On this page
Indiana at a glance
Legal with limits- Status
- Street legal as a mini-truck, with limits
- Where you can drive
- All public roads except interstates
- Speed rule
- No road cap; 60 mph is a definition figure
- Interstates
- Not allowed (IC 9-21-8-46)
- Title / registration
- BMV Central Office title by mail, then mini-truck plate
- Inspection
- One-time physical inspection form for imports
- Emissions
- Exempt; testing counties want an exemption report
- Key law
- IC 9-13-2-103.1; IC 9-21-8-46
Is a Kei Truck street legal in Indiana?
Yes. Indiana created a mini-truck class in 2015 (Public Law 180-2015), and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) titles and registers Kei Trucks under it with a dedicated mini-truck plate. Under IC 9-13-2-103.1, a mini-truck is a truck that:
- has an internal combustion engine of at least 660 cc
- is 60 inches wide or less
- has an unladen dry weight of 1,600 lb or less
- can reach a top speed of no more than 60 mph
- left the factory with an enclosed, lockable and heated cab
Those figures describe the vehicle, not your driving. The 60 mph number belongs to the definition; it is not a speed limit. The 660 cc figure is a floor, and a standard Kei engine sits right on it.
Check the weight before you buy
The 1,600 lb dry-weight limit is the line most likely to cause trouble. Japanese spec sheets list curb weight with fuel and fluids, which runs higher than dry weight. Suzuki lists the January 1999 Carry (DA52T and DB52T) at 670 to 740 kg, about 1,477 to 1,631 lb. Honda's spec sheet for a later HA6/HA7 Acty truck lists 800 to 870 kg, about 1,764 to 1,918 lb, which by our estimate stays over the line even with fuel and fluids taken out. If you are eyeing a heavier 4WD truck, ask the BMV before money moves. Our Kei Truck model guide compares the five common trucks.
Where can you drive a Kei Truck in Indiana?
On every public road except an interstate. IC 9-21-8-46 keeps mini-trucks off every part of an interstate, in the same sentence that bars farm implements and special machinery. The mini-truck law sets no posted-speed cap, no county opt-in and no daylight rule.
Two neighbors handle the same trucks very differently: Illinois will not plate Kei Trucks, and Kentucky requires a local opt-in.
How do you get a Kei Truck titled and plated in Indiana?
A Kei Truck titled in Indiana for the first time goes through the BMV Central Office by mail, not a branch. That includes a truck already titled in another state as an ordinary truck or an off-road vehicle; Indiana issues a new title that declares it a mini-truck. The BMV returns incomplete packets in full, so check every item before mailing.
Confirm the truck fits the definition
Check engine size (660 cc or more), width (60 inches or less), the locking heated cab and weight (1,600 lb dry or less). The maker's spec sheet or the export certificate shows curb weight.
Gather the import papers
You need the Japanese export certificate with an English translation, plus the bill of sale, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form 7501 or the entry release, the HS-7 import declaration with box 1 (the 25-year exemption) checked, and EPA Form 3520-1, the Environmental Protection Agency's import declaration.
Complete the physical inspection
State Form 39530, Physical Inspection of a Vehicle, is required for a truck bought outside Indiana. Add one side-view photo of the whole truck.
Mail the Mini-Truck Title Application Packet
Send State Form 205, proof of ownership, the inspection form, the odometer statement (State Form 43230), proof of address and payment (State Form 56163) to BMV Central Office Title Processing within 45 days of purchase. The title fee is $15, plus 7% sales tax if not already paid.
Register at a branch
With the title issued, show proof of insurance, plus an emissions-exempt inspection report if your county tests, and leave with a mini-truck plate.
Mail the packet within 45 days of purchase, because a later packet carries a $30 administrative penalty. Once the title is issued, you register at any branch. Each year you pay the registration fee along with the vehicle excise tax, any local excise tax and the Transportation Infrastructure Improvement Fee.
Inspection, emissions and insurance
Indiana has no annual safety inspection. The one inspection is the physical inspection form (State Form 39530) in the title packet, required for a truck bought outside Indiana. In counties that require emissions testing, the BMV asks for a vehicle inspection report declaring the mini-truck exempt, at first registration only. Proof of insurance is required to register.
Japanese plate brackets are drilled for Japanese plates, so plan how you will mount the Indiana plate. Our Kei Truck plate adapters are made for that job, and fresh Kei Truck lights help on dark county roads.
Before buying, read our guides to the importing process and the 25-year rule, and see where Indiana sits on the Kei Truck law map.
Frequently asked questions
Are Indiana interstates off limits to Kei Trucks?
Yes. IC 9-21-8-46 keeps mini-trucks off every part of an interstate. All other public roads, including US and state highways, are open to a registered mini-truck, with no posted-speed cap and no local opt-in. Plan routes with that in mind, because a 660 cc truck is slower than most highway traffic.
Does Indiana require an inspection for a Kei Truck?
There is no annual safety inspection. The title packet requires a one-time physical inspection form, State Form 39530, for a truck bought outside Indiana. In counties that test emissions, the BMV wants a vehicle inspection report declaring the mini-truck exempt, at its first Indiana registration only.
What if my Kei Truck weighs more than 1,600 lb?
Indiana's definition caps unladen dry weight at 1,600 lb, so a heavier truck may not qualify as a mini-truck. Japanese curb weights include fuel and fluids, so they overstate dry weight somewhat. Later Honda Acty trucks run over the line by Honda's own figures. Ask the BMV before you buy a heavy 4WD truck.
Can I retitle a Kei Truck that already has another state's title?
Yes, but the first Indiana title still goes through the BMV Central Office by mail. The BMV says a mini-truck titled elsewhere as a truck or off-road vehicle must receive a new Indiana title declaring it a mini-truck. Use the Mini-Truck Title Application Packet and include the out-of-state title as proof of ownership.
Is the 60 mph figure a speed limit for Kei Trucks in Indiana?
No. The 60 mph figure is part of the mini-truck definition in IC 9-13-2-103.1, which describes a truck whose top speed is 60 mph or less. It does not decide which roads you may use. Posted limits apply as usual, and the only roads closed to mini-trucks are interstates. The title packet does not ask for a speed test.
Are Kei Vans covered by Indiana's mini-truck law?
The definition says truck, and the BMV's mini-truck pages describe trucks only, so a Kei Van may not fit the class. Ask the BMV Central Office in writing before buying a van for road use in Indiana. A van that does not qualify as a mini-truck would need a different route to registration.
Sources
This page explains the rules in plain English. It is not legal advice. Laws change and offices apply them differently, so confirm with your state DMV or county titling office before you buy or register a truck.