Alaska kei truck registration guide

1. 1

   Clear federal import

   Import a vehicle at least 25 years old and retain CBP Form 7501, NHTSA Form HS-7 (Box 1), EPA Form 3520-1, and the Japanese export certificate with a certified English translation. The 25-year threshold in AS 28.10.068 tracks the federal exemption.

2. 2

   Assemble proof of legal importation

   AS 28.10.068 applies to vehicles 'legally imported into the United States.' Your customs entry paperwork is what establishes that, so keep the originals rather than copies.

3. 3

   Obtain Alaska insurance

   Carry liability coverage meeting Alaska's minimum financial responsibility requirements before registering.

4. 4

   Apply for title and registration at the Alaska DMV

   Apply under AS 28.10. If a counter raises FMVSS non-compliance as an objection, cite AS 28.10.068 and AS 28.10.221(e) — both were added by SB 239 specifically to remove that objection.

5. 5

   Confirm current DMV procedure

   The law took effect in late June 2026. Call the DMV before travelling to an office and ask how they are processing imported vehicles under the new statute.

Before SB 239, Alaska registered these vehicles as all-purpose vehicles with only limited on-road operation. If you hold an older registration in that category, ask the DMV how to convert it.

SB 239 is short, and the two sections it added address FMVSS only. That leaves some questions to the DMV rather than the statute:

• No kei-specific speed cap or posted-road-class restriction appears in the statute text.
• No local or borough approval requirement appears in the statute text.
• Ordinary Alaska equipment, inspection, insurance, and driver licensing rules still apply to the vehicle.
• The department retains its normal regulatory authority over registration procedure — confirm current DMV requirements directly.

Are kei trucks street legal in Alaska?

Yes. AS 28.10.068, added by SB 239 and effective June 24, 2026, prohibits the DMV from requiring a legally imported vehicle at least 25 years old to comply with current federal motor vehicle safety standards before registering it. The vehicle is then titled and registered under the ordinary provisions of AS 28.10.

Is there a speed or road restriction?

The statute does not impose one. Unlike states that created a restricted 'mini truck' class with a 35 or 55 mph ceiling, Alaska removed the FMVSS barrier and left the vehicle in the ordinary registration system. Normal traffic law applies. Confirm with the DMV whether any regulation adds limits the statute does not.

How new is this law?

Very new. SB 239 was transmitted to the governor on June 15, 2026, signed June 24, 2026, and became Chapter 39, SLA 2026, effective immediately. Individual DMV offices may still be adapting their procedures, so call ahead.

What if the DMV refuses because the vehicle isn't FMVSS certified?

That is precisely the objection SB 239 was written to remove. AS 28.10.068 bars requiring FMVSS compliance before registration, and AS 28.10.221(e) bars refusing, suspending, or revoking a title on that basis. Bring the enrolled bill text and ask which statute the refusal relies on.

I registered mine as an all-purpose vehicle before the law changed. What now?

Before SB 239 the Alaska DMV handled these vehicles as all-purpose vehicles with limited on-road operation. Contact the DMV about converting an existing all-purpose vehicle registration to a standard registration under the new statute.

Does the vehicle need to be 25 years old?

Yes. AS 28.10.068 applies to vehicles at least 25 years old that were legally imported. That mirrors the federal import exemption, so a vehicle that cleared customs under the 25-year rule will generally satisfy the state threshold as well.

Alaska's kei vehicle pathway is weeks old at the time of writing — SB 239 was signed on June 24, 2026 — and we could not verify how the Division of Motor Vehicles has implemented it in practice, or whether the department will adopt regulations adding requirements the statute does not contain. Confirm current procedure with the Alaska DMV before purchasing. This page is informational only and not legal advice.