Honda Acty Import to USA: 2026 Costs, Chicken Tax & Rules
The Honda Acty is a 660cc, mid-engined kei pickup that clears US customs the moment it turns 25 — and this is what importing one actually takes in 2026.
A Honda Acty costs about $16,350 all-in to import on the Japan → USA route in 2026 — a $8,000 purchase plus roughly $8,350 in shipping, 25% duty, compliance and registration.
- Route
- Japan → USA
- Est. all-in cost
- ~$16,350
- Duty & tax
- 25% duty
- On a purchase of
- $8,000
Honda mounted the Acty's 656cc three-cylinder amidships under the cargo bed, giving this tiny truck near-even weight distribution and surprising traction — the 4WD 'Attack' version even adds a granny-low crawler gear and diff lock that hunters and off-roaders chase.
At roughly the footprint of a golf cart, it slips down trails, orchard rows and job sites a full-size pickup can't touch, which is exactly why US farms, ranches and campgrounds keep importing them by the container.
Honda launched the Acty in 1977 as a nimble successor to the TN360, and by 1990 the third-generation HA3/HA4 trucks carried the 656cc E07A three-cylinder that defines the modern 660cc kei class. The midship engine layout — genuinely rare among trucks — plus optional real four-wheel drive made it a workhorse rather than a novelty. Decades on, that mix of tiny size, low running costs and Honda reliability is exactly what draws American buyers.
Clean, rust-free Actys have climbed in price as demand outstrips the trickle of newly-eligible trucks, and the sought-after 4WD 'Attack' and 'Crawler' variants command a clear premium over rear-drive base models. When buying through a Japanese auction or exporter, scrutinize the underbody and bed floor for rot, check timing-belt history, and confirm the mid-mounted engine runs cool, since cooling systems are a known weak spot. An honest auction grade sheet beats glossy listing photos every time.
Most buyers work through a Japanese exporter and a US customs broker; the truck ships by container or RoRo, clears at port with your EPA 3520-1 and DOT HS-7 forms, then heads to the state DMV. The two big traps are duty and paperwork: because the pickup is a cargo truck it pays the full 25% chicken-tax rate rather than 2.5%, so run the numbers before bidding. And verify your state actually titles kei trucks, as several limit them to off-road or low-speed use.
How much does it cost to import a Honda Acty?
Every line below is a researched 2026 estimate in USD. We start from the $8,000 purchase price, add marine insurance at about 1.5% and ocean freight, then 25% US duty on the declared value, and the broker, compliance and registration fees. Change the purchase price and everything else scales only modestly.
| Vehicle (purchase price) | $8,000 |
| Export agent & auction fees | $1,200 |
| Ocean freight | $2,400 |
| Marine insurance (~1.5%) | $120 |
| Kei cargo trucks are light trucks, so US Customs applies the 25% "chicken tax" — the 25-year rule waives safety and emissions, not duty | $2,000 |
| Customs broker & port handling | $830 |
| EPA / DOT entry & compliance paperwork | $300 |
| Inland transport & registration | $1,500 |
| Estimated all-in landed cost | $16,350 |
Into USA the duty is light, just $2,000, so tax is the small part of the bill. It is shipping (about $2,400), compliance and registration that make up most of the roughly $8,350 you add on top of the $8,000 purchase price — around 104% before you turn a wheel.
How to import a Honda Acty, step by step
- Agree the purchase and secure the title/export paperwork in Japan (an export agent or auction house usually handles de-registration).
- Book ocean freight — roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) is cheapest, a sole-use container is safest for a high-value car.
- Confirm eligibility from the build month — the US 25-year DOT exemption is calculated month by month, not by model year.
- Clear US customs and pay the 25% duty, then file EPA Form 3520-1 and DOT Form HS-7 at entry.
- Arrange inland transport, then title and register in your state — a few states add emissions or kei-vehicle checks.
Is a Honda Acty legal to import? Rules & compliance
A federally legal Acty must be at least 25 years old to sidestep FMVSS crash and equipment standards under NHTSA's classic-vehicle exemption; in 2026 that means model-year 2001 and earlier, judged by the exact month of manufacture. You'll file EPA Form 3520-1 (the 21-year engine exemption covers emissions) and DOT Form HS-7 at the port of entry. Critically, the Acty pickup is classified as a cargo truck, so it carries the 25% "chicken tax" duty — not the 2.5% rate that passenger kei vans, wagons and Microbus-style bodies enjoy.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Honda Acty legal to import to the USA?+
Yes, once it's 25 or more years old. Any Acty built in 2001 or earlier (by build month) qualifies for the NHTSA 25-year exemption and can be federally imported and titled; newer examples cannot. State registration is a separate hurdle — a handful of states restrict or block kei-truck plates, so confirm your DMV's stance before you buy.
How much import duty do you pay on a Honda Acty truck?+
The Acty pickup is dutiable at 25% — the light-truck 'chicken tax' — because customs classifies it as a cargo vehicle. That's ten times the 2.5% charged on passenger cars and passenger kei vans or wagons, so the truck's low purchase price is partly eaten by a steep duty rate. Budget for it up front rather than after the invoice lands.
What is the total estimated cost to import a Honda Acty?+
About $16,350 all-in for a $8,000 example — the purchase price plus roughly $8,350 in freight, insurance, duty, compliance and registration. Your figure shifts with the exact price, route and exchange rate.
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