Colorado kei truck registration guide
HB25-1281 signed May 9, 2025 · effective July 1, 2027
Colorado has legalized kei vehicle registration, but you cannot register one yet. HB25-1281 was signed by Gov. Polis on May 9, 2025, and the General Assembly's official bill record lists the act's effective date as July 1, 2027 — the delay gives the state time to update DMV and emissions systems. Until then, there is no kei registration pathway in Colorado.
Bottom line for Colorado
- HB25-1281 defines a kei vehicle as a motor vehicle for purposes of the Uniform Motor Vehicle Law and the Certificate of Title Act, and requires it to be titled, registered, and operated under normal traffic law.
- The official effective date on the General Assembly's bill record is July 1, 2027. Buying now means holding the vehicle off-road until the act is in force.
- Once effective, driving a kei vehicle on a roadway posted above 55 mph, or on a limited-access highway, is prohibited.
- Emissions testing uses a 2-speed idle test rather than a dynamometer, and the vehicle must pass the standards for its year of manufacture.
Last reviewed
Timing
Legal on paper, not yet in practice
Colorado is the clearest example of a state where 'legalized' and 'registerable' are not the same thing. The legislature passed HB25-1281 and the governor signed it in May 2025, which is why many sources describe Colorado as a kei-friendly state. But the act carries a delayed effective date, and the General Assembly's own bill record lists it as July 1, 2027.
The delay is administrative rather than political: the Department of Revenue and the emissions program need time to accommodate a vehicle class their systems were not built for. That does not change the practical position for a buyer today, which is that a Colorado county clerk has no authority yet to title and register the vehicle.
Some press coverage of the bill cited January 1, 2028 as the date registration applications open. We could not reconcile that figure with the July 1, 2027 effective date shown on the official legislative record, and we have not cited it as fact. If your purchase decision depends on the exact date, confirm it with the Colorado DMV rather than relying on either number.
Background
Why Colorado needed a bill at all
Before HB25-1281, the Colorado DMV followed guidance circulated by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators advising states not to register kei vehicles. That guidance is not law, but it shaped agency practice in Colorado and several other states, and it is what the 2025 legislation was written to override.
HB25-1281 addresses that head-on. It provides that the Department of Revenue, the Colorado State Patrol, and their agents or contractors may not require a vehicle to be inspected because it is a kei vehicle or has the design or manufacturing parameters of a kei vehicle, and that a kei vehicle may not be declared not roadworthy on those grounds.
Once the act is in force
What the law will require
From the effective date, HB25-1281 provides that:
- A kei vehicle must be issued a certificate of title, be registered, and obey motor vehicle traffic laws.
- Operation is prohibited on roadways posted above 55 mph and on limited-access highways.
- Emissions testing is by 2-speed idle test rather than dynamometer, against the standards for the vehicle's year of manufacture.
- Agencies may not require an inspection, or declare a vehicle not roadworthy, merely because it is a kei vehicle.
- Kei vehicles fall within the motor vehicle dealer and powersports vehicle dealer statutes, so selling them at retail requires a dealer license.
If you are buying now
Practical considerations
A kei truck purchased today can be imported and owned in Colorado — federal import is a separate matter from state registration, and a vehicle 25 years or older clears customs under the age exemption. What you cannot do is plate it for the road before the act takes effect.
The dealer licensing provision is also worth noting on the buying side: once in force, the act brings kei vehicles within the dealer statutes, meaning retail sales require a licensed dealer. If you are buying from a private party or an out-of-state seller, confirm how that interacts with your titling application.
Official sources
Colorado law & agency links
- Colorado HB25-1281 — Title, Register & Drive Kei VehiclesOfficial sourceLegislationleg.colorado.gov
Official General Assembly bill page with the act summary, sponsors, full history, and the stated effective date of 07/01/2027.
- Colorado HB25-1281 — signed act textOfficial sourceLegislationcontent.leg.colorado.gov
The enacted text as signed by the governor on May 9, 2025.
- Colorado DMV — Specialized, Unconventional, and Other VehiclesOfficial sourceAgencydmv.colorado.gov
Division of Motor Vehicles guidance on which non-traditional vehicle types are eligible for on-highway title and registration — the page most likely to change as HB25-1281 is implemented.
- Colorado DMV — Rules and regulationsOfficial sourceAgencydmv.colorado.gov
Official rule library for the Division of Motor Vehicles, including the Vehicle Services Section rules on title and registration eligibility.
- Colorado DMV — Vehicle Resource CenterOfficial sourceAgencydmv.colorado.gov
State portal for titling and registration, including county motor vehicle office locations.
- Colorado HB16-1029 — Kei Vehicle Roadway Registration For UseOfficial sourceLegislationleg.colorado.gov
Earlier kei vehicle bill from the 2016 session — useful legislative history showing how long the issue has been before the General Assembly.
- Colorado Revised StatutesOfficial sourceStatuteleg.colorado.gov
Official statute portal for the Uniform Motor Vehicle Law and Certificate of Title Act provisions that HB25-1281 amends.
FAQ
Common questions
- Can I register a kei truck in Colorado right now?
- No. HB25-1281 legalizes it, but the General Assembly's official record lists the act's effective date as July 1, 2027. Until the act is in force, Colorado county motor vehicle offices have no authority to title and register a kei vehicle.
- I read that Colorado legalized kei trucks in 2025. Is that wrong?
- It is accurate but incomplete. The bill was signed on May 9, 2025. The delayed effective date is the part that gets dropped in summaries, and it is the part that determines whether you can plate a vehicle today.
- Is the date July 1, 2027 or January 1, 2028?
- The official General Assembly bill page lists an effective date of 07/01/2027. Some press coverage referred to January 1, 2028 as when applications open. We could not reconcile the two from primary sources, so confirm the operative date with the Colorado DMV before making plans around it.
- Where will I be able to drive it once the law is in force?
- Not on roadways posted above 55 mph, and not on limited-access highways. Otherwise the vehicle is subject to ordinary motor vehicle traffic laws.
- How does emissions testing work?
- HB25-1281 provides that a kei vehicle is tested using a 2-speed idle test rather than a dynamometer, and must pass the emissions standards for the year it was manufactured.
- Can I import and own one before then?
- Yes. Federal import is separate from state registration, and a vehicle 25 years or older clears NHTSA and EPA under the age exemption. You can buy, import, store, and use it on private property; you cannot register it for the road until the act takes effect.
- Do I have to buy from a licensed dealer?
- The act brings kei vehicles within the motor vehicle dealer and powersports vehicle dealer statutes, requiring a dealer license to sell them at retail. How this applies to private-party and out-of-state purchases is worth confirming with the DMV as implementation approaches.
The specific uncertainty in Colorado is timing. HB25-1281 is law, but its effective date is in the future, and primary and secondary sources give different dates for when registration actually opens — the official legislative record says July 1, 2027, while press coverage cited January 1, 2028. We could not resolve that discrepancy from a primary source. Do not buy a kei vehicle for Colorado road use on the assumption that it can be registered on a particular date without first confirming with the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles. This page is informational only and not legal advice.
Ready to Import a Vehicle Now?
Browse current inventory or tell us what you want sourced from Japan.