Mitsubishi Minicab Import to USA: 2026 Cost & Kei Truck Guide
The Mitsubishi Minicab is the cheap, honest 660cc kei hauler that turned mini-truck importing into a nationwide craze — and yes, that cargo bed is exactly why the taxman wants 25 percent.
A Mitsubishi Minicab costs about $13,820 all-in to import on the Japan → USA route in 2026 — a $6,000 purchase plus roughly $7,820 in shipping, 25% duty, compliance and registration.
- Route
- Japan → USA
- Est. all-in cost
- ~$13,820
- Duty & tax
- 25% duty
- On a purchase of
- $6,000
Mitsubishi built the Minicab as a bare-knuckle work tool: a mid-mounted 660cc three-cylinder, a flat cargo bed or panel-van body, and selectable 4WD that shrugs off mud, snow, and orchard rows. Rural US buyers snap them up as compact farm trucks that sip fuel and park anywhere.
Then there's the Minicab MiEV, Mitsubishi's electric van on i-MiEV underpinnings — a plug-in curiosity that early adopters are already eyeing for the day it clears the 25-year line. Gas or electric, the appeal is identical: real utility in a package no American automaker will sell you.
Mitsubishi launched the Minicab name in 1966 and grew it into one of Japan's definitive kei trucks, moving from tiny 360cc engines through 550cc to the modern 660cc class limit. Farmers, tradesmen, and delivery fleets kept it in constant production. Buyers love the honesty: a cab-over layout that maximizes bed length, a tight turning circle, low running costs, and 4WD that turns a cheap van into a genuine backcountry tool. Nothing built in America competes.
Prices track condition and drivetrain far more than badge. Clean, low-mileage 4WD trucks command a premium, while high-hour farm survivors sell cheap for a reason. Inspect the bed and frame for rust, especially around the rear crossmember and cab mounts, and confirm timing-belt history on the three-cylinder. On the Minicab MiEV, battery health is everything, since a degraded pack slashes the already-modest range. Japanese auction sheets are your best pre-purchase honesty check.
The import itself is straightforward: a 25-plus-year-old Minicab ships by container or RoRo, clears on HS-7 and 3520-1, and needs no NHTSA conformity work. The real traps are downstream. Confirm your state titles kei trucks for road use before you wire money, because several classify them as off-highway only. And plan for the duty split, since an open-bed truck pays 25 percent as cargo, not the 2.5 percent a passenger van enjoys. Shipping, port fees, and titling add up.
How much does it cost to import a Mitsubishi Minicab?
Every line below is a researched 2026 estimate in USD. We start from the $6,000 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) | $6,000 |
| Export agent & auction fees | $1,200 |
| Ocean freight | $2,400 |
| Marine insurance (~1.5%) | $90 |
| Kei cargo trucks are light trucks, so US Customs applies the 25% "chicken tax" — the 25-year rule waives safety and emissions, not duty | $1,500 |
| Customs broker & port handling | $830 |
| EPA / DOT entry & compliance paperwork | $300 |
| Inland transport & registration | $1,500 |
| Estimated all-in landed cost | $13,820 |
Into USA the duty is light, just $1,500, 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 $7,820 you add on top of the $6,000 purchase price — around 130% before you turn a wheel.
How to import a Mitsubishi Minicab, 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 Mitsubishi Minicab legal to import? Rules & compliance
Under the federal 25-year rule, any Minicab built in 2001 or earlier is exempt from FMVSS and EPA emissions standards, cleared with a DOT HS-7 (box 1, "25 or more years old") and EPA form 3520-1 (exemption code E). Configuration drives the duty: an open-bed Minicab Truck is a cargo vehicle under HTS heading 8704 and carries the 25 percent "chicken tax," while a passenger-configured van or wagon can qualify under 8703 at just 2.5 percent. Get the classification right at entry, because CBP scrutinizes kei trucks closely.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Mitsubishi Minicab legal to import to the USA?+
Yes, if it is 25 or more years old. A Minicab built in 2001 or earlier is federally exempt from safety and emissions rules and clears customs on the standard HS-7 and EPA 3520-1 forms; newer examples are not road-legal to import. Note that a handful of states restrict on-road kei registration, so confirm with your DMV before buying.
How much import duty does a Minicab kei truck pay?+
A cargo-bed Minicab Truck is classified as a commercial vehicle and hit with the 25 percent chicken-tax duty. A passenger van or wagon variant, classified under HTS 8703, pays the standard 2.5 percent car rate. The body style recorded on your entry paperwork decides which rate applies.
What is the total estimated cost to import a Mitsubishi Minicab?+
About $13,820 all-in for a $6,000 example — the purchase price plus roughly $7,820 in freight, insurance, duty, compliance and registration. Your figure shifts with the exact price, route and exchange rate.
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