Kei trucks will be fully legal to register and drive in Colorado starting July 1, 2027, under a law signed in May 2025. Registration will not actually open until January 1, 2028, and the vehicles will be barred from limited-access highways and any road posted above 55 mph. Until the law takes effect, kei trucks sit in a gray area: there is no outright ban, but Colorado’s DMV has treated them as ineligible for standard registration, and most cannot pass the emissions test currently required in the Front Range.
What the 2025 Law Changes
House Bill 25-1281, signed by the governor on May 9, 2025, adds “kei vehicle” to Colorado’s statutory definition of a motor vehicle.1Colorado General Assembly. HB25-1281 Title Register and Drive Kei Vehicles It is the first Colorado law to directly address these vehicles and creates a clear path to titling, registration, and road use.
The law takes effect July 1, 2027. Dealer licensing requirements and traffic-offense provisions begin January 1, 2028.2Colorado General Assembly. HB25-1281 Title Register and Drive Kei Vehicles – Fiscal Note Nothing in the bill is retroactive, so no one can register a kei truck under its provisions before 2027.
One provision matters even before registration day. The law bars the Department of Revenue, the Colorado State Patrol, and their agents from requiring a special inspection just because a vehicle is a kei truck, and prevents them from declaring a kei vehicle “not roadworthy” based on its design or manufacturing parameters alone.1Colorado General Assembly. HB25-1281 Title Register and Drive Kei Vehicles That was the core objection kei owners ran into before.
Which Kei Trucks Qualify
HB25-1281 sets five requirements. A qualifying kei vehicle must have:
- Four or more wheels
- A length under 140 inches and width under 67 inches
- A top speed of at least 50 mph
- An enclosed passenger cab
- Been imported into the United States as a used vehicle
Two of these filter out common kei variants. Some older trucks cannot reach 50 mph and will not qualify. The enclosed-cab rule excludes kei-style UTVs and open-cab models.
What to Expect Before July 1, 2027
Right now Colorado has no kei-specific rules on the books. The Division of Motor Vehicles has taken the position that kei trucks do not meet the definition of a motor vehicle for highway use, and has effectively treated them as ineligible for standard registration.
Some owners have secured temporary plates, but full registration has been blocked in practice because many kei trucks cannot pass the dynamometer-based emissions test required in Front Range counties. They are too light or too narrow to run safely on the dyno. If you buy a kei truck in 2026 planning to drive it on Colorado roads, understand you are operating in a gap period with no settled registration framework.
Federal Import Rules Come First
State legality means nothing if the truck was not legally imported. Two federal agencies control that: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The 25-Year NHTSA Rule
NHTSA requires imported vehicles to meet current Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards unless the vehicle is at least 25 years old, measured from its date of manufacture. A truck that old is automatically exempt and can be imported without safety modifications.3U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Importing Classic or Antique Vehicles A newer kei truck can technically be imported through a registered importer, but that process requires a bond equal to 150 percent of the vehicle’s declared value and full compliance within 120 days, which is rarely economic for a low-cost truck.4National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Importation and Certification FAQs
The 21-Year EPA Exemption
The EPA classifies vehicles manufactured at least 21 years ago as “ancient” and exempts them from federal emissions standards.5United States Environmental Protection Agency. EPA Form 3520-1 – Declaration Form Importation of Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Equipment Any truck old enough to clear NHTSA already clears EPA.
Customs Paperwork
At the port of entry, importers file NHTSA Form HS-7 for safety status and EPA Form 3520-1 for emissions status.6National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA Form HS-7 – Declaration Importation of Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Equipment Keep copies. You will need them to title the truck in Colorado.
How Registration Will Work
Once the law takes effect, titling a kei truck will follow Colorado’s existing procedure for imported vehicles. For a conforming import, which includes vehicles exempt from FMVSS due to age, the DMV bulletin lists:
- NHTSA Form HS-7
- Foreign title or registration, such as the Japanese export certificate
- A U.S. Customs entry form (any of CBP 7523, 3299, 3311, 7501, or 3461)
- DR 2698 VIN verification
- Signed odometer disclosure to start U.S. odometer tracking
A certified weight slip may also be required.7Colorado Department of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles. Bulletin BL 17-01 – Imported Motor Vehicles Titling Requirements
The VIN verification is a physical inspection confirming the truck’s VIN matches its paperwork. A Colorado licensed auto dealer, a licensed inspection station such as Air Care Colorado, or a Colorado law enforcement officer can perform it.8Department of Revenue – Colorado DMV. VIN Verification Information Handle it before your trip to the county clerk.
Insurance is also required at registration. Colorado can deny or delay registration if its motor vehicle file does not show coverage.9Department of Revenue – Colorado DMV. Registration Requirements Insuring a kei truck can take some shopping, since many carriers are not familiar with them. Specialty insurers or those experienced with imports are often the answer.
Emissions Testing
Emissions testing applies to vehicles registered in the Denver metro and Front Range region, covering all or portions of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld counties.10Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Emissions Inspections for Gasoline-Powered Vehicles Register outside this area and no test is required.
Inside the area, HB25-1281 requires kei vehicles to take a two-speed idle test rather than the standard dynamometer test, and the truck must meet the emissions standards for its model year.1Colorado General Assembly. HB25-1281 Title Register and Drive Kei Vehicles This fixes the practical blocker that stopped most owners from registering before. The two-speed idle test is the same one Colorado uses for 1981 and older vehicles without collector plates, and the current fee is $20 at Air Care Colorado stations or licensed independent test stations.11Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Gas Emissions Requirements
Where You Can and Can’t Drive
A registered kei truck cannot be driven on any road with a speed limit above 55 mph, and it is barred from limited-access highways entirely.1Colorado General Assembly. HB25-1281 Title Register and Drive Kei Vehicles The second half catches people out. A limited-access highway posted at 45 mph in a work zone is still a limited-access highway. I-25 and I-70 are off limits no matter what the speed limit sign says.
Town driving, rural roads, farm-to-market routes, and most state highways are fine. If your daily commute requires any stretch of interstate, a kei truck will not work as your only vehicle.
Buying From a Dealer After 2028
Starting January 1, 2028, anyone selling kei vehicles at retail in Colorado must be licensed as a motor vehicle dealer or powersports vehicle dealer.1Colorado General Assembly. HB25-1281 Title Register and Drive Kei Vehicles Private sales between individuals are not affected. If you are buying from a business, confirm the dealer license before you hand over money.