The Expert Podcast

So a very common question is whether or not you can actually get title or registration for a mini truck or minivan from Japan a lot of these Japanese meaning trucks. are very popular for people to buy because they're cheap. And because they represent an alternate type of vehicle but the question is, are you going to have problems with title or registration or do you already have a problem? With it. So let's take a look at what the rules are and the laws are and how you can successfully register or title one of these or whether you are going to get rejected or not. So the short answer is different states have different rules about registering or titling these trucks. However, the reason that there are different rules is because the federal government even though they allow them to be imported. Has a requirement for on highway use of vehicles meeting certain criteria certain speeds, just because they can be imported doesn't mean they're legal for all the road. Remember here's the rule that allows that exemption for 25 year old vehicles to be imported it's HR 26, 28. And it has an exemption. For vehicles to do not conform to federal standards are allowed into United States Upon the import is compliance with conditions. Certain record-keeping but remember it just says allowed into United States It doesn't say that. They are forced to be registered or they're forced to be…titled in any state. So the import. Exemption only allows. An exemption to be imported to the U S that does not automatically mean that it can be titled And fact, if you look at. Some of the rules in some of the states here's Pennsylvania. How can I register my mini truck in Pennsylvania This is from Penn dot the official titling division of the state of Pennsylvania. We'll only allow registration of a mini truck in one of the following ways. Off-road…Title this type of title has a one-time fee. and it will allow the vehicles to be operated on private property No public roadways, farm exemption. It could be a farm vehicle and can have incidental road use if you have to drive from one farm to another but not every day use. And this particular one. Is not to be used for It's only to be used for occasional transportation, not for general daily transportation…So here's the thing most states are kind of follow at least this rule at minimum. In fact some states are revoking them in the state of Maine and Rhode Island. They're actually revoking titles Here's a mini truck in Pennsylvania. And they're legally brought into the us under the 25 year import law. But Maine has been de registering these vehicles. Notifying registered owners of key cars and trucks that their Japanese rides could No. be driven on public roads and they should turn in their plates. Rhode Island did the same thing. Right So, there's an example from one person who had their. registration revoked. Because…They're not eligible for the road in most states, they're eligible for side roads but you can't take them on the interstate…Right. So part of the problem is ownership documents getting it through customs and import procedures. The other part is is it eligible for the road in the state of Arizona They have…a. Intention where they want to create a new…type of classification called a venture truck. Also known as mini truck key class or K class. And. It defines what it is requires a person to be used for off highway off-road recreational vehicles to ride only on the permanent and regular see attached to the vehicle You can't ride in the back. you can't…Carrie any other person? So you can only have one person in the vehicle…And here's the key prohibits venture trucks from being operated at speeds greater than 25 miles an hour. So even in states where they do allow these there's a lot of restrictions Can't take it on a highway Can't go more than 25 miles an hour. So where does that put you? If you have one of these vehicles Well, you may find. That for the time being you may be able to get. A. Title application through your state. However. The pressure is coming down on the DMVs from the federal government. To deregister these vehicles. So what I would recommend. Was if you have one that you need to get titled check with your state first of all to see if they're going to title it at all some states. Just flat out Won't do it. If for some reason they will do it or you can convince them to, you might want to ask are there any plans in the works to take it off the road Because there's. states that are in the process of changing their laws right now…Even though it's allowable today to pull these cars off the road. And you might want to know that you still might want to go ahead and title it and register it and pay the fees. But if you know it's going to come off the road in a year or two, you might want to act now and not plan on a longterm future for the vehicle Some people just want to sell them That's why there's a lot of these that are coming on the market cheap because. The more and more states are pulling it off the market. Look, even if there's some exemptions you could use temporarily in some states. It doesn't mean it's kind of last and the fact that more and more states are doing this that shows a trend right You follow the dots. The dots are the states don't want them on the road. Right. There's a couple states that will still do it for parade use or temporary use. But in the long run. The DMV commissioners They want these cars off the road. And even in the states that do allow it they have special paperwork affidavit for no proof of ownership for a mini truck. And they have. An inspection. That has to get done So you have to physically bring it to inspection. Now the question comes up a lot. Can you register in another state Can you title it in another state from where you live If you run into problems? Well, yes and no. Most states require that you be a resident of a state in order to get a title of registration. If you're not a resident. You don't have a driver's license from that state. Most states don't do it. The state of Vermont is one state that does allow you to register out of state but they also. Have very spotty record on mini trucks. If you just submit an application. Out of the blue for a mini truck it's going to get rejected. If you file a very, formal. Requests from the commissioner and bring it to Vermont for inspection. We've seen some clients that are able to get it through The problem is if you do not live in Vermont, And you're driving around on Vermont plates let's say in Iowa or Texas or Florida. Look. The law enforcement agents know about these loopholes and they're going to see this plate. I'm not going to pull you over. If they see that you have a license from that home state. And you have it registered somewhere else for a vehicle that is. Ineligible in your state. They might see as your vehicle. They might tow your vehicle and impound it. So before you get too far down the path of registering one of these Japanese mini trucks. Or any gray market vehicle? Make sure that you get definitive answers not from a web forum or not from somebody on some, you know discussion board that says yeah you can do this If you do X Y or Z, there's a lot of old wives tales and. Urban legends online or people don't know what they're talking about And it's wishful thinking. That if you put your. Your plans based on something you read online. May not be true get it right from the horse's mouth Get something documented from your titling division. But in general what you're going to find is…most states don't want them on the road. There. Either making it highly restrictive they're rejecting altogether, or even if they do allow them today. Every couple of months there's more and more states that do a revocation, just like they did in Maine. And Rhode Island right in this. This happened in 2021, right So every few months there's more and more states that are revoking these titles. And if you want to just drive it for a couple of years that's fine Go ahead and do it But. Be aware of that. It's…the clock is ticking at some point It's just a matter of time where that title and registration might get pulled.