Japanese Kei TrucksCall or text +1 832-512-3737 · Instagram · Facebook

Houston, Texas

Japanese kei trucks, ready for Texas.

Right-hand-drive mini trucks, direct from Japan, with import paperwork and our step-by-step Texas title guide.

Drive them at our 33,000 SF Southwest Houston warehouse, 9323 Ronda Ln, by appointment.

J Speed Auto kei trucks lined up under the covered bay at our Houston warehouseThree Honda Acty kei trucks parked at our Houston warehouseOur 33,000 SF warehouse on Ronda Ln in Houston with kei trucks out frontBlue Honda Acty kei truck at our Houston warehouse
Built in Japan
Sold in Houston
Street legal in TexasTitle and register it like any vehicle (SB 1816)
Paperwork includedBill of sale, Japan export certificate, import customs forms
Visit by appointmentDrive them at our Houston warehouse

Inventory

Kei trucks

Every truck we have, in the warehouse or on the way from Japan.

Prices include the truck, the Japan export certificate and the import customs paperwork. Texas sales tax and title and registration fees are paid to the county when you title it (see an example in the title guide). Sold as is, and all sales are final.

Sold

Gone to new owners

How it works

Buying a truck

  1. Pick a truckEvery listing shows whether it is in Houston or on the way from Japan.
  2. Browse the photos and videosBrowse all the photos and videos on each listing, and ask us if you have any questions.
  3. See it, drive it or ask about itTruck in Houston? Book a time at 9323 Ronda Ln to look it over and drive it. Truck on the way? Message us and we will let you know when it arrives.
  4. Pay and take it homePay and take home the truck, the Japan export certificate, the import customs documents and our step-by-step Texas title guide.

Title it yourself and save

Kei trucks sold already titled often cost a few thousand dollars more. Titling one yourself in Texas comes down to a VIN inspection, your import paperwork, a title application and a visit to your county tax office, and our step-by-step guide walks you through each step.

Read the title guide

Kei Truck Guide

New to kei trucks?

A short guide to the four main kei truck models, with the generations, engines and what owners like about each one.

Why kei trucks

Small truck. Real work.

Kei trucks are Japan's compact work trucks. With a 660cc engine and a body about 11 feet long, under 5 feet wide and about 6 feet tall, they fit through gates, barn doors and tight spots that full-size pickups can't, and they are easy on gas. People use them for business, for work on farms, ranches and job sites, and as an easy daily driver.

Contact

Talk to us

Call, text, email or message us on Instagram or Facebook to ask about a truck, set up a viewing or ask about a truck on the way.

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9323 Ronda Ln
Houston, TX 77074

33,000 SF warehouse in Southwest Houston. By appointment only: call or text before you come.

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Home » Texas Title Guide

How to title and register an imported kei truck in Texas

A kei truck fresh from Japan has no U.S. title yet. That is normal. Texas titles it like any other imported vehicle: one packet of documents, one VIN inspection and a visit to your county tax office. This guide covers each step for a truck you buy from us. The steps are the same anywhere in Texas. If you live near Houston, local phone numbers and booking links are in their own section below.

Key facts
  • Street legal? Yes, once titled and registered. Texas Senate Bill 1816 (2025) defines "miniature vehicles" and treats them as motor vehicles for titling and registration. A titled and registered miniature vehicle may be driven on public highways if it can operate in compliance with traffic laws.
  • Age? Texas has no age rule of its own. The 25-year rule is federal: kei trucks are imported for road use once they are 25 years old.
  • The extra step for imports: a VIN inspection by a police auto theft investigator, on Form VTR-68-A.
  • Deadline: title the truck within 30 days of buying it.
  • 2 days after you file: call your county tax office to make sure it went through. The state system automatically rejects kei chassis numbers, and you may not find out for weeks unless you call.
  • Cost: about $530 to $566 in sales tax and fees on a $7,000 truck, depending on your county ($546 in Harris County). See the table below.
What you receive from us
  • Bill of sale
  • Japanese export certificate (in Japanese, so you will need a notarized English translation)
  • CBP Form 7501, DOT Form HS-7 and EPA Form 3520-1 customs paperwork
  • This guide, plus help if the county has questions

The bill of sale shows the truck's current odometer reading, in kilometers. The export certificate shows the reading recorded in Japan before export, so the two can differ. Bring the originals to the county office.

In this guide

  1. Is it street legal?
  2. Documents you need to title it
  3. Insurance
  4. Step by step
  5. The VIN inspection
  6. What it costs
  7. If the county has questions
  8. After you are registered
  9. Near Houston: who to call
  10. Sources

Yes. In 2025 Texas added "miniature vehicles" to its Transportation Code. In plain terms: a miniature vehicle is treated like any other motor vehicle for titling and registration, and it may be driven on a public highway if it has been titled and registered in Texas and can operate in compliance with traffic laws. To qualify, a vehicle must be designed to run on four or more tires, comply with applicable federal law, and not be a custom vehicle, street rod, golf cart, neighborhood electric vehicle or off-highway vehicle. The law adds no engine-size limit, speed cap or highway ban, but the general rule against driving so slowly that you impede traffic still applies.

The 25-year rule comes from federal law. Kei trucks were not built to U.S. safety standards, so they are imported for road use under the federal 25-year exemption, counted from the date of manufacture and declared on DOT Form HS-7. The EPA has its own, shorter age exemption for emissions: the vehicle must be at least 21 years old and in its original configuration, with age counted by subtracting the year it was manufactured from the year it is imported. That is the exemption declared on EPA Form 3520-1.

Documents you need to title it

DocumentNotes
From us (J Speed Auto)
Bill of saleShows the current odometer reading
Japanese export certificateShows the odometer reading recorded in Japan before export, which can differ from the current reading
CBP Form 7501, U.S. Customs entry summaryShows the truck was legally imported
DOT Form HS-7 declaration25-year exemption from safety standards (Box 1). TxDMV asks for the HS-7 or another document showing customs entry. Harris County's checklist says vehicles 25 or older still need proof of customs entry, so bring every document
EPA Form 3520-1 declarationAge exemption from emissions standards (21 years, counted from the year of manufacture to the year of import)
From you
Photo IDSince March 5, 2026, a first Texas registration needs an ID on TxDMV's list, such as a Texas driver license, a REAL ID or a U.S. passport
Proof of Texas liability insuranceFrom your insurer. See the insurance section below
Notarized English translation of the export certificateThe export certificate is in Japanese, so get a notarized English translation. It meets both TxDMV's and Harris County's requirements. A translation service such as RapidTranslate.org can do both
From the county or police
Form 130-U, Application for Texas Title and/or RegistrationTxDMV.gov or your county tax office
Form VTR-68-A, Law Enforcement Identification Number InspectionDone by appointment with a police auto theft unit or sheriff's office. See how to book below

Insurance

Texas requires proof of liability insurance, at least 30/60/25 ($30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage), before you can register a vehicle. Kei trucks are uncommon, so coverage depends on the insurer.

Insurance is between you and your insurer, and policies and eligibility change, so confirm coverage with them directly.

Step by step

  1. Check the paperwork before you pay. The chassis number on the export certificate should match the number stamped on the truck. The HS-7 should be marked Box 1, and no paperwork should say "off-highway use only," because TxDMV will not register a truck titled that way. Then order a notarized English translation of the export certificate, so it is ready for the county.
  2. Insure the truck. Kei trucks have chassis numbers like DA63T-123456, not a 17-character VIN. Give your insurer the full chassis number and tell them it is a Japanese import.
  3. Book the VIN inspection (VTR-68-A). Appointments can take weeks, so book as early as you can. See the next section for details.
  4. Call your county tax office and ask for their imported vehicle requirements. Counties handle these differently, and some publish a checklist.
  5. Fill out Form 130-U and sign it. We sign the seller section when you buy the truck.
  6. Go to your county tax assessor-collector's office within 30 days of the sale. Bring the full packet and pay the title fee, registration and sales tax. Find your office on TxDMV's county tax office list, and book an appointment if your county offers them.
  7. Call your tax office 2 days after filing to ask whether the application was rejected. The state system automatically rejects kei chassis numbers, and the county then has to send the application to TxDMV for special handling. You may not hear about it for weeks unless you ask. If it was rejected, ask the county to forward it to TxDMV for special handling right away. This is the normal path for kei trucks, and TxDMV reviews it from there.
  8. Receive plates and your title. Once the county approves the application, you receive your plates and registration sticker, and the Texas title is mailed to you.
Timeline
  • Title and register the truck in your name within 30 days of the sale. After that, a $25 late-transfer penalty applies, plus $25 for each additional 30 days, up to $250.
  • VIN inspection: book it early so you can still title the truck within 30 days of the sale.
  • 2 days after filing: call your tax office to confirm it went through, so a rejection doesn't sit for weeks.

The VIN inspection

Texas law requires a trained law enforcement auto theft investigator, or another inspector TxDMV authorizes, to inspect an imported vehicle and sign Form VTR-68-A. The truck has to be there for the inspection. It is not registered yet, so to drive it there, get a One-Trip Permit first: a temporary plate for one trip within 15 days, $9.75 at your county tax office, with proof of liability insurance. Our buyers have used one to drive to their inspection. Otherwise, bring the truck on a trailer.

Inspections are done by county sheriff's offices and city police auto theft units, usually on set days and often by appointment only. Call your county sheriff or city police department and ask for a VTR-68-A inspection. Some charge a fee, often around $40, and some book weeks out, so call early. Bring your ID, the bill of sale, all the import documents, and proof of insurance if you drive the truck there.

What it costs

Example: a $7,000 truck titled in Harris County. Across Texas, the title fee is $28 or $33 and the local county fee is $0 to $31.50, so the total runs about $530 to $566 depending on your county.

ItemAmount
Motor vehicle sales tax, 6.25%$437.50
Title application fee ($28 or $33 depending on county)$33.00
State registration fee$50.75
Insurance verification fee$1.00
Processing and handling fee$4.75
Local county fees (varies by county)about $11.50
Inspection program replacement fee$7.50
Estimated totalabout $546

Plus any fee for the VIN inspection (often around $40) or the notarized translation. Sales tax is 6.25% of the price on your bill of sale. Fee amounts come from TxDMV and your county tax office. Confirm current numbers before you go.

If the county has questions

What you hearWhat to know
"Mini trucks cannot be titled in Texas."That was TxDMV policy until April 2024, when TxDMV began titling and registering mini vehicles. The 2025 law now puts miniature vehicles in the Transportation Code. Ask the clerk to check section 14.12 (Miniature Vehicles) of the TxDMV Motor Vehicle Title Manual.
"Invalid VIN."Kei chassis numbers are not 17 characters. TxDMV's April 2026 notice to counties says these applications are rejected automatically and must be sent to TxDMV for special handling. It means the application needs special handling, not that the truck can't be titled.
"You need a safety inspection."Texas ended safety inspections for non-commercial vehicles on January 1, 2025. Emissions testing covers only gasoline vehicles 2 to 24 model years old, so a truck 25 model years or older needs no inspection report. Explain this politely, and ask whether they only need the VTR-68-A VIN inspection.
"We cannot accept this translation."Ask exactly what your county requires for the translation, and bring a notarized one.

Need more help? It helps to bring printouts of SB 1816 and TxDMV's April 2024 and April 2026 notices, listed in the sources below. Ask for a supervisor, or contact your TxDMV Regional Service Center. TxDMV customer service is at 1-888-368-4689.

After you are registered

Near Houston: who to call

If you live in the Houston area, these are the offices that handle each step. Schedules change, so call or check their page before you go.

VIN inspection (VTR-68-A)

Harris County tax office

Sources