It seems one more state is on the verge of officially recognizing kei trucks and vans as legitimate vehicles for road use. The state is Texas, and the law sets to clarify exactly what qualifies as kei truck or van is. This will compel local DMV officials to register them for drivers who own them.
As of writing this article, State Bill 1816 (SB1816) has passed in both the Texas Senate and House. The bill is only pending a signature from the government to become a law on the books. (Update the law has officially passed as of June 20, 2025!)
Some of you may be thinking “I already have a truck registered in Texas,” and we get that. We also proudly offer TX titled trucks and vans and personally have no issues with the Texas DMV. The reason for this bill is that enforcement of DMV policies has been quite inconsistent. When this law passes, it will be very clear that the trucks are eligible for registration, and should make things much easier for new kei truck buyers.
With that said, we’ll be keeping an eye on other states that are clarifying the rules on kei trucks. We’ve seen similar laws pass in Kentucky and Colorado now, and hopefully more states will see the kei light soon!
