Can I register a kei truck in Maine?

No. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles classifies Japanese mini trucks as off-road vehicles, which cannot be registered for use on Maine's roads and highways. The BMV stopped issuing kei registrations in 2023 and its 2026 working group report confirms the position is unchanged.

Didn't Maine set up a working group to fix this?

It did, and the outcome went the other way. 2025 Resolve Chapter 29 created a working group convened by the BMV in October 2025. Its 2026 final report states that the group unanimously suggests no changes to current laws and standards regarding nonconforming vehicles. Advocacy continues, but the study did not produce a pathway.

Does the 25-year federal import rule help me here?

No. The 25-year rule is a federal import permission and clears the vehicle through customs without FMVSS certification. Registration is a separate state decision, and Maine's report addresses this point directly — importing a vehicle lawfully does not make it legally operable on Maine roads. Age does not change the BMV's classification.

Can I register it in another state and drive it in Maine?

Maine's report addresses this specifically and says no. It notes that vehicles registered legally outside Maine must still meet Maine's standards to be operated within the state, and that transferring an out-of-state off-road vehicle registration into Maine is not allowed. Treat out-of-state plates as unreliable if you are a Maine resident.

Can I still own one in Maine?

Yes. The prohibition is on registration and road operation, not ownership. Maine's own report notes these vehicles are used on farms, campgrounds, theme parks and fairgrounds. Confirm any off-highway registration or permitting requirements separately, including with Inland Fisheries and Wildlife where relevant.

Is this likely to change?

Not immediately. The agency that would implement a change studied the question formally and recommended against it, which is a meaningful obstacle. Legislation could still override the BMV, and advocates have signalled intent to return in a future session, but nothing is enacted. Confirm current status with the BMV before buying a vehicle for Maine use.

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Maine · Kei truck guide

Maine kei truck legality

Not registrable — classified as an off-road vehicle

Maine does not allow kei trucks to be registered for road use. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles classifies Japanese mini trucks as off-road vehicles, which may not be operated on Maine's public ways, and a state working group that studied the question through 2025 and 2026 unanimously recommended no change to that position.

Bottom line for Maine

The BMV stopped registering kei vehicles in 2023 and that position remains in force.
Maine's own published report states plainly that a Japanese mini truck is classified as an off-road vehicle and cannot be registered for use on the state's roads and highways.
The Nonconforming Vehicles Working Group, created by 2025 Resolve Chapter 29 and chaired through the BMV, unanimously recommended no changes to current law in its 2026 final report.
Registering the vehicle in another state does not create a workaround — the report expressly addresses and rejects that route.
Maine's vehicle code has no mini-truck class. Title 29-A defines low-speed vehicles at 20 to 25 mph, which a kei truck does not fit.

Last reviewed July 20, 2026

Why Maine says no

Federal import vs. state registration

The federal 25-year rule clears a vehicle through customs without FMVSS certification. That is an import permission, not a registration right — each state decides independently whether it will register what you imported. Maine's published position addresses this directly, noting that while it is true Japanese mini trucks can be imported, the act of importing them does not mean they can be legally operated on public roads.

Maine's stated rationale is FMVSS non-compliance. Because kei vehicles were built for the Japanese domestic market and were never certified to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards in effect for their model year, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles treats them as off-road vehicles. Off-road vehicles may not be operated on Maine's roadways except by government entities whose operators have received specialised training, under limited circumstances.

The 2026 working group

Maine studied this and declined to change

In May 2025 the legislature passed a resolve — chaptered as 2025 Resolve Chapter 29 — directing the creation of a working group to study the safety and use of nonconforming vehicles on Maine's roads and highways. The group was convened by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles beginning October 6, 2025, and its voting membership included the BMV's Deputy Secretary, a Maine State Police lieutenant, an attorney, a road service operator, a dealership general manager, a municipal clerk, and a representative of the Owls Head Transportation Museum.

The group's final report, published by the Department of the Secretary of State in 2026, states that the Nonconforming Vehicles Working Group unanimously suggests no changes to current laws and standards regarding nonconforming vehicles. The report addresses Japanese mini trucks specifically, alongside surplus military vehicles, and cites FMVSS non-compliance, absent crash data, emissions, and road wear as its reasoning.

This matters for anyone reading older guidance. Maine did not merely fail to act — the agency that would have to implement a change studied the question formally and recommended against it. Advocacy continues, but as of this review there is no registration pathway.

Practical impact

What owners encounter

Maine's position is comprehensive rather than partial:

The BMV will not issue a registration for a kei truck of any age — the 25-year federal import threshold does not unlock anything at the state level.
Maine's report notes that all vehicles, including those registered legally outside Maine, must meet Maine's standards to be operated within the state.
The report expressly addresses attempts to register an off-road vehicle in another state and transfer that registration into Maine, and states that this is not allowed.
Maine safety inspection requires that vehicles meet the FMVSS, which a kei vehicle by definition does not.
Off-highway use is where these vehicles are actually seen in Maine — the report names farms, campgrounds, theme parks and fairgrounds.

Classification

There is no class that fits

The working group considered folding nonconforming vehicles into an existing category rather than creating a new one, and concluded that this became too problematic to continue pursuing. Neither existing class works. The antique vehicle class cannot be used as a primary mode of travel or material transportation and still requires FMVSS compliance for the year of manufacture. The low-speed vehicle class requires a manufacturer's certificate of origin confirming the vehicle meets the federal safety standards for LSVs, and confines operation to roads posted 35 mph or less.

Maine's definitions section, 29-A M.R.S. § 101, contains no mini-truck definition at all. It defines a low-speed vehicle as a four-wheeled motor vehicle able to attain at least 20 but not more than 25 miles per hour and weighing less than 3,000 pounds unloaded. A kei truck exceeds that speed band, so it does not qualify. Be careful with search results here: proposed mini-truck definitions appear in Maine bills from earlier legislatures that were never enacted, and they are easy to mistake for current law.

Official sources

Maine law & agency links

Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles — Working Group to Study the Safety and Use of Nonconforming Vehicles
Official sourceAgencymaine.gov
The official BMV and Secretary of State page for the working group, stating that Maine prohibits registration and operation of nonconforming vehicles including mini trucks.
Safety and Use of Nonconforming Vehicles on Maine's Roadways (2026 final report)
Official sourceAgencymaine.gov
The controlling agency document. States that a Japanese mini truck is classified as an off-road vehicle and cannot be registered for road use, and records the working group's unanimous recommendation of no change.
Maine LD 1209 (132nd Legislature) — 2025 Resolve, Chapter 29
Official sourceLegislationlegislature.maine.gov
The resolve that created the nonconforming vehicles working group, signed May 16, 2025.
29-A M.R.S. § 101 — Definitions
Official sourceStatutelegislature.maine.gov
Maine's vehicle definitions. Contains no mini-truck class; defines low-speed vehicles at 20 to 25 mph and under 3,000 pounds unloaded.
Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Official sourceAgencymaine.gov
State registration and titling authority — the office to confirm current policy with before purchasing.

FAQ

Common questions

Can I register a kei truck in Maine?: No. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles classifies Japanese mini trucks as off-road vehicles, which cannot be registered for use on Maine's roads and highways. The BMV stopped issuing kei registrations in 2023 and its 2026 working group report confirms the position is unchanged.
Didn't Maine set up a working group to fix this?: It did, and the outcome went the other way. 2025 Resolve Chapter 29 created a working group convened by the BMV in October 2025. Its 2026 final report states that the group unanimously suggests no changes to current laws and standards regarding nonconforming vehicles. Advocacy continues, but the study did not produce a pathway.
Does the 25-year federal import rule help me here?: No. The 25-year rule is a federal import permission and clears the vehicle through customs without FMVSS certification. Registration is a separate state decision, and Maine's report addresses this point directly — importing a vehicle lawfully does not make it legally operable on Maine roads. Age does not change the BMV's classification.
Can I register it in another state and drive it in Maine?: Maine's report addresses this specifically and says no. It notes that vehicles registered legally outside Maine must still meet Maine's standards to be operated within the state, and that transferring an out-of-state off-road vehicle registration into Maine is not allowed. Treat out-of-state plates as unreliable if you are a Maine resident.
Could it qualify as a low-speed vehicle instead?: No. 29-A M.R.S. § 101 defines a low-speed vehicle as capable of at least 20 but not more than 25 mph, and Maine additionally requires a manufacturer's certificate of origin confirming compliance with the federal LSV safety standard. A kei truck exceeds the speed band and has no such certificate.
Can I still own one in Maine?: Yes. The prohibition is on registration and road operation, not ownership. Maine's own report notes these vehicles are used on farms, campgrounds, theme parks and fairgrounds. Confirm any off-highway registration or permitting requirements separately, including with Inland Fisheries and Wildlife where relevant.
Is this likely to change?: Not immediately. The agency that would implement a change studied the question formally and recommended against it, which is a meaningful obstacle. Legislation could still override the BMV, and advocates have signalled intent to return in a future session, but nothing is enacted. Confirm current status with the BMV before buying a vehicle for Maine use.

Maine's prohibition rests on BMV classification policy and the 2026 Nonconforming Vehicles Working Group report rather than on a statute naming kei vehicles, which means it could in principle shift through legislation or a change in agency practice without a statutory amendment. Bills on this subject have been filed in recent sessions and reporting about their outcomes is inconsistent. Confirm current policy directly with the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles before purchasing. This page is informational only and not legal advice.

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