The Expert Podcast

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 mini 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 and laws are and how you can successfully register or title one of these or whether you are going to get rejected or not.

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 at certain speeds. Just because they can be imported doesn't mean they're legal for all roads. Remember, here's the rule that allows the exemption for 25-year-old vehicles to be imported: it's HR 2628.

This rule has an exemption for vehicles that do not conform to Federal standards and allows them into the United States upon import as compliance with conditions such as record-keeping. But remember, it just says allowed into the United States; it doesn’t say that they are forced to be registered or 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. In fact, if you look at some of the rules and some of the states, here's Pennsylvania:

How can I register my mini truck in Pennsylvania? This is from PennDOT, the official titling division of the state of Pennsylvania. They will only allow registration of a mini truck in one of the following ways: off-road title. This type of title is a one-time fee and allows the vehicle to be operated on private property, not public roadways. Farm exemption is another option where the vehicle could be used on a farm with incidental road use if you need to drive from one farm to another, but not for everyday use. This particular one is not for general daily transportation.

Most states are going to follow at least this rule at a 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. It was legally brought into the U.S. 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 longer be driven on public roads, and they should turn in their plates. Rhode Island did the same thing.

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 not for the interstate. So, part of the problem is ownership documents, getting it through customs and import procedures. The other part is whether it's eligible for the road in the state of Arizona. They have an intention to create a new type of classification called a "venture truck," also known as mini truck or key class. It defines what it is and requires the vehicle to be used as an off-highway, off-road recreational vehicle, only for riding on the permanent and regular seat attached to the vehicle. You can’t ride in the back or carry any other person, so you can only have one person in the vehicle.

Here’s the key: Venture trucks are prohibited from being operated at speeds greater than 25 miles per hour. Even in states where they do allow these vehicles, there are a lot of restrictions. You can’t take them on the highway, and you can’t drive them faster than 25 miles per 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 de-register these vehicles. What I would recommend is if you have one that you need to get titled, check with your state first to see if they’ll 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 if there are any plans in the works to take it off the road. Some states are in the process of changing their laws right now. Even though it’s allowable today, they could pull these cars off the road, and you might want to know that.

You still might want to go ahead and title and register it, 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 long-term future