Are Kei Trucks Legal in Minnesota?
Minnesota law defines a kei truck as a "mini truck" and lets it be driven on public roads only where the county, city or town has passed an ordinance allowing it and has issued the driver a permit.
The governing body of any county, home rule charter or statutory city, or town may by ordinance authorize the operation of motorized golf carts, all-terrain vehicles, utility task vehicles, or mini trucks, on designated roadways or portions thereof under its jurisdiction. Authorization to operate a motorized golf cart, all-terrain vehicle, utility task vehicle, or mini truck is by permit only.
Minnesota is unusual in that its traffic code names these vehicles directly. Minnesota Statutes § 169.011, subdivision 40a defines a "mini truck" as a four-wheeled motor vehicle with an engine of 660 cubic centimetres or less, a total dry weight between 900 and 2,200 pounds, an enclosed cabin and a seat for the driver, which "commonly resembles a pickup truck or van" and "was not originally manufactured to meet federal motor vehicle safety standards." That is a description of a Japanese kei truck in all but name, and it means Minnesota has already decided what category these vehicles belong in rather than leaving each counter clerk to improvise.
What the state has not done is grant a statewide right to drive one. Section 169.045 makes road use a local decision: the governing body of a county, city or town may pass an ordinance authorising mini trucks on roadways under its own jurisdiction, and even then a driver needs an individual permit. Permits run for up to three years, may be renewed, require evidence of insurance under § 65B.48 subdivision 5, and may be revoked. So the practical answer to "can I drive this on the road in Minnesota" depends on which county or city you live in, and a vehicle that is legal on a township road may have no authorisation a few miles away.
Where a permit is in force, the statute spells out the terms. Subdivision 7a requires a permitted mini truck to carry at least two headlamps, at least two taillamps, front and rear turn-signal lamps, a driver's-side exterior mirror plus either a passenger-side exterior or an interior mirror, a windshield, seat belts for driver and front passenger, and a parking brake. Subdivision 6 gives the operator "all the rights and duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle," subdivision 7 confirms that Minnesota's driver-licensing chapter applies to mini truck operators, and subdivision 5 lets a permitted mini truck cross an intersecting street or highway. Subdivision 8 provides that an owner who cannot get liability cover on the open market may buy it through the Minnesota Automobile Insurance Plan.
Two things we could not establish. First, whether Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services issues a conventional title and licence plate for a mini truck: § 169.045 is an operating statute and says nothing about registration, and we found no DVS page or form that addresses kei vehicles or mini trucks by name. Second, how many local authorities have actually adopted a mini truck ordinance — that is a county-by-county and city-by-city question, and the only reliable answer is the one you get from your own clerk before you buy.
What you can do in Minnesota
Before committing to a purchase, call the clerk of the county, city or township where the truck will be kept and ask two questions: has the governing body adopted an ordinance under Minn. Stat. § 169.045 authorising mini trucks, and what does its permit application require. If the answer to the first is no, there is no road use to be had there, however the vehicle is equipped.
Where an ordinance does exist, budget for the equipment list in subdivision 7a — two headlamps, two taillamps, front and rear turn signals, the mirror set, a windshield, front seat belts and a parking brake. Most road-going kei trucks already carry all of this from the factory, but a farm-spec or stripped example may not, and the permit turns on the vehicle having it.
Off the public road, none of this applies. Field, orchard, campground, job-site and private-property use is unaffected by § 169.045, which only governs operation on roadways under a public authority's jurisdiction.
How this fits the national picture
Importing a vehicle twenty-five years or older is a federal matter and is settled. Registering one for the road is decided state by state, which is why the answer changes when you cross a line on a map. Our state-by-state guide covers all fifty, including why states disagree and the AAMVA guidance most restrictions trace back to.
We are based in Goshen, New York, and New York is one of the states that will not register these for road use. We say so on our own state's page because it is true, not because it helps us. We will not tell you a kei truck is street legal in the USA.
Common questions
Are kei trucks street legal in Minnesota?
Only locally. Minnesota Statutes § 169.045 allows a county, city or town to authorise mini trucks on roadways under its jurisdiction by ordinance, and operation is by permit only. There is no statewide right to drive a kei truck on Minnesota public roads.
Does Minnesota law define kei trucks?
Effectively yes. Minnesota Statutes § 169.011, subdivision 40a defines a "mini truck" as a four-wheeled motor vehicle with an engine of 660 cubic centimetres or less, a total dry weight of 900 to 2,200 pounds, an enclosed cabin and a driver's seat, resembling a pickup truck or van, that was not originally built to federal motor vehicle safety standards. A Japanese kei truck fits that definition.
What equipment does Minnesota require on a mini truck driven on the road?
Minnesota Statutes § 169.045, subdivision 7a requires a permitted mini truck to have at least two headlamps, at least two taillamps, front and rear turn-signal lamps, a driver's-side exterior mirror plus either a passenger-side exterior mirror or an interior mirror, a windshield, a seat belt for the driver and front passenger, and a parking brake.
How long does a Minnesota mini truck permit last?
Minnesota Statutes § 169.045, subdivision 2 provides that permits may be granted for a period not to exceed three years and may be renewed. The local ordinance prescribes the application form and requires evidence of insurance, and a permit may be revoked if there is evidence the permittee cannot operate the vehicle safely.
Can I insure a kei truck in Minnesota?
Minnesota Statutes § 169.045, subdivision 8 provides that a person operating a mini truck under that section who cannot obtain liability insurance in the private market may purchase automobile insurance, including no-fault coverage, from the Minnesota Automobile Insurance Plan at a rate set by the commissioner of commerce.
This page describes what we could establish from the source above on the date shown. It is not legal advice, and kei registration rules have moved in both directions every year since 2021 — confirm with the Minnesota registering authority before you buy. Payment for an imported vehicle is by bank transfer and is not reversible.