What Does a Kei Truck Cost in 2026?

A Kei Truck's price is a stack, not a sticker. There is the truck, the trip across the Pacific, the government's share, and the cost of making it legal and ready at home. This page prices each layer with October 2026 rates.

Figures marked as estimates are typical ranges, not quotes. Government rates are exact and cited.

How much is a Kei Truck in 2026?

In October 2026, most running Kei Trucks cost $6,000-12,000 from a US seller, or about $5,500-9,500 if you import one yourself and title it (estimates).

Importing usually saves money, but not always much. The gap shrinks with a pricier truck in Japan, an East Coast port, a long haul home or a surprise at the port.

Work out your own landed cost

The calculator below uses October 2026 government rates and typical service charges. Change any number to match the quotes you get.

What does a Kei Truck cost in Japan?

In Japan, a running Kei Truck old enough to import typically costs $1,500-3,500, with cleaner and special trucks higher. These are typical asking ranges, converted to dollars (estimates).

Dealer auctions usually sell below retail, and exporters selling from stock build their service into the price. The exchange rate matters more than most buyers expect. On a ¥400,000 truck, a move from ¥150 to ¥160 per dollar changes your cost by about $167.

What does it cost to ship a Kei Truck to the US?

Getting a truck from a Japanese lot to a West Coast port typically adds $1,900-4,200 in fees and freight. Three charges make up that total (estimates):

• Exporter or auction agent fee: $500-1,200. This covers buying, deregistration, export paperwork and the ship booking.
• Japan inland transport and export handling: $200-500. Often bundled into the fee above, so ask.
• Ocean freight: about $1,200-2,500 to a West Coast port and $2,000-3,500 to the Gulf or East Coast. Roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) shipping is the usual choice for a truck that runs. A container costs more unless you share one.

Marine insurance is optional. It typically runs 1-2% of the truck's value (estimate).

How much duty and tariff do you pay on a Kei Truck in October 2026?

A Kei Truck pays 25% duty. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, classifies Kei Trucks as goods vehicles under HTS 8704.31.01, as its rulings on a 1999 Subaru Sambar (N351601) and a 1990 Honda Acty (N359221) show. The 25% rate on light trucks dates to 1964 and is often called the chicken tax.

Duty is charged on the price actually paid for the truck. Federal law leaves the cost of international shipping and insurance out of that price (19 U.S.C. 1401a(b)(4)(A)). Have the seller list the truck separately from fees, and let your broker decide which Japan-side charges belong in the value.

Extra tariffs, layer by layer

If you imported a Kei Truck in 2025 or early 2026 and paid an IEEPA tariff, ask your broker whether a refund applies to your entry.

Kei Vans are classified case by case

A Kei Van can land under either heading. In January 2026, CBP classified a Subaru Sambar Van and a Suzuki Every as passenger vehicles under heading 8703, pointing to rear seats with permanent anchor points, side windows and rear comfort features (ruling H302977). In August 2026, it put a 1999 Honda Acty Van with a fold-down rear seat and no rear belts under 8704, the truck heading (ruling N364403).

A passenger-type van starts at a 2.5% base duty. The Section 301 action tops Japanese goods with a base rate under 12.5% up to 12.5% in total. By our reading of the tariff schedule, the 301 exemption for cars and light trucks only covers vehicles that pay Section 232, so a 25-year van from Japan most likely pays 12.5%. Confirm it with your broker before you buy. Our Kei Van guide covers which vans have rear seats.

Worked example: government charges on a $2,500 vehicle

On an informal entry, available at $2,500 or less, the processing fee drops to a flat $2.77-12.45.

What customs fees, bonds and broker charges should you expect?

The Merchandise Processing Fee and Harbor Maintenance Fee are fixed by regulation. The rest are market prices (estimates).

What does a Kei Truck cost after it lands?

• Getting it home: $200-1,500 (estimate). Distance drives the price. Collecting it yourself with a trailer is cheapest.
• Title, registration and tax. These vary widely by state. Most states charge sales or use tax on the purchase price, plus title and plate fees. Some states won't register a Kei Truck for road use at all, so check your state's rules first.
• Insurance. Some standard insurers decline Kei Trucks. Get a written quote before the truck ships.
• First service: $300-900 in parts if you do the work (estimate). Unless there's a receipt, assume the timing belt and water pump are due on belt-driven engines. Add filters, a tune-up kit, fluids, tires by date code and a plate adapter for the US plate.

Is it cheaper to import a Kei Truck yourself?

Usually, but by less than the raw Japanese prices suggest. Here is one mid-range example to a West Coast port. Every line is an estimate except the government charges, which use October 2026 rates.

Against typical US asking prices, that example saves anywhere from nothing to a few thousand dollars, depending on the truck you compare it with. The trade-off is that you can't see the truck first, you wait 6-12 weeks, and any surprise at the port or the DMV is yours to solve.

If those trade-offs suit you, our step-by-step guide to importing a Kei Truck is the place to start. If not, our guide to buying a Kei Truck covers local options and what to inspect. Either way, confirm the truck's age with the 25-year rule before you pay.