Not everyone can appreciate the joy of driving a mini truck on roads made for vehicles twice its size, just like how not every state would allow one of these tiny imports out and about without flashing red and blue lights behind you.
The silver lining is that all 50 states have no qualms about you owning one, you just have to somewhat figure out which of them lets you drive it anywhere other than around old Macdonald’s farm.
Well, figure it out no further, as we’ve compiled all the known rules and regulations of each state about the beloved mini truck and whether it’s street-legal or not in this guide!
Are mini trucks street-legal?

Mini trucks are only street-legal in certain U.S. states. Some states allow them to be driven on public roads at a set speed limit, while others limit them for farm use or off-road use only.
It is illegal to drive a mini truck on interstate highways in any US state due to their higher speed limits.
When you’re in the market for a mini truck for whatever purpose, it’s important to consider the legalities of owning and especially driving one of these tiny imported trucks in your area.
This is because not every US state views mini trucks as street-legal, and even for those that do allow them on public roads, the limitations can vary due to factors such as speed limits and the distance you can drive them.
Hence, we’ve laid out what every single US state has to say about mini trucks driving along on their public roadways in the table below!
Mini Truck Rules/Laws Per U.S. State
U.S. State | Mini Truck Rule/Law |
Alabama | Mini trucks can be driven at a maximum speed of 25 mph on any public road in the state of Alabama except for its interstate highways. |
Alaska | No laws for mini trucks exist in Alaska, but the state still permits the use of a vehicle registered in other states for 60 days on its public roads. |
Arizona | The state of Arizona permits the use of mini trucks on public roads, given that the owner accomplishes the Highway Use Certificate and the vehicle passes all safety and equipment requirements within the state. |
Arkansas | Mini trucks can be legally driven on any public road in Arkansas at a speed limit of 55 mph. If registered for farm use, they cannot be used on any freeways. |
California | California legally allows mini trucks for both on-road and off-road use, except for highways. |
Colorado | Colorado does not permit the use of mini trucks on any of its public roads. They are only strictly limited to farm use and other off-road applications. |
Connecticut | Mini trucks that are at least 25 years old can be registered and driven in Connecticut. Importers are also available within the state. |
Delaware | Mini trucks can be legally driven on Delaware public roads as long as they’re registered as “low-speed vehicles” and limited to a top speed of 25 mph. |
District of Columbia (D.C.) | The District of Columbia (D.C.) currently has no laws/regulations regarding the legal use of mini trucks on its public roads. |
Florida | Mini trucks can be legally registered and driven in Florida public roadways with a speed limit of 35 mph or lower. |
Georgia | Georgia has banned the registration of mini trucks or kei trucks for on-road use. However, they may still be registered for farm/agricultural applications. |
Hawaii | Mini trucks are not road-legal in Hawaii. They can only be driven for off-road use and not on any public roadway in the state. |
Idaho | The state of Idaho has no laws concerning the legal registration and use of mini trucks, but there is still a chance for you to get pulled over unless you register the truck with a special vehicle title. |
Illinois | Illinois allows mini trucks limited to a speed of 25 mph to be driven on public roads with a speed limit of no more than 35 mph. |
Indiana | Mini trucks can be titled, registered, and driven on Indiana public roads without any speed restrictions (except for interstate highways). |
Iowa | It is illegal to drive a mini truck on any public road in the state of Iowa. |
Kansas | Kansas local laws allow the use of mini trucks on most public roads, excluding federal/interstate highways with higher posted speed limits. |
Kentucky | Mini trucks can be legally driven in places within the state of Kentucky where allowable. However, it cannot be driven on interstate highways. |
Louisiana | Mini trucks can be driven at a maximum speed of 55 mph or less on Louisiana roads except for freeways. |
Maine | Maine permits driving mini trucks on public roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or less. |
Maryland | It’s not legal to drive mini trucks on any public road in Maryland. |
Massachusetts | The state of Massachusetts does not allow any mini trucks to be driven on its roadways. |
Michigan | It is illegal to drive mini trucks on Michigan public roads. |
Minnesota | Mini trucks with engine displacements of 660cc or less can only be driven on designated roads or areas in Minnesota permitted by the local government. |
Mississippi | Mini trucks can be used on Mississippi roads after providing a bill of sale, a title bond, and a vehicle ownership application. |
Missouri | The state of Missouri allows mini trucks to be driven on public roads with a speed limit of no more than 45 mph. |
New York | New York state allows mini trucks to be driven on its roads given that they comply with all FMVSS, US EPA, and local requirements. |
Montana | Mini trucks can only be driven in Montana where local laws permit them to. |
Nebraska | Nebraska allows mini trucks on public roads with no speed restrictions, excluding interstate highways and other similar freeways. |
Nevada | It is illegal to drive a mini truck on any public road in Nevada. |
New Hampshire | New Hampshire only permits driving mini trucks on public roads that are within 25 miles of the owner’s home or business at a speed of 35 mph or lower. |
New Jersey | New Jersey does not allow mini trucks to be driven on any of its public roads. |
New Mexico | New Mexico does not allow mini trucks to be driven on any of its public roads. |
North Carolina | Mini trucks can be registered and driven on North Carolina roads with no set speed limit restrictions. |
North Dakota | The state of North Dakota permits driving mini trucks on roads with up to a 55 mph speed limit. Otherwise, they are not allowed on interstate freeways or other highways with a higher speed limit than 65 mph. |
Ohio | A mini truck can be driven anywhere in Ohio where local laws permit it at a speed of no more than 35 mph. |
Oklahoma | It’s legal to drive a mini truck on Oklahoma public roads except on interstate highways. |
Oregon | Oregon only allows mini trucks for off-road or farm use and thus cannot be used on any of its public roadways. |
Pennsylvania | It’s illegal to drive a mini truck on Pennsylvania public roads. |
Rhode Island | Mini trucks are not street-legal in the state of Rhode Island nor are they allowed to be registered. |
South Carolina | South Carolina state currently doesn’t have any laws regarding the legal use of mini trucks on public roads. |
South Dakota | Mini trucks are illegal on South Dakota state roadways. |
Tennessee | Mini trucks can be driven at a speed limit of 35 mph in areas within Tennesee that permit them. |
Texas | It’s illegal to drive a mini truck on any public road in Texas. |
Utah | Mini trucks can be driven on Utah public roadways up to a speed limit of 50 mph except on interstate freeways. |
Vermont | The state of Vermont makes it illegal for mini trucks to be driven on public roads. |
Virginia | As of 2023, Virginia has allowed the use of mini trucks on public roads at a speed limit of 55 mph. |
Washington | Mini trucks or kei trucks can be registered and driven in Washington state (limited to 25 mph), given that they are at least 25 years old and comply with other state regulations. |
West Virginia | West Virginia only permits mini trucks on state highways when used to transport farm/agricultural cargo within 20 miles. Otherwise, they are not allowed for any other public road use. |
Wisconsin | The state of Wisconsin allows mini trucks to be driven on public roads given that they are at least 25 years old, registered under a collector title, and adhere to other state requirements. |
Wyoming | Mini trucks are street-legal in Wyoming without any speed restrictions. However, they are still illegal to drive on any interstate highway. |
In what states are mini trucks street-legal?

Mini trucks or kei trucks can be legally operated in any US state, though only over 20 states permit them to be driven on actual public roads.
Mini truck rules also vary a lot between each state, with some only being limited for off-road use, while others being limited to a set speed or distance.
Plenty of US states consider mini trucks to be road-worthy, but it’s still important to distinguish each state’s local ordinances so you don’t end up getting pulled over.
For instance, states like Florida, Illinois, Maine, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Tennessee only allow mini trucks on roads with a maximum speed limit of 35 mph or lower. Alabama, Delaware, and Washington lower this limit further to 25 mph.
However, New Hampshire’s local laws, in particular, add another layer of complexity to this by imposing a 25-mile distance limit from the mini truck owner’s home or business address.
Other mini truck-friendly states allow higher speed limits between 45 and 55 mph, such as Missouri (45 mph), Utah (50 mph), Arkansas, Louisiana, North Dakota, and Virginia.
In contrast, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Wyoming do without any specific speed restrictions for mini trucks so long as they’re not used on any interstate highway.
The rest of the states either don’t allow mini trucks on public roads, only limit them to farm or off-road use, or have no existing laws that govern the legal use of mini trucks, which makes getting them even just registered a pain to do.
What are mini trucks?

Mini trucks are one of the smallest kinds of light trucks usually equipped with engines smaller than 1,000cc and offered in RWD or 4WD drivetrains.
First derived from Japan’s keijidōsha class (light automobile class), mini trucks possess shorter and narrower dimensions suitable for lighter cargo.
To the untrained eye, a mini truck looks just exactly what it sounds like, a much smaller version of the pickup trucks and cargo trucks we usually see on the highway.
However, mini trucks are of smaller stature for a reason, and that’s because of their intended purpose and their original working environment, which is the narrow city streets of Japan.
Mini trucks, also popularly known as “kei trucks”, were primarily made to haul lighter cargo on their small beds while navigating through tight intra-city streets over shorter distances.
To be classified as a mini truck by size, the model needs to be no more than 130 inches (3,302 mm) long, 60 inches (1,524 mm) wide, and 78 inches (1981.2 mm) tall.
Some popular mini truck models include the Daihatsu Hijet, Honda Acty, Mitsubishi Minicab, Subaru Sambar, Suzuki Carry, and India’s Tata Ace.
What is a kei truck?

A kei truck is a type of mini truck manufactured according to Japan’s keijidōsha (light automobile) class of vehicles, the smallest expressway-legal vehicle class in the country.
Kei trucks are subject to a maximum engine displacement of 660cc, smaller dimensions, and either an RWD or 4WD system.
Is a mini truck the same as a kei truck?
A mini truck can be called a “kei truck” if it was built by a Japanese manufacturer according to the “keijidōsha” class, which is the smallest class of cars in Japan.
Kei trucks are only limited to an engine size of 660cc, but mini trucks in general can have any engine displacement below 1,000cc.
Can mini trucks be used on interstate highways?
Mini trucks are illegal to drive on any interstate highway in any US state due to the higher posted speed limits.
Mini truck limitations can vary across states, with some being allowed on public roads and others only for off-road use. No state allows them on any interstate/federal highway.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are mini trucks good for?
Due to their smaller dimensions and low cargo-carrying capacity, mini trucks are more suitable for hauling lighter cargo through tighter streets or roads within a city.
In states where they are not street-legal, mini trucks are also suitable for agricultural/farm work or any other off-road application.
Since mini trucks are also only limited to a smaller engine capacity of 1,000cc (660cc for Japan-released models) or less, they will have lower speed limiters, making them unsuitable and unsafe for any controlled-access highway like a freeway.
Why are mini trucks illegal in the US?
Many US states consider mini trucks illegal for street/road use for a variety of reasons, one of the most common ones being that they do not pass safety regulations.
Because of their smaller dimensions and limited engine performance, a lot of states deemed them too unsafe to drive. They’re also vehicles that don’t originally come with the safety and emissions equipment needed for compliance with US regulations.
Furthermore, cars that were not originally sold in the US need to be at least 25 years old to be legally imported and exempted from the DOT’s (Department of Transportation) regulations, and this can include mini trucks or kei trucks.
What is considered a mini truck?
A mini truck is any type of small truck that has been originally built according to the Japanese “keijidōsha” class of vehicles, which earned them the nickname “kei trucks” as well.
They are typically equipped with an engine no larger than 1,000cc in displacement (660cc for Japan-released models), are no more than 130 inches long, 60 inches wide, and 78 inches tall, and fitted with either an RWD or 4WD drivetrain.
How do you import a Japanese mini truck to the USA legally?
To import a Japanese mini truck or “kei truck” to the US legally, you first need to make sure that the model you want is at least 25 years old to be eligible for importation.
Otherwise, you will most likely need to make modifications for it to comply with safety and emissions standards, which can be very expensive to perform.
It’s also important to familiarize yourself with your state’s local ordinances regarding mini trucks to not run into any issues when your mini truck finally arrives on US shores.
It’s recommended to get a good customs broker to help you with the importation process. Afterward, you should obtain all of the required import documents for your mini truck.
Such documents can include its original registration, export certificate, insurance, inspection certificate, bill of lading, and more.
After getting the mini truck shipped, it needs to clear customs at the port you chose to have it delivered to. With the help of the customs broker, all of the necessary documentation will be sorted out to make it pass customs.
Once clearing customs, you then need to register your mini truck at your local DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) so you can legally drive it on public roads.