If you have been thinking about importing a Kei truck from Japan, this guide walks you through the entire process from start to finish — the 25-year rule, auctions, duty rates, shipping, customs, and what you actually pay at each step. This is the same process we run every day from our shop in Nagoya, and every number here is current as of late 2026.
What Is a Kei Truck?
A Kei truck (軽トラック, "kei-torakku") is a Japanese light commercial vehicle built to the kei class regulations: maximum 660cc engine displacement, under 3.4 meters long, and under 1.48 meters wide. Think of them as the smallest practical work trucks in the world — roughly the size of a riding lawnmower with a bed bolted on.
They are cheap to buy, cheap to run, and genuinely useful. Farmers, landscapers, tradespeople, and off-road enthusiasts use them for everything from hauling feed to beach camping. The major models are the Daihatsu Hijet, Honda Acty, Suzuki Carry, Mitsubishi Minicab, and Subaru Sambar.
The 25-Year Rule: Can You Import One?
Yes — if the truck is 25 years old or older, counted from its exact month of manufacture, it is legal to import into the United States under the NHTSA safety exemption (49 CFR 571). This is the single most important rule. The clock starts on the build month shown on the compliance plate, not the model year or registration date.
Example: A truck built in March 1999 became eligible in March 2024. A truck built in November 2001 becomes eligible in November 2026. You verify this by reading the build date off the chassis plate — we do this for every vehicle before purchase.
Importing rules vary significantly by country. For Canada, real duty and tax obligations apply — roughly 6% duty plus GST and provincial tax, which varies by province — plus a technical inspection. We recommend contacting Canadian customs directly for current specifics. For the UK, vehicles first registered or manufactured more than 10 years ago may be exempt from vehicle approval, though duty, VAT, MOT, and DVLA paperwork still apply. If you are outside the US, ask us about your country's requirements.
How the Process Works: Step by Step
Step 1: Choose or Request a Vehicle
You either pick a vehicle we have in stock, or you tell us what you want — model, year range, transmission, drivetrain, color, budget. We look across Japanese dealer auctions, dealer stock, and dismantler networks across the entire country, and buy the right vehicle ourselves.
Step 2: We Inspect and Buy
When we find a candidate, we translate the auction sheet (which includes the grade and a defect map), photograph what we see, and send you a walkaround video where the vehicle is accessible. Nothing is invoiced until you have seen it and agreed to the price.
Step 3: We Recondition
Timing belt, servicing, mechanical repairs — we handle the work in our own shop in Nagoya before the vehicle is sold to you. This is not an agent passing through a car. We own the vehicle, and the reconditioning happens before you commit.
Step 4: You Pay the Vehicle Price
You pay one vehicle price, quoted by us, with our margin already in it. There is no separate service or agency fee. Bank wire only, terms agreed in writing before purchase.
Step 5: We Export
We handle deregistration, export documents, and freight booking. The vehicle is shipped from Nagoya to your port. Shipping is a separate pass-through cost billed at actual — it changes with the sailing and the destination.
Step 6: You Clear Customs
You are the importer of record. The entry is filed in your name. We prepare and supply the Japan-side documents — including the export certificate and its translation — and give you the checklist for your port. Many buyers use a customs broker at the destination.
Step 7: You Collect and Register
Complete your customs entry, pay duty and fees, schedule the release window with the terminal, and collect the vehicle. Inland transport and registration are arranged by you. We will research your state's registration rules with you before you buy.
Total timeline: 8 to 14 weeks from starting a search to collecting at the pier.
What It Actually Costs
This is where most guides get vague. Here is the real breakdown using a $3,000 Kei truck shipped to Honolulu as an example:
Japan-side costs (what you pay us)
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vehicle purchase price | $3,000 |
| Ocean freight (RoRo to Honolulu) | ~$1,572 |
That is it on our side. One vehicle price, plus freight at cost.
US-side costs (what you pay at entry)
| Item | Amount | How it is calculated |
|---|---|---|
| US import duty (Kei truck) | $750 | 25% of vehicle price (FOB, freight excluded) |
| Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) | $33.58 | 0.3464% of vehicle price, min $33.58, max $651.50 |
| Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF) | $3.75 | 0.125% of vehicle price |
| Customs broker (est.) | $450 | Flat planning estimate |
| ISF filing | $50 | Importer Security Filing |
Total estimated landed cost: $5,859
For other ports, the freight changes but everything else stays the same:
| Port | Freight | Total Landed (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles / Long Beach | ~$1,350 | ~$5,637 |
| Oakland | ~$1,350 | ~$5,637 |
| Seattle / Tacoma | ~$1,350 | ~$5,637 |
| Houston | ~$2,200 | ~$6,487 |
| Jacksonville, FL | ~$2,400 | ~$6,687 |
| Baltimore / New York | ~$2,400 | ~$6,687 |
You can plug in your own numbers on our landed cost calculator.
Duty Rates: 25% vs 15% vs 12.5%
The duty you pay depends on how Customs classifies the vehicle:
| Classification | Duty Rate | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Kei truck (light truck) | 25% | Hijet truck, Acty truck, Carry truck, Sambar truck, Minicab truck |
| Kei passenger under 1000cc | 15% | Minicab Van, Hijet Cargo Van, Acty Van |
| Larger passenger car | 12.5% | Toyota Crown, Nissan Skyline |
The key distinction: if the vehicle has a pickup bed, it is classified as a truck and gets 25%. If it is a van or passenger vehicle under 1000cc, it gets 15%. Duty is charged on the FOB price (what you pay us for the vehicle), not on the ocean freight.
These rates have moved several times recently. Always confirm with a customs broker before your vehicle arrives.
How to Save on Customs Costs
If you are willing to do some of the paperwork yourself, you can cut the broker and ISF costs:
- Self-file your ISF through sites like eezyimport or other ISF filing platforms. Saves $50-100.
- File your own customs entry (CBP Form 7501). Saves the $450 broker fee entirely.
- Not for everyone, but for the hands-on buyer it is real money — $450-550 saved.
RoRo vs Container Shipping
Most Kei trucks ship by RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off) — the vehicle is driven onto the ship and driven off at the destination port. RoRo is cheaper and faster.
Container shipping costs more but offers more protection and is necessary if your port does not have a RoRo terminal. Container is also the only option if you are shipping multiple vehicles or parts.
We book whatever works best for your port and budget.
Kei Truck Registration in the US
This is the part that catches people off guard. Importing a 25-year-old Kei truck is legal everywhere in the US under federal law. But whether you can register it for road use depends entirely on your state — and sometimes your county.
Some states allow full registration. Some restrict road class or speed. Some do not currently register Kei vehicles at all. Several states have changed their stance in the past two years in both directions.
Before you buy, contact your DMV and get the answer in writing if road registration matters to you. We will help you research the current rules — but we cannot guarantee a registration outcome, and anyone who says they can is not being straight with you.
Read our full street legality guide.
What to Look For at Auction
Every vehicle at a Japanese auction comes with a standardized auction sheet — a detailed condition report that tells you exactly what you are buying. Here is how to read it:
- Grade (3.5+ is clean, R or RA means accident repair history)
- Mileage (verified by the auction house)
- Defect map (a diagram showing scratches, dents, and rust)
- Interior grade (A/B/C, with A being excellent)
You get to see the auction sheet before you commit to anything. But here is the important part: the auction sheet shows the vehicle's condition as it arrived at auction — not as it will be when it reaches you. We recondition every vehicle to the best of our abilities in our own shop in Nagoya: timing belt, servicing, mechanical repairs, bodywork where it makes sense. The sheet tells you what we started with. The work we do after that is on us.
We translate the auction sheet, photograph what we see, and disclose everything before you commit. If something material turns up after purchase that we should have caught, we tell you and work out how to sort it — rather than pretending it is not there.
Common Questions
Can I see the vehicle before purchasing?
Yes. You get the translated auction sheet, a photo set, and a walkaround video. Nothing is invoiced until you have seen it and agreed the price.
How long does shipping take?
3 to 5 weeks at sea to Honolulu or the West Coast. Gulf and East Coast sailings take longer.
Can you find a specific model?
That is most of what we do. Give us the model, year range, budget, transmission, drivetrain, and color — we find it, buy it, and prepare it.
Who handles customs?
You are the importer of record. We prepare the Japan-side documents and give you the checklist for your port. Many buyers use a customs broker — we can explain what they will need.
Can you help with parts later?
Yes. Send the chassis code and frame number and we identify the correct Japanese part number, then price options across auction, dismantler, and Japanese domestic retail.
Ready to Start?
Start a search or browse our current inventory. For a full landed cost estimate, use our cost calculator.
Circle Kei Motors is the international sales and export division of THREE JAM K.K., a registered business in Nagoya, Japan. We buy at Japanese auctions, recondition in our own shop, and ship to your port.