Colorado opens the road to 25 year kei trucks on 1 January 2028. Get ready.

Colorado made kei trucks a legal road class. The law is House Bill 25-1281, signed on 9 May 2025. It takes effect on 1 July 2027, and the DMV opens title and registration for kei vehicles for applications from 1 January 2028. From that day a kei truck that is 25 years old can be titled and plated at the county motor vehicle office like any other truck.

A kei vehicle has an enclosed passenger cab on four or more tires, an engine of 1,000 cc or less or an electric motor of 56,000 watts or less, is 67 inches wide or less and 140 inches long or less, can reach at least 50 mph, and was 25 years old when imported or is 25 years old with a prior US title. Every kei truck imported under the federal 25 year rule meets the age part. Every Suzuki Carry, Daihatsu Hijet, Honda Acty, Subaru Sambar, Mitsubishi Minicab and Mazda Scrum of the 660 cc generations fits the size.

A kei vehicle becomes a motor vehicle in Colorado law. It can be titled, registered, plated and insured for the road. Today the DMV says it cannot, for any road.

It may drive roads posted at 55 miles per hour or less. It may cross a faster road only at an at-grade intersection. It may never use a limited-access highway such as I-25 or I-70. Breaking this is a class B traffic infraction.

It must be able to reach at least 50 miles per hour. A truck governed to 25 mph is not a kei vehicle, it is a different class, covered below.

People see 1 July 2027 in some places and 1 January 2028 in others. Both are real. The act takes effect on 1 July 2027, and section 13 applies it to applications and offences on or after 1 January 2028. Plan for 1 January 2028, the date the DMV gives.