Colorado Officially Passes Law Legalizing Kei Trucks

Late last year, a proposed bill that would have outlawed mini trucks in Colorado died. The state’s Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles, nixed the rule change, but the state continued to lack any specific regulations regarding kei vehicles. That changed earlier this month when state legislators passed HB25-1281, officially legalizing imported kei trucks that are 25 years or older in the state without any ambiguity.

The law won’t go into effect until July 1, 2027, but it’s a significant improvement for owners. It lays out the steps required to register the vehicle in the state, which includes a two-speed idle test for emissions compliance. It stipulates, “A kei vehicle must pass the emissions standard for the model year it was manufactured.”

Kei vehicles, the small cars, trucks, and vans from Japan with limited power, are having a moment in America.

Several states in recent years have worked to tighten regulations on these vehicles but have faced fierce pushback from enthusiasts who have won in their efforts to protect kei vehicles. A years-long effort in Texas by David McChristian, the founder of Lone Star Kei, successfully changed the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles policy that banned kei vehicles.

There’s now a new law working its way through the Texas legislature that would explicitly protect imported mini trucks in the state. Last September, kei truck owners and enthusiasts in Massachusetts also successfully petitioned the state to allow registrations. However, several states still outright ban them, including Georgia, where enthusiasts have struggled to change the law.