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25-Year Import Rule · KS / KV
Subaru Sambar (kei truck/van) US Import Eligibility
Legal NOW — since March 2015
Every example of this chassis has passed the 25-year mark.
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Production run & eligibility
| Chassis code | KS / KV |
|---|---|
| Production start | March 1990(approximate) |
| Production end | December 1998(approximate) |
| First cars eligible | March 2015 |
| Last cars eligible | December 2023 |
Eligibility is counted from the month of manufacture on the build plate of the specific car — not the model year. A Sambar (kei truck/van) built one month later unlocks one month later. Production dates for this chassis are best-effort — always verify the build plate before committing to a purchase.
Rear-engine supercharged kei workhorse. The KS/KV generation is fully eligible.
California is different
The 25-year rule is federal — it clears customs and NHTSA. California additionally requires direct-import vehicles newer than 1975 to pass its own emissions certification, which most JDM imports cannot do without an expensive lab conversion. If you are in California, read our state registration guide before bidding on anything.