Mini truck on the Hwy

[codwyguy1]

I have a Japanese mini truck that I was thinking about bringing to Alaska I live in Wyoming and it is licensed and insured to drive on the road in Wyoming. Does anyone out their know the law about driving my mini truck on the Hwy in Alaska? Will the state of Alaska honor my Wyoming plates? Near as I can tell from reading other information it is not legal to register these for over the road travel.

 

[markopolo50]

Just curious, codwyguy, why would you ask a question about driving your licenced truck in Alaska when you probably know your licenced truck is OK to drive in any state in the Union? And then include two shopping links in your questions??? I haven't clicked on the links as I really don't have an interest in "Japanese mini trucks" or "mini trucks" either. Now it looks like you have been to Alaska before or you wouldn't have Tok, AK listed in your location, so what is up?

Now if you do travel up there, check your auto insurance to make sure you are covered while driving in the different country, Canada.

 

[markopolo50]

Just curious, codwyguy, why would you ask a question about driving your licenced truck in Alaska when you probably know your licenced truck is OK to drive in any state in the Union? And then include two shopping links in your questions??? I haven't clicked on the links as I really don't have an interest in "Japanese mini trucks" or "mini trucks" either. Now it looks like you have been to Alaska before or you wouldn't have Tok, AK listed in your location, so what is up?

Now if you do travel up there, check your auto insurance to make sure you are covered while driving in the different country, Canada.

Codwyguy1, I have to apologize for the jab at the links in your requests. I have now noticed there are other links in other posts and it is the same link, Skimwords. I would like a moderator to verify that these are OK, but they probably are. I was probably a bit hasty in my assumptions on your other question so disregard my smart alec remarks. The insurance deal with Canada should be checked though.

 

[AKDoug]

I have a customer that has managed to license his and drive it on the highway. I have no idea how he did it, but I see him driving it all the time. I would imagine that a vehicle registered in another state should be able to be registered here but strange things do happen. Try registering a non-California emmisions vehicle in CA for example. You honestly are just going to go through the hassle of calling our DMV.

As for skimlink words. They really need to be a different color so we know they are skimlinks.

 

[sayak]

I see one driving around Soldotna from time to time. It belongs to the owner of Diamond M Ranch.

 

[ironartist]

whats the chance of loading a photo of it so we can see what you are talking about, thanks

 

[AlaskaHippie]

 

[ironartist]

can't believe what I am about to write, but thanks. That should be easy to register here, being build for the road. Here's a cool little 71 mini cooper I snapped a picture of last spring out here in the valley,

 

[Brian M]

As for skimlink words. They really need to be a different color so we know they are skimlinks.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure if that is possible. If you hold your cursor over the link, though, it will let you know that the link was added by skimlinks.

 

[Seraphina]

I have a Japanese mini truck that I was thinking about bringing to Alaska I live in Wyoming and it is licensed and insured to drive on the road in Wyoming. Does anyone out their know the law about driving my mini truck on the Hwy in Alaska? Will the state of Alaska honor my Wyoming plates? Near as I can tell from reading other information it is not legal to register these for over the road travel.

If you're here as a WY resident for less than 90 days then it's legal. If you're here for more than 90 days or as an AK resident then call AK DMV, and once you get a basic answer, get it confirmed in writing with a follow up letter. You'll also need to check with Canada.

Either way, realize these might be very efficient for local use but they're not legal for OTR travel because they're unsafe for highway use. Not designed for use at those speeds and they offer no crash protection. Driving one of those here would be about the same as that old guy who drove cross country on his riding lawnmower, unless you intend to trailer it up for local use only. (Hopefully that's what you meant but your post isn't clear.)

 

[codwyguy1]

Well I kind of figured to would be OK as long as I kept Wyoming plates. Just so know one thinks I am planning to drive it clear up, their is no way I would drive it up I would trailer it through Canada, or I was thinking about trailering it out to Bellingham Wa. and bring it on the ferry because it is only 10' long it would be the cheapest vehicle you could ride on their, and I would bring it all the way to Valdeze that way I could also bring a lot of things that you typically can't bring through Canada then drive it up to Tok. I just wouldn't want to go through all the time and expense to get it here only to be hassled by the AHP I already have a full size truck that I leave in Alaska and they said I did not have to put Alaska plates on it since I did not live their full time but I did because I would rather run Alaska plates and it would be nice to have Alaska plates on the mini truck too if I could get them if not I will just continue to run Wyoming plates even though I leave it in Alaska but it would still be OK because I am not a resident

 

[Daveintheburbs]

Actually the issue is that they have an non-EPA engine for on road use. While they don't have US safety features they are driven at highway speeds in Japan. I have had some folks able to licence them by showing their out of state registration when getting an AK tag, but due to the EPA issue they are not supposed to be road vehicles. There are a bunch of them out in the towns and villages though.

 

[Seraphina]

While they don't have US safety features they are driven at highway speeds in Japan.

Dave's post is correct. On a side-note, the roads in Japan are very different, and driver behavior in Japan is very different. What works over there will get you killed here! For example, I've driven in Tokyo, and drivers STOP for bicyclists. If a bicyclist hits a car, it's considered the car driver's fault. The casualty rate for small vehicles is very low. On the highways, drivers give each other almost double the following distance we see here. Those mini vehicles just aren't as dangerous over there as they are here. From Valdez to Tok in that little thing sounds like a rough trip!

 

[codwyguy1]

They are not as bad as you all think I have two of them that is why I am thinking about taking one up to Alaska I once drove one from my place in Cody to Jackson Wyoming and back in one day a 400 mile round trip. The trip from Valdez to Tok would be a one time thing, it would mostly be just for getting around the Tok area. I currently have hard surface tires on it but I would also get some utility vehicle tires also for strictly off road. I would never consider taking it on a long trip like to Anchorage for example I already have a full size truck up their for that.

 

[JR2]

I can promise you they are NOT legal to register regardless of how many people have managed to do it. The DMV is slowly catching those people who have managed to do it when there registration comes due. They are not legal to be used on the roads in any capacity. I am not 100% sure but I think you can get a ATV/Snowmobile license for them so you could operate them off road on state land. I can check on that if someone is really interested.

 

[anchskier]

Here is some information. It would be best to confirm anything with the DMV, but at least this could be a good start:

http://www.iihs.org/laws/minitrucks.aspx

http://doa.alaska.gov/dmv/faq/regs.htm

 

[brav01]

I can promise you they are NOT legal to register regardless of how many people have managed to do it. The DMV is slowly catching those people who have managed to do it when there registration comes due. They are not legal to be used on the roads in any capacity. I am not 100% sure but I think you can get a ATV/Snowmobile license for them so you could operate them off road on state land. I can check on that if someone is really interested.

Many of these trucks are daily driven legally on the roads of the US. Unless Alaska isn't like any other state in the US a vehicle legally registered in Montana is legal to drive on the roads of Alaska and visa versa. However a truck registered in Montana may not be re-registered in Alaska depending on state motor vehicle regs; Alaska may also limit the time the Montana registration is acceptable in the state. These trucks aren't registered as ATV's but motor vehicles.