Kei trucks in California belong on private land, farms and closed sites
Read from California's own statutes and motor vehicle office.
California holds imported vehicles to its own emission standards. A truck 25 years or older registers for the road only after CARB's direct import certification, which the DMV says may be expensive or impossible for a vehicle over two years old. A newer truck imported as governed off-road equipment cannot take California off-highway identification and works on private land closed to the public, on farms and on closed work sites.
Your lane
Which truck are you buying?
California treats the two kinds of kei truck differently. Pick yours and this answers for it.
a truck 25 years or older imported for road use under the federal age exemptions
Closed to road useTitle. DMV title only with customs clearance, a REG 31 verification and CARB's emissions evidence.
Registration. Road registration only after CARB's direct import certification for a model year 1975 or newer truck.
- Model year 1975 and newer needs a CARB Certificate of Conformance after a lab test.
- Model year 1968 to 1974 must meet the EPA rules in effect on 15 November 1972.
- Model year 1967 and older needs no modification or testing.
What about a truck 25 years or older?
It enters the country under the federal age rule. California's direct import rules still govern registration. A model year 1975 or newer truck needs a CARB lab test and a Certificate of Conformance. Only model year 1967 and older vehicles skip testing.
a newer truck imported as off road equipment, governed to 25 miles per hour and carrying an EPA certified nonroad engine
Private land onlyWhere it can run
Private land closed to the public, farms and closed work sites.
Title. The DMV registers an off-highway vehicle only if it was originally built to US and California emission standards, which an imported governed kei truck was not.
Registration. None for use only on private property closed to the public under the landowner's control.
- Off-highway vehicles, motorcycles and diesel vehicles cannot be converted to California emission standards.
- Off-highway identification is required on public land and on private land open to the public.
- A vehicle imported within two years of its production date is treated as new and can never be registered in California.
- Federal law admits this truck as nonroad equipment governed to 25 miles per hour, never as a road vehicle.
Read from a secondary source or an older page. Confirm it with the office before you rely on it.
A newer truck comes in only as nonroad equipment, permanently governed to a top speed and with a nonroad engine certified by EPA before import. It pays the same 25 percent truck duty. What that engine needs.
What about a newer truck imported as off-road equipment?
The DMV registers an off-highway vehicle only if it was built to US and California emission standards, so this truck takes no green or red sticker. It works on private property closed to the public under the landowner's control, where no identification is required.
Private land and the farm
On your own ground in California.
On private land
No plate, registration or off highway sticker is needed on private land closed to the public under the owner's or an agent's immediate control where permission is required and granted.
The code, section by section
- Vehicle Code 38001(a): the off highway vehicle division applies on land open and accessible to the public, except private lands under the immediate control of the owner or an agent where permission is required and has been granted. Fire trails, logging roads, service roads and other roughly graded trails and roads open to the public are not highways for the division and count as off highway land.
- Vehicle Code 4000(a)(1): registration is required to drive, move or leave a vehicle standing on a highway or in an offstreet public parking facility.
- Vehicle Code 21107.5: a city or county may by ordinance or resolution put a private road that is generally open to public travel under the Vehicle Code, but not a road whose owner has posted a notice, legible from 100 feet by day, that it is privately owned and not subject to public traffic control.
- Vehicle Code 21116: a levee, canal bank, watercourse bank or pipeline road kept by the state or a reclamation, irrigation or other district needs that agency's permission to drive on where it has posted signs saying so.
On the farm
A truck used only in farming is an implement of husbandry under Vehicle Code 36005(k) when its one highway use is hauling farm products no more than a mile along the highway from where the trip began, and it then needs neither registration, 36100, nor an off highway sticker, 38010(b)(2).
No DMV or CHP page applying 36005(k) to a kei truck by name was found. Federal import terms for a truck brought in as off road equipment still apply.
The code, section by section
- Vehicle Code 36000: an implement of husbandry is a vehicle used exclusively in the conduct of agricultural operations, and not one whose existing design is primarily for carrying persons or property on a highway unless another provision of the code names it.
- 36005(k): any vehicle operated on a highway only to transport agricultural products and never more than one mile along a highway from the point of origin of the trip is an implement of husbandry. The CHP's flowchart reads it the same way, any vehicle, CHP 47 revised October 2013.
- 36005(p): an all terrain or utility terrain vehicle used exclusively in agricultural operations is one too, but Vehicle Code 531 defines a utility terrain vehicle as one designed for off highway operation, which a kei truck built for Japanese roads was not.
- 36100: implements of husbandry only incidentally operated on a highway are exempt from registration, and so are those listed in 36005.
- 38010(b)(2): implements of husbandry need no off highway identification.
- The CHP's flowchart notes that a driver whose privilege is suspended or revoked may not drive an implement of husbandry.
Buying from out of state
What California says about a seller from elsewhere.
If you buy from a seller in another state, California's rule below says what applies.
California's rule, as read
A dealer licensed in another state is free of California licensing only if it has no place of business in California and its California business is limited to selling to, or buying from, persons licensed in California, VC 11700.1. A retail sale to a California consumer falls outside that exemption.
California Department of Motor Vehicles, Occupational Licensingdmv.ca.gov, read 28 October 2026The public record as read on 28 October 2026, not legal advice.
County by county
The rules in detail.
Where a newer off road truck or a UTV can run in California, county by county, as each county's and town's own acts read. Every county on the map above opens its own page.
Statewide
On private land closed to the public a kei truck in California needs no plate, no registration and no off highway sticker. Vehicle Code 38001(a) keeps the whole off highway vehicle division off private land under the immediate control of the owner or an agent where permission is required and has been granted, and 4000(a)(1) asks for registration only on a highway or in a public parking facility. A truck used only in farming is an implement of husbandry under 36005(k) when its one highway use is hauling farm products no more than a mile along the highway from where the trip began, and an implement of husbandry needs neither registration, 36100, nor an off highway sticker, 38010(b)(2). What the owner may not do is take the truck anywhere open to the public, a street, a county road, a state highway, a combined use route, a state vehicular recreation area or federal land, because each needs a road registration or a green, red or tan off highway identification. The DMV says a direct import that cannot be brought to US and California standards cannot be registered for on highway or off highway use, and its off highway table gives a 2003 or newer vehicle a green sticker only with a California emission label or a US on highway label, which a governed truck imported as off road equipment does not carry. For a 25 year truck, model year 2001 or older, the same table issues a green sticker, and no DMV page reconciles that with the direct import rule, so an owner who wants a sticker for public land should ask the DMV first. Land opened to the public, as a riding area or as a road the public uses, brings the division back, and a county or city may still regulate riding on private land for noise and dust.
Alameda County To confirm
In Alameda County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Alpine County None found
In Alpine County a kei truck may work private land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and the county code opens no road to OHVs.
In town Closed
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads Closed
The county code opens no road to wheeled OHVs. Chapter 10.20 bars off-road vehicles from frozen lakes and lake beds, Chapter 10.21 bars motorized vehicles from the Bear Valley common areas and Chapter 10.24 governs oversnow vehicles on packed winter snowways, sets OHV speeds on Blue Lakes Road from the snowmobile park and bars ATVs from Burnside Lake Road during its winter closure. No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in a search for board actions. Alpine County Code Title 10, Chapters 10.20, 10.21 and 10.24, read in full, read 28 October 2026
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Amador County To confirm
In Amador County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one. Its code moved to eCode360, which answered with a bot check.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Butte County To confirm
In Butte County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land, Clay Pit SVRA near Oroville included, it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Calaveras County To confirm
In Calaveras County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Colusa County To confirm
In Colusa County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one. Its code moved to eCode360, which answered with a bot check.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Contra Costa County To confirm
In Contra Costa County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Del Norte County To confirm
In Del Norte County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
El Dorado County To confirm
In El Dorado County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land, the Rubicon Trail included, it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads Some
The Rubicon Trail is a non maintained county road in El Dorado and Placer counties. The board adopted its location on 26 January 2010, and it carries both street legal and green sticker vehicles. It is open to OHVs as a roughly graded road, which Vehicle Code 38001 keeps out of the meaning of highway, not by a combined use designation. The county sheriff and the Forest Service say every vehicle on it needs a highway registration or a current green sticker. No 38026 designation was found. Board adoption of the Rubicon Trail location, 26 January 2010, number not given on the county's page, read 28 October 2026
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Fresno County To confirm
In Fresno County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Glenn County To confirm
In Glenn County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Humboldt County To confirm
In Humboldt County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one. Its code moved to a host behind a bot check.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Imperial County To confirm
In Imperial County a kei truck may work private farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land, Heber Dunes SVRA included, it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and a 2019 proposal for combined use near Winterhaven was not found adopted.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
In 2019 a proposal sought combined use on short segments of Evan Hewes Highway and Gordons Well Road where it crosses Interstate 8 near Winterhaven, so OHVs could link trails at the Imperial Sand Dunes. The board passed a resolution supporting it and the OHMVR Commission took it up on 15 August 2019. No adopted designation or CHP approval was found. OHMVR Commission staff report of 15 August 2019 on the board's resolution of support, the resolution itself not read, read 28 October 2026
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Inyo County To confirm
In Inyo County a kei truck may work private ranch land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and the county roads the Adventure Trails pilot opened to OHVs closed with the pilot on 1 January 2025.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads Closed
The Adventure Trails pilot under Vehicle Code 38026.1 let Inyo County name county roads of up to ten miles for combined use, and the board named seven routes in 2015. SB 402 of 2019 set the pilot's end at 1 January 2025. It ended then and 38026.1 is no longer in the code. Whether the county named any shorter segment under 38026 since was not found, and the county code was not read. Vehicle Code 38026.1, which SB 402 of 2019 ran to 1 January 2025, read with the county's notice of 14 June 2024, read 28 October 2026
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Kern County To confirm
In Kern County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land, Onyx Ranch SVRA and California City's permitted dirt routes included, it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker.
In town Some
- Some California City. Since March 2008 the city has let OHVs carrying its street operating permit and a current green or red sticker run on dirt routes within its designated riding area, keeping to the marked trail system into the main part of town. Street legal and dual sport vehicles need no permit. California City OHV street operating permit, in effect since March 2008, read on the city's OHV page with no code section cited, read 28 October 2026
County roads To confirm
Vehicle Code 38026.3 lets State Parks run a combined use pilot of up to ten miles on roads in Red Rock Canyon State Park until 1 January 2030, and a bill analysis names Sierra View Road. No designation under it was found. No county designation under 38026 was found in a search for the county's board actions, and the county code was not read.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
California City: the city street operating permit while operated in the cityCalifornia City: a current green or red sticker on any vehicle that is not street legal, Vehicle Code 38010 and 38020California City: the marked trail system when entering the main part of town
Kings County To confirm
In Kings County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Lake County To confirm
In Lake County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Lassen County To confirm
In Lassen County a kei truck may work private ranch land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and only a vehicle carrying the sticker may use the 1.5 miles of The Strand at Spalding that the county named for OHVs in 2024.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads Some
About 1.5 miles of The Strand, County Road 247 at Spalding on Eagle Lake, from the Spalding Marina parking lot to the road's southern end, designated for OHV use. The resolution makes use wait on the CHP Commissioner's consent, which local news reported as given verbally that spring. A local news story gives the resolution as 24-016. The county's own notice says 24-021. Resolution 24-021, adopted 23 April 2024, read through the county's Notice of Exemption filed that day, the resolution itself not read, read 28 October 2026
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Vehicle Code 38026.5(a): only a vehicle carrying an OHV identification plate or device under 3816038026.5(b): no operation in the hours of darkness38026.5(b): an operational stoplight38026.5(b): rubber tires38026.5(b): a valid driver's licence of the right class in possession38026.5(b): the financial responsibility of Vehicle Code 16020Resolution 24-021, per the county's Notice of Exemption: the CHP Commissioner's consent before use
Los Angeles County To confirm
In Los Angeles County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land, Hungry Valley SVRA included, it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Madera County To confirm
In Madera County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Marin County To confirm
In Marin County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Mariposa County To confirm
In Mariposa County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Mendocino County To confirm
In Mendocino County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Merced County To confirm
In Merced County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Modoc County To confirm
In Modoc County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or a search for the county's own board actions. The county code was not read in this pass.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Mono County To confirm
In Mono County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads Closed
A search excerpt of the county's OHV page says only street legal vehicles may be operated on county maintained roads, and the page now answers 404. In September 2014 the Bridgeport Valley planning committee asked the board to seek combined use under Vehicle Code 38026 for some county roads, and no designation that followed was found. The county code was not read. none found, the county's OHV page read only in a search excerpt, read 28 October 2026
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Monterey County To confirm
In Monterey County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Napa County To confirm
In Napa County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Nevada County To confirm
In Nevada County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Orange County To confirm
In Orange County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Placer County To confirm
In Placer County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land, the Rubicon Trail included, it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and Lincoln's golf cart and low speed routes do not take it.
In town Closed
- Closed Lincoln. Lincoln keeps a neighborhood electric vehicle and golf cart master plan, updated in November 2024. A kei truck is neither a golf cart under Vehicle Code 345, which weighs under 1,300 pounds unladen and is built for 15 mph or less, nor a low speed vehicle meeting the federal standard that Vehicle Code 21253 requires on any roadway, so the plan opens no street to it.
County roads To confirm
El Dorado County's page puts the Rubicon Trail, a non maintained county road open to green sticker vehicles, partly in Placer County. Placer's own page on the trail was not read. No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found, and the county code was not read.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Plumas County To confirm
In Plumas County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or a search for the county's own board actions. The county code was not read in this pass.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Riverside County To confirm
In Riverside County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one. Trade press in 2006 reported a county ordinance limiting OHV riding on private land by parcel size, hours and number of vehicles. It was not read, so none of its terms are given here.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Sacramento County To confirm
In Sacramento County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land, Prairie City SVRA included, it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
San Benito County To confirm
In San Benito County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land, Hollister Hills SVRA included, it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
San Bernardino County To confirm
In San Bernardino County a kei truck may work private land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, where county code bars OHV use that disturbs neighbors with noise or dust, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and only a vehicle carrying the sticker may use the 9.20 miles of Needles streets the city named for OHVs in 2025.
In town Some
- Some Needles. Twelve combined use roadways, 9.20 miles in all and most under a mile, run from points in the city to BLM land under the Vehicle Code 38026.2 pilot, at 35 mph or less. The council adopted the OHV Master Plan with CHP concurrence on 9 September 2025 and a signage plan on 13 January 2026, and expected to open the routes in 2026 once the signs were up. Only an OHV carrying identification may use them, 38026.5(a). AB 1756, Chapter 131 of 2026, approved 27 August 2026, carries the pilot past its 1 January 2028 end, to 1 January 2034 by the chaptered text read on a bill tracker. City of Needles OHV Master Plan, adopted 9 September 2025, read through the Assembly Transportation Committee analysis of AB 1756 of 6 April 2026 and a city FAQ of June 2026, the adopting resolution not read, read 28 October 2026
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or a search for the county's own board actions. The county code was not read in this pass.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Vehicle Code 38026.5(a): only a vehicle carrying an OHV identification plate or device under 3816038026.5(b): no operation in the hours of darkness38026.5(b): an operational stoplight38026.5(b): rubber tires38026.5(b): a valid driver's licence of the right class in possession38026.5(b): the financial responsibility of Vehicle Code 16020Needles, Vehicle Code 38026.2(b)(5): no faster than 35 mph on the combined use roadwaysNeedles, 38026.2(b)(4): the licensing and helmet rules of state and federal lawCounty, private land, San Bernardino County Code 28.0403 per the county's flyer: OHV use on private or public property only with the owner's written permissionCounty, 28.0404: no OHV staging on private parcels under 2.5 acres or for more than 6 days in 30County, 28.0405: the Vehicle Code noise standards for OHVsCounty, 28.0406: no OHV use or staging that disturbs a neighborhood or person by noise, dust, smoke or fumes
San Diego County To confirm
In San Diego County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land, Ocotillo Wells SVRA included, it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
San Francisco County To confirm
In San Francisco County a kei truck may work private land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
San Joaquin County To confirm
In San Joaquin County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land, Carnegie SVRA included, it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
San Luis Obispo County To confirm
In San Luis Obispo County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land, Oceano Dunes SVRA included, it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
San Mateo County To confirm
In San Mateo County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Santa Barbara County To confirm
In Santa Barbara County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Santa Clara County To confirm
In Santa Clara County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Santa Cruz County To confirm
In Santa Cruz County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one. Its code moved to eCode360, which answered with a bot check.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Shasta County To confirm
In Shasta County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or a search for the county's own board actions. The county code was not read in this pass.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Sierra County To confirm
In Sierra County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or a search for the county's own board actions. The county code was not read in this pass. SB 1345 as introduced in 2016 would have given Sierra County a ten mile combined use pilot, and the provision was struck before the bill passed. The code moved to a host behind a bot check.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Siskiyou County To confirm
In Siskiyou County a kei truck may work private ranch land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and the unpaved county roads around Happy Camp, Seiad Valley and the Klamath River that the county took up for OHVs in December 2023 take only a vehicle carrying the sticker.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads Some
Seventeen unpaved county road sections are named for OHVs at the operator's own risk, among them Klamath River Road, Yreka Walker Road, Humbug Creek Road, Hawkinsville Humbug Road, Walker Road, Walker Creek Road, Grider Creek Road, Elk Creek Road, China Grade Road, Curly Jack Road, Lower Airport Road, South Fork Road and Horse Creek Road. The ordinance rests on Vehicle Code 38001, which keeps roughly graded roads out of the meaning of highway, not on 38026, so the roads count as OHV land where an identification sticker is needed, 38020. Its second reading was set for 5 December 2023 and its adoption was not confirmed. Ordinance adding Siskiyou County Code 3-4.1601 to 3-4.1603, read in the unsigned final version of 27 November 2023, second reading noticed for 5 December 2023, read 28 October 2026
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Siskiyou County Code 3-4.1602 in the final version: operation at the operator's own risk on the listed unpaved roads onlyVehicle Code 38020: a current OHV identification on a vehicle not registered for the road
Solano County None found
In Solano County a kei truck may work private farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and the county code opens no road to OHVs.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads Closed
No section of the county code mentions off-highway or off-road vehicles, golf carts or low speed vehicles. Chapter 17 lets the board adopt traffic orders by resolution, and a search for a board action on combined use found none. Solano County Code, all sixty chapters read, read 28 October 2026
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Sonoma County To confirm
In Sonoma County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Stanislaus County To confirm
In Stanislaus County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Sutter County To confirm
In Sutter County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Tehama County To confirm
In Tehama County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Trinity County To confirm
In Trinity County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or a search for the county's own board actions. The county code was not read in this pass.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Tulare County To confirm
In Tulare County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one. Its code moved to eCode360, which answered with a bot check.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Tuolumne County To confirm
In Tuolumne County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or a search for the county's own board actions. The county code was not read in this pass.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Ventura County To confirm
In Ventura County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Yolo County To confirm
In Yolo County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Yuba County To confirm
In Yuba County a kei truck may work private ranch and farm land closed to the public with no plate or sticker, but off that land it needs a road plate or an OHV sticker, and no combined use road was found.
In town To confirm
No town street opening was found in the codes read.
County roads To confirm
No combined use designation under Vehicle Code 38026 was found in the state record, the OHMVR Commission's papers or statewide searches for county designations. The county's own code and board actions were not searched one by one.
State highways Closed
Closed to OHVs.
Engines and EPA
Why the engine decides which truck comes in.
The same three facts hold in California and every other state.
The 25 year truck
It comes in on age
A 25 year old kei truck in original configuration clears both agencies on age. No Registered Importer and no Independent Commercial Importer is needed.
EPA's provision asks only that the truck is in its original configuration with the same model of engine it left the factory with.
40 CFR 85.1511(f)(2)eCFR, read 28 October 2026The newer truck
EPA asks for a certified engine
A newer kei truck comes in as nonroad equipment, permanently modified so its top speed is 25 mph or less, with its engine covered by an EPA certificate of conformity before it reaches US Customs. The governor stays for the life of the truck, and removing it is tampering, a federal offense.
Mini-trucks, importing used motor vehicles as nonroad vehiclesEPA, read 28 October 2026Engine size
Why 30 kilowatts decides a newer truck's engine
EPA sorts nonroad gasoline engines by maximum power, not size. Every kei engine is under 1,000 cc, so an engine of 30 kW or less may certify to the small engine standards, and 30 kW is the line that decides. Today's stock kei engines are rated above it, and a speed governor does not lower an engine's maximum power.
Every kei engine family EPA has certified for mini trucks is a lower power certified configuration, between 14.46 and 29.9 kW, under part 90 or part 1054. A certified mini truck engine is that configuration, not the stock engine.
40 CFR 1054.1, the small engine ruleseCFR, read 28 October 2026Small nonroad spark ignition engine certificatesEPA, read 28 October 2026California, the five answers
Land, title, road, inspection and what is next.
LandCan I use it on a farm or private land?
California identifies off-highway vehicles that run on public land or on private land open to the public. A vehicle run only on private property under the landowner's direct control and permission needs no identification.
Class. No California off-highway class fits a gray market kei truck. The DMV says an off-highway vehicle can be registered only if it was originally built to US and California emission standards.
Registration. None for use only on private property closed to the public. OHV identification for public land is not open to a truck that was not built to California emission standards.
Read from a secondary source or an older page. Confirm it with the office before you rely on it.
On the farm
Implements of husbandry are exempt from off-highway vehicle identification in the DMV's procedures manual. Whether a kei truck qualifies as an implement of husbandry is not settled.
Read from a secondary source or an older page. Confirm it with the office before you rely on it.
TitleHow do I title and register it?
California registers a direct import only with customs clearance, a DMV vehicle verification and CARB's emissions evidence. Fees are due within 20 days of the vehicle entering California. The DMV then issues a one time 30 day temporary operating permit.
The steps
- Confirm with CARB whether the truck can be certified before buying, at the CARB helpline.
- Have a CARB licensed laboratory test the truck and obtain the Certificate of Conformance for a 1975 or newer model year.
- Apply at the DMV with the customs papers, a weight certificate and the REG forms. Have the vehicle verified on REG 31.
The documents
- Out-of-state title or other proof of ownership
- Stamped and endorsed CBP entry forms, including the HS-7 and the 7501
- A weight certificate, required for imported trucks
- REG 343 application and REG 31 Verification of Vehicle
- CARB Certificate of Conformance or other emissions evidence with a smog certificate for a gasoline vehicle made after 1968
- Proof of FMVSS compliance where the DMV requires it
California Department of Motor Vehicles; California Air Resources Board helpline 800 242 4450
The roadCan I drive it on the road?
California registers an imported kei truck for the road only after it is modified and tested under CARB's direct import program, which the DMV says may be expensive or impossible for a vehicle over two years old.
- A direct import not originally built to California emissions and federal safety standards cannot be registered unless it is modified and tested under CARB's direct import program.
- Model year 1975 and newer needs a CARB Certificate of Conformance after a lab test.
- Model year 1968 to 1974 must meet the EPA rules in effect on 15 November 1972. CARB does not recommend these imports.
- Model year 1967 and older needs no modification or testing for registration.
- A vehicle obtained or imported within two years of its production date is treated as new and can never be registered in California.
- Off-highway vehicles, motorcycles and diesel vehicles cannot be converted to California emission standards.
Health and Safety Code 43150 to 43156 and 44200 to 44210; California DMV direct import rules
InspectionWhat inspection or insurance applies?
Safety. The DMV verifies a direct import on REG 31 at first registration. Proof of FMVSS compliance may be required.
Emissions. A smog certificate applies to gasoline vehicles made after 1968. A direct import of model year 1975 or newer needs CARB's Certificate of Conformance from a licensed laboratory.
Insurance. California requires liability insurance for every vehicle registered for the road.
Read from a secondary source or an older page. Confirm it with the office before you rely on it.
NextWhat is coming?
No bill or rule change for kei trucks was found in California on 28 October 2026. We read it again before a truck goes there.
Questions
Asked about California.
Can I register a kei truck for California roads?
Only after it passes CARB's direct import program. A model year 1975 or newer truck needs a lab test and a Certificate of Conformance. The DMV warns that conversion may be expensive or impossible for a vehicle over two years old.
Can I use one on my own land?
Yes. California requires OHV identification on public land and on private land open to the public, not on private property closed to the public under the landowner's control.
What about a truck 25 years or older?
It enters the country under the federal age rule. California's direct import rules still govern registration. A model year 1975 or newer truck needs a CARB lab test and a Certificate of Conformance. Only model year 1967 and older vehicles skip testing.
What about a newer truck imported as off-road equipment?
The DMV registers an off-highway vehicle only if it was built to US and California emission standards, so this truck takes no green or red sticker. It works on private property closed to the public under the landowner's control, where no identification is required.
Upgrades
Upgrades in California.
Height and lift. No bumper height limit found. A motortruck of 4,500 pounds GVWR or less may have a frame no higher than 27 inches and a body floor no more than five inches above the frame top (24008.5). Headlamps must sit 22 to 54 inches high (24400).
Tires and fenders. Fenders, flaps or covers at least as wide as the tire tread must minimize spray to the rear (27600). Tread below one thirty-second of an inch in any two adjacent grooves is barred (27465). No maximum tire size or fender trimming rule found.
Lights. Up to two auxiliary driving lamps at 16 to 42 inches and two fog lamps at 12 to 30 (24402 and 24403). No more than four lamps showing to the front lit at once (24405). Front light must be white or yellow (25950).
Modification and inspection. No inspection, title or notice rule found for a suspension lift, larger tires or lamps. An engine installed other than temporarily must be reported to the DMV within 10 days (4161) and the Bureau of Automotive Repair says it needs a referee inspection. (Unsure.)
From the upgrades chapter of Mini Truck Roadbook, the 2026 to 2027 edition, with the statute after each rule. A rule marked (Unsure.) rests on a source the book could not read in full.
Getting it there
Where California's truck comes ashore.
From the nearest port where a sailing from Japan is on record. Road miles are an estimate, the straight line times 1.2, not a routed drive.
Sources
Every source read, 28 October 2026
- dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/new-registration/register-an-im..
- ww2.arb.ca.gov/frequently-asked-questions
- arb.ca.gov/html/master_faqs/vehicle_faqs/greymarket_cars_faq.htm
- ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/1234/files/OHV%20Information%20Bulletin%2025-1%..
- dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/vehicle-industry-registration-procedures-ma..
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml
The public record of California as read on 28 October 2026, not legal advice. Every kei truck pays the 25 percent truck duty, the chicken tax, whatever its age.
Contact
A truck for California.
Ask about a truck, a state or the papers, and we answer with what applies to you.
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