While Japan’s kei cars have been imported to the US since the late 1940s, they’re enjoying a bit of a resurgence thanks to countless social media posts and YouTube videos. A bonafide viral sensation, kei cars are tiny cars, trucks, and vans that almost resemble playthings next to larger vehicles dominating American roadways. Defined by their diminutive design and graced with playful names such as Beat, Cappuccino, and Dayz Highway Star, kei-jidōsha (Japanese for “light automobile”) are efficient, affordable, and, most of all, small. Kei cars are legally limited to less than 11 feet long and five feet wide, which means they would be dwarfed by the typical American pickup truck. In fact, the 2025 Chevy Silverado 1500 could accommodate the average kei car within its cargo bed.
Buying a kei car isn’t as simple as walking into a local dealership and cutting a check for a down payment. While popular in Japan, kei cars still represent an extremely small segment of the US market. This means kei cars aren’t worth exporting to the West, necessitating extra legwork for American drivers. From finding a trusted exporter and selecting a vehicle to filling out paperwork, arranging shipping, and paying associated taxes, read on as we take you through the step-by-step process of importing a kei car and explore some benefits of downsizing your ride.
Kei Car 101
Kei cars were originally envisioned as a way to jumpstart Japan’s fledgling automotive industry and make personal vehicle ownership more accessible. Introduced in 1949, the kei category promoted the design and sale of small, efficient vehicles with limited dimensions and specific engine requirements. While the exact regulations have slowly evolved over the years, modern kei cars are limited to 11.2 ft in length and 4.9 ft in width with an engine displacement of 660cc (0.66 liters) or less. There isn’t a specific restriction on engine output, but a gentleman’s agreement between automakers and politicians has seen kei cars limited to just 64 hp.
They might be treated as a novelty in the West, but kei cars have become a force to be reckoned with in Japan’s domestic market. In fact, the category has become almost too successful, leading the Japanese government to increase taxes on such vehicles by 50 percent in 2014. This tax hike did succeed in lowering the segment’s market share, which fell from 40 percent in 2013 to around 33 percent in 2016, but kei cars are still some of the most ubiquitous vehicles on Japan’s roads. In fact, seven out of the ten country’s best-selling vehicles were kei cars as of 2018, with passenger vans like the Nissan Dayz, Honda N-Box, and Suzuki Spacia topping the charts.
Part of the appeal can be attributed to some quirks of the Japanese market. The ultra-compact vehicles are perfect for the country’s narrow, bustling city streets and manage to skirt a unique requirement known as shako shōmeisho. Roughly translated to “parking certificate,” this rule dictates that all drivers must have their own designated parking space within a reasonable distance of their residence before they can register a vehicle. The shako shōmeisho system is designed to alleviate congestion and keep Japanese streets clear overnight but can be a serious financial burden in areas where real estate is at a premium. In many rural areas, kei cars are exempt from the shako shōmeisho requirement. That’s just one benefit of these smaller-than-average vehicles.
Advantages of Kei Cars and Trucks
From their compact size and maneuverability to their efficiency, utility, and low cost of ownership, there are plenty of reasons to consider importing a kei car when you set out to find your next vehicle. While these benefits largely speak for themselves, exploring each of these advantages in detail can help to explain why kei cars are worth a closer look and how they’ve become such a mainstay of Japanese automotive culture.
Efficiency
With an average weight of 1,500 lbs and an engine legally limited to just 0.66 liters, kei cars offer the sort of efficiency that few traditional vehicles can match. Many kei cars boast over 50 MPG, making them an ideal choice for drivers looking to save a little money at the pump while leaving a minuscule carbon footprint. They might not be the most aerodynamic models on the road, but the combination of a small, fuel-sipping engine and a sub-one-ton curb weight offers some undeniable advantages in terms of fuel efficiency. Kei cars are also low on emissions, which makes them ideally suited for use in states where increasingly strict environmental requirements are an important consideration when shopping for a new vehicle.
Low Ownership Costs
A vehicle offering more than 50 MPG will save you a lot of money at the pump, but fuel efficiency isn’t the only factor that makes key cars such an affordable proposition. New kei cars often ring in at less than $10,000, with preowned models selling for as little as $3,000 to $6,000. Various import costs, including shipping, taxes, and other fees, can add as much as $6,000 to the bottom line. While potentially doubling a vehicle’s price just to get it into the country might be a hard pill to swallow for some drivers, it’s tough to argue with a potentially sub-$10,000 vehicle.
In addition to their low initial cost, kei cars are also exceedingly affordable to own and operate. Kei cars enjoy lower insurance rates than larger vehicles. In Japan, kei cars are even eligible for tax breaks and discounted registration fees, though such perks don’t typically extend to the US market. The relatively simple nature of kei cars also means that they’re cheaper to maintain and repair thanks to their smaller components like brakes and airbags, though finding a mechanic who knows their way around these one-of-a-kind imports could be a little difficult.
Perfect for City Driving
A kei car’s small size makes it the ideal choice for navigating densely packed urban landscapes. From easily weaving through traffic to fitting into tight parking spots, kei cars can go places that larger cars, trucks, and SUVs wouldn’t dare. Kei cars excel in dense stop-and-go traffic, and their size can go a long way toward ensuring a stress-free driving experience. They’re also relatively peppy, thanks to their low curb weight. While 64 hp might not seem like a lot, a vehicle’s acceleration ultimately comes down to its power-to-weight ratio.
That said, there are some downsides. If your commute involves spending significant time on the highway, a kei car might not be the right choice. While they can hold their own on city streets, higher-speed traffic might leave drivers feeling a little underpowered, not to mention tough to see amid a sea of massive American vehicles.
Sourcing a Kei Car
It all starts with deciding where you want to shop for your kei car or truck. Many online auction sites, marketplaces, and Japan-based dealerships will sell you a kei car. If you want to make the process as quick and easy as possible, partnering with a dedicated import broker might be worthwhile. These companies specialize in helping drivers source kei cars and can provide a lot of helpful advice regarding shipping options, import requirements, and other roadblocks that you might run into.
Importing a vehicle to the US isn’t as easy as your typical online purchase. Unless you’re well versed in the intricacies of import/export rules and regulations, you’ll want to find a reliable broker to help smooth the sales process. We’re certainly not trying to scare any drivers away from embracing the DIY approach, but importing a kei car will often require drivers to source or complete no less than 11 individual pieces of paperwork ranging from the original registration, export certificate, bill of landing and a proforma invoice to the inspection certificate, insurance documents, EPA Form 3520-1, DOT HS-7 Form, and more. This mountain of red tape can be intimidating for even the most detail-oriented driver, so calling in the pros is such a popular choice.
You don’t have to take our word for it. Internet automotive guru and quirky car enthusiast Doug DeMuro vehemently advises against singlehandedly braving the import process. “Every single source I spoke to said the same thing: you must hire a customs broker in the United States because there’s so much paperwork, and it’s so complicated, that you, as a normal human with little understanding of tedious government forms, could never do it on your own,” said DeMuro in a 2015 article.
Settling on a Vehicle
Once you’ve found a reputable seller or hired an import broker, it’s time to settle on a specific vehicle. This is where drivers find the first major snag in the kei car importing process. Most kei cars and trucks need to be at least 25 years old to qualify for road use. Models of this vintage are technically classified as classic vehicles and, as such, are exempt from a majority of current DOT and EPA standards. Vehicles under 25 years old can still be imported, but they will be strictly limited to off-road use as farm vehicles or spunky little kei trucks that can be used on private property. Vehicles might also have to meet certain safety and emissions requirements, which could mean installing additional lights, seat belts, air bags, and a catalytic converter.
Different states have different laws regulating the use of kei vehicles, with some outright banning them or limiting their use, so make sure to check any local guidelines before investing. States like Rhode Island and Maine have banned kei cars altogether, while Georgia limits their top speed to 65 mph and bars them from being used on the highway. Around 19 states allow kei cars to be used on public roads, while others relegate them to off-road use.
The 25-year requirement might sound like a rather limiting factor, but the light use and reliability of vehicles in the kei car segment often mean that they’re still perfectly serviceable machines even at an advanced age. When calculating a kei car’s age, ensure you can determine the vehicle’s manufacture date, not just the model year. The 25-year requirement is based on the manufacture date, so not all 2000 models are eligible for import on January 1, 2025, only models proven to be more than 25 years old. Running a thorough search on the VIN can save you a lot of headaches and some unexpected bills when it comes to importing, so it’s always worth doing a little research. Drivers should also be aware that most kei cars are right-hand drive, which, while legal, could take a little getting used to, especially if you enjoy hitting the drive-thru.
Shipping
The next step in importing a kei car is actually getting it into the country, which means choosing a shipping option. Drivers are generally presented with two choices: container shipping and roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) shipping. The first is the more expensive option, but it provides a little extra security during the long, eight- to ten-week sea journey. Exporters will usually provide buyers with a tracking service that can be used to monitor their vehicle’s progress as it makes its way across the Pacific. Shipping can cost a driver anywhere between $1,000 and $2,500 depending on the type of service selected, which, in some cases, might cost as much as the vehicle itself.
Retrieve and Pay Taxes
When a kei car or truck arrives in the US, it’ll be kept at a warehouse awaiting customs clearance. Drivers can either hire a US-based customs broker to smooth out the sale and get their kei care released from customs jail or tackle the process themselves. The second choice might require a buyer to travel to the car’s port of entry in California, Florida, Texas, or New Jersey, which might be too much of a hassle for the average driver.
Next, it’s time to pay Uncle Sam. The exact amount of import tax you’ll have to pay comes down to the type of vehicle you’re buying, and it can make a huge difference. Kei cars and vans with a back seat will typically be subject to the normal 2.5% tax, but kei trucks are a different story altogether, thanks to the 25% Chicken Tax on light-duty trucks first imposed in 1964. The heavy tax can dramatically alter the overall purchase price of a kei truck and should be factored into all your calculations as you navigate the import process. Between shipping, import fees, and other costs, getting a kei car from Japan to your driveway can cost between $3,000 and $6,000. While kei cars might seem like an affordable alternative to the typical vehicle, it’s important not to lose sight of all the associated fees. Once the bill has been paid and all the relevant forms have been stamped, buyers can drive the vehicle to the nearest DMV for registration or contract with an automotive transport company to deliver it to their door.
Kei cars present a thrifty alternative to your run-of-the-mill car, truck, or SUV. They might not offer the same sort of space or power as larger, American-bred options, but they can provide some real utility and cost-savings while filling a vital niche in the market that’s made them an increasingly popular choice for today’s drivers. Advantages aside, drivers should know that importing a kei car or truck can be a lengthy and expensive process. From connecting with an exporter and complying with local laws to arranging shipping, navigating paperwork, and waiting up to 10 weeks for delivery, buying a kei car is much more difficult than simply walking into your local auto dealership. If you can maneuver through the byzantine process and make the number work, you’ll be rewarded with a unique vehicle that will turn heads and keep plenty of money in your pocket.
