Kei trucks in Michigan, on the road at 25 years and on the trail before that
Read from Michigan's own statutes and motor vehicle office.
Michigan's Department of State titles and registers a kei truck 25 years or older for on-road use when it was built for the road, on its import papers and a Michigan no-fault policy. A newer truck imported as off road equipment and governed to 25 mph is titled as an off-road vehicle, works your own land with no license and runs public trails with a Department of Natural Resources ORV license.
Your lane
Which truck are you buying?
Michigan treats the two kinds of kei truck differently. Pick yours and this answers for it.
A kei truck 25 years or older imported for road use is titled and registered for the road in Michigan when it was manufactured for on-road use.
Open to road useTitle. Department of State on-road title at a Secretary of State office, on the foreign ownership documents, CBP 7501, HS-7 and EPA 3520-1.
Registration. Standard registration and plate with Michigan no-fault insurance.
- Manufactured for on-road use in the US or in another country and 25 years old or older (Department of State, Titles FAQ)
- The CBP 7501 needs no stamp or seal for a vehicle at least 25 years old (Department of State, Titles FAQ)
- A TR-54 police inspection form is needed only when the truck entered through a port outside Michigan and is titled but not registered
- No speed or road type limit written for kei trucks
Can I drive a 25 year old kei truck on Michigan roads?
Yes. The Department of State says kei-class mini-trucks and microvans 25 years old and older can be titled and registered for on-road use when they were manufactured for on-road use. It takes the import papers, a plate and a Michigan no-fault policy. Michigan law sets no special road limit for it.
A newer kei truck imported as off road equipment and governed to 25 mph is titled in Michigan only as an off-road vehicle. The Department of State says mini-trucks under 25 years can never be titled or registered on-road, and MCL 257.217i keeps a gray market off-road minitruck out of the assembled vehicle title.
Off highway vehicleWhere it can run
Private land with no ORV license for the owner, family and invited guests. Public land, forest trails, designated areas and roads open to ORVs with the ORV license.
Title. ORV title from the Department of State, required to sell it.
Registration. ORV license from the Department of Natural Resources, with a trail permit on state designated trails and scramble areas.
- Mini-trucks and microvans less than 25 years old are not eligible for titling or registering on-road and can only be titled as off-road vehicles (Department of State, Titles FAQ)
- An ORV license is required on land, forest trails, designated areas and streets or county roads, except on private property operated by the owner, a family member or an invited guest (MCL 324.81115)
- A child under 16 may operate an ORV only under the direct visual supervision of an adult and with an ORV safety certificate (MCL 324.81129)
- A child under 12 may not cross a street, county road or highway (MCL 324.81129(16))
- The assembled vehicle title does not include a gray market off-road minitruck (MCL 257.217i(5)(b))
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 and governed to 25 mph?
It is titled as an off-road vehicle. The Department of State says mini-trucks under 25 years old cannot be titled or registered on-road, and Michigan law keeps a gray market off-road minitruck out of the assembled vehicle title. Off private land it needs a Department of Natural Resources ORV license. Riders under 16 need adult supervision and a safety certificate.
Who decides here
The office and the rule.
This is the office that titles and registers a kei truck in Michigan, and the text it works from.
The deciding office
Michigan Department of State, Information Center
Michigan Department of State, Titles FAQ: "Kei-class vehicles, including mini-trucks and microvans 25 years old and older are exempt from federal regulations and can be titled and registered for on-road use if they were manufactured for on-road use in the U.S. or in another country. Import documentation will be required if the vehicle has not been previously titled in the U.S. Mini-trucks and microvans less than 25 years old aren't eligible for titling or registering on-road. They can only be titled as off-road vehicles."The office pagemichigan.gov, read 28 October 2026
Engines and EPA
Why the engine decides which truck comes in.
The same three facts hold in Michigan 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 2026Michigan, the five answers
Road, title, land, inspection and what is next.
The roadCan I drive it on the road?
Michigan's Department of State titles and registers a kei truck 25 years or older for on-road use when it was manufactured for on-road use. A truck never titled in the US brings its import papers.
- Department of State, Titles FAQ: Kei-class vehicles, including mini-trucks and microvans 25 years old and older, can be titled and registered for on-road use if they were manufactured for on-road use in the U.S. or in another country
- Import documentation is required if the vehicle has not been previously titled in the U.S.
- Mini-trucks and microvans less than 25 years old are not eligible for titling or registering on-road and can only be titled as off-road vehicles
- MCL 257.217i(5)(b): the term assembled vehicle does not include a gray market off-road minitruck, so a newer truck has no road conversion
- No speed or road type limit written for kei trucks exists in Michigan law. A road vehicle needs a plate, registration and Michigan no-fault insurance
Michigan Department of State, Titles FAQ, Are Kei-class vehicles eligible for on-road registration; MCL 257.217i(5)(b)
TitleHow do I title and register it?
Every kei truck in Michigan is titled by the Department of State at a Secretary of State office. A truck 25 years or older built for the road takes an on-road title and registration, and a newer truck takes an off-road title.
The steps
- Gather the foreign ownership documents, the CBP 7501, the HS-7 and the EPA 3520-1.
- Insure a road truck with a Michigan no-fault policy.
- Apply at a Secretary of State office for an on-road title and registration, or for an off-road title for a newer truck.
- If the truck entered through a port outside Michigan and is titled but not registered, bring a TR-54 completed by a Michigan police officer.
The documents
- Vehicle title and ownership documents, the Japanese export certificate for an import
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection Entry Summary CBP 7501, which needs no stamp for a vehicle at least 25 years old
- U.S. Department of Transportation form HS-7
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency form 3520-1
- TR-54 inspection form, only when imported through another state and titled but not registered
- Driver's license or state ID
- Michigan no-fault insurance, for registration
Michigan Department of State, Secretary of State offices, Information Center 888 767 6424
LandCan I use it on a farm or private land?
A mini truck used off road in Michigan is an ORV, titled by the Department of State and licensed by the Department of Natural Resources for public land, trails and roads where ORVs are allowed.
Class. ORV, which MCL 324.81101 defines as a motor-driven off-road recreation vehicle capable of cross-country travel and which includes a vehicle with 3 or more wheels
Registration. An ORV license from the Department of Natural Resources is required on public land, forest trails, designated areas and on a street or county road unless the vehicle is registered under the vehicle code. A trail permit is also needed on state designated trails and scramble areas. No ORV license is needed on private property for the owner, a family member or an invited guest (MCL 324.81115(2)(b)).
On the farm
Michigan's ORV definition leaves out a farm vehicle being used for farming, and the vehicle code's implement of husbandry is a vehicle in use for the exclusive function of serving agricultural, horticultural or livestock operations. Whether a given mini truck qualifies depends on its use.
Read from a secondary source or an older page. Confirm it with the office before you rely on it.
InspectionWhat inspection or insurance applies?
Safety. No periodic safety inspection was found for a titled ORV. Converting an off-road vehicle to road use takes a Vehicle Number/On-Road Equipment Inspection by a Michigan police officer and then a final inspection by a Department of State regulation agent, with a DOT certified laminated windshield and a mechanical parking brake.
Emissions. No Michigan emissions test was found on any page read for an ORV or a registered light vehicle.
Read from a secondary source or an older page. Confirm it with the office before you rely on it.
Insurance. A vehicle registered for the road needs a valid Michigan no-fault policy at registration and at every renewal. The pages read set no insurance requirement for an ORV kept off road.
NextWhat is coming?
No bill or rule change for kei trucks was found in Michigan on 28 October 2026. We read it again before a truck goes there.
Questions
Asked about Michigan.
Can I drive a 25 year old kei truck on Michigan roads?
Yes. The Department of State says kei-class mini-trucks and microvans 25 years old and older can be titled and registered for on-road use when they were manufactured for on-road use. It takes the import papers, a plate and a Michigan no-fault policy. Michigan law sets no special road limit for it.
What about a newer truck imported as off road equipment and governed to 25 mph?
It is titled as an off-road vehicle. The Department of State says mini-trucks under 25 years old cannot be titled or registered on-road, and Michigan law keeps a gray market off-road minitruck out of the assembled vehicle title. Off private land it needs a Department of Natural Resources ORV license. Riders under 16 need adult supervision and a safety certificate.
What papers does a road title take?
The ownership documents, the CBP 7501 customs entry, the HS-7, the EPA 3520-1, your license or state ID and Michigan no-fault insurance. A 25 year old vehicle's CBP 7501 needs no customs stamp.
Do I need anything to use it on my own land?
It needs a Michigan title. An ORV license is not required when it is driven only on private property by the owner, a family member or an invited guest.
What about state trails and forest roads?
Off private land an off-road truck needs an ORV license from the Department of Natural Resources, and a trail permit on state designated trails and scramble areas.
Is there an inspection or emissions test?
Michigan has no periodic safety inspection or emissions test for a registered light vehicle or an ORV kept off road.
Upgrades
Upgrades in Michigan.
Height and lift. No bumper, frame height or lift limit found for an ordinary registered vehicle (MCL 257.683 to 257.730). Headlamps must sit 24 to 54 inches high (257.685(4)). An assembled passenger vehicle needs bumpers 14 to 22 inches high when not in 4-wheel drive (257.217i(1)(o)).
Tires and fenders. No fender, mud flap, splash guard, tire size or trimming rule found (MCL 257.683 to 257.730). A tire on a vehicle under 10,000 pounds is unsafe worn to 2/32 inch in two or more adjacent major grooves at three or more places (257.710(h)(iii)).
Lights. At most 2 spot lamps and 2 fog lamps at 12 to 30 inches (MCL 257.696). Headlamps plus auxiliary lamps are limited to 4 lit at once (257.685(5)). A commercial snow removal vehicle needs a flashing yellow or amber light seen from 500 feet (257.682c(1)).
Modification and inspection. Parts and accessories are permitted if consistent with sections 683 to 711 (MCL 257.683(4)). A vehicle altered so far it no longer reflects its original configuration is titled as assembled (257.217i(4)(b)). A gray market off-road minitruck, an undefined term, is excluded from that definition (257.217i(5)(b)).
From the upgrades chapter of Mini Truck Roadbook, the 2026 to 2027 edition, with the statute after each rule.
Getting it there
Where Michigan'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
- legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL
- legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL
- legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL
- legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL
- legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill
- legislature.mi.gov/Search/ExecuteSearch
- michigan.gov/sos/vehicle/recreational-vehicles-watercraft
- michigan.gov/sos/vehicle/titles
- theautopian.com/michigan-becomes-the-next-state-to-fight-the-battle-ag..
- theautopian.com/michigan-backs-down-from-banning-imported-cars-after-e..
- legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL
- michigan.gov/sos/faqs/vehicles/titles
- web.archive.org/web/20241130205318/https://www.michigan.gov/sos/faqs/v..
- web.archive.org/web/20250208131816/https://www.michigan.gov/sos/faqs/v..
- michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/01preston/Dealer_Manual_Chap..
The public record of Michigan as read on 28 October 2026, not legal advice. Every kei truck pays the 25 percent truck duty, the chicken tax, whatever its age.
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