s concessional RAV entry guide (May 2025), 2026-10-22.
• Australian Department of Infrastructure, Concessional RAV entry approvals. https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/vehicles/importing-vehicle/concessional-rav-entry-approvals. Fetch timed out; search excerpt only, 2026-10-22.
• NZTA, Used vehicles from Japan. https://nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/importing-a-vehicle/2-complying-with-vehicle-standards-and-providing-evidence/used-vehicles-from-japan. Page returned empty content on fetch; wording taken from a search summary, 2026-10-22.
• Kenya Revenue Authority, Procedures for motor vehicle importation. https://www.kra.go.ke/individual/importing/learn-about-importation/procedures-for-motor-vehicle. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• Business Daily, Used vehicle importers fear losses on December age-limit deadline (29 November 2024). https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/economy/car-dealers-face-pressure-with-age-rules-on-importation-4840150. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• The Star (Kenya), Car dealers in last-minute rush to beat 8-year rule (19 December 2025). https://www.the-star.co.ke/business/kenya/2025-12-19-car-dealers-in-last-minute-rush-to-beat-8-year-rule. Fetched 2026-10-22.
• Japan Customs, Export of used vehicles. https://www.customs.go.jp/english/c-answer_e/extsukan/5502_e.htm. Fetched 2026-10-22.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Confirm every rule with the regulator or a licensed customs broker in your destination before you commit money.