Kei Cars Are Finally Legal In Texas And Colorado

Two states, Colorado and Texas, recently passed laws allowing kei cars and trucks to legally be registered and used on public roads. They join a growing list of states that do allow the tiny Japanese vehicles to be used by people who want to enjoy their advantages. But critics think this move will end badly.

Check out this Jeep rat rod.

Back on May 9, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed into law HB25-1281, making kei cars and trucks road-legal in the state. While advocates for the little vehicles have rejoiced, those who live inside the state’s boundaries will have to wait until July 1, 2027 when the law actually goes into effect.

Also in May, the Texas legislature passed SB 1816 which allows residents to legally title, register, and operate a “miniature vehicle” like a kei from Japan. The only catch is it has to be at least 25 years old, which is the law for importing such a car.

That law goes into effect this September.

Back in September 2024, Massachusetts reversed its decision to ban the registration of kei cars and trucks in the state. Both the banning and unbanning have been controversial decisions.

Critics believe kei vehicles are too incompatible with larger US-market vehicles, especially full-size pickups and SUVs. One group in particular that’s been influencing state legislatures and policy makers, pushing them in that direction, is the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

The concern is kei trucks and cars don’t really have a crumple zone, putting drivers and passengers at risk in a crash. But the Smart Fortwo was sold in this market and it has the same issue. Critics also argue kei vehicles are hard for other drivers to see. Yet both of those arguments would apply to motorcycles as well. Should we ban those?

These safety groups probably would.

Aside from Colorado and Texas, these are the states where you can legally register and drive a kei vehicle on public roads: California, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.

In Alaska, Hawaii, and Delaware there is no recorded law, so they’re a little iffy there. Montana, Minnesota, Michigan, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and Rhode Island restrict their use.

But the states which outright ban kei vehicles are Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Vermont.

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