UTVs are just fun. Whether you`re racing along fire roads in a Polaris RZR or working on the farm in a Kawasaki Mule, side-by-side off-road driving feels like a breeze. They require half the control of an off-road motorcycle and do twice as much work as a four-wheeled vehicle. Not surprisingly, it is illegal to ride an ATV in New Hampshire under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The majority of fatal ATV accidents in the United States are caused by drunk driving, and it`s one of our guide`s top picks with 41 tips for avoiding an ATV accident. In New Hampshire, ATVs are subject to the same laws and penalties for operating motor vehicles under the influence of alcohol, such as implied consent, hefty fines, jail time, and loss of driving privileges. The legal blood alcohol limit for driving or attempting to operate an ATV in New Hampshire is the same as for a motor vehicle, at 0.08%. No. Since New Hampshire uses registration fees to maintain its trails, it doesn`t make much sense for them to credit runners who have paid fees to another state where it doesn`t benefit the trails they are taking. You should note that this is a scam that many companies sell when promoting services to get a legal ATV on the street. As we warned in our guide on a legal ATV on the road, it doesn`t work as they claim. The state of Florida requires motor vehicles traveling on highways to be equipped with a horn that can be heard from a distance of 200 feet.
Of course, it is impossible to enforce this rule as written, but it does mean that the horn must be loud on a legal UTV for the street. Many companies sell road kits that come with all the different things you need for your four-wheeled vehicle in one place, so you don`t have to search for individual items everywhere. These kits are perfect because they come with the majority of what you need, such as turn signals, license plates, switches, and mirrors. UTVs and ATVs may not operate on public roads, roads, or highways unless authorized by the state or federal agency. Law enforcement officers may operate UTVs and ATVs on public roads as long as it is their duty. The State of Arizona requires that an off-road vehicle sticker be purchased annually, which is provided to the Department of Motor Vehicles, an authorized 3rd dealer, and online for convenience. For your UTV or ATV to be legal for highway driving, it must be registered as a regular vehicle. This includes that it is illegal to operate an ATV or ROV on a paved road unless a local authority or state transportation commission has issued an order authorizing such use on certain roads in certain communities. It is the responsibility of every ORV operator to be aware of national and local laws and rules before driving. While this is not a problem for farmers and ranchers, it can be difficult for city dwellers to find a safe and legal place to drive side by side.
Once you have found a suitable location, you should always load the UTV onto a trailer and transport it there so that its wheels never touch a public road. This tedious process takes a lot of time – time that is best spent driving – and requires a significant investment in a towing device. Of course, your local Johnny Law might have a habit of turning a blind eye to UTVs and side by side. But it`s always best to make sure you`re completely legal when you`re on the go, so you`re protected at worst. A great resource for this topic is UTV Action Magazine`s 2019 article on the topic. Want to know how to authorize a UTV or ATV for the road? To legalize a UTV or ATV for the road, some changes are usually necessary, such as: the installation of a license plate, mirror, turn signal, horn and insurance. Each state has different laws, so check with your local DMV. If you`re looking for a complete road approval kit that checks all the boxes you need, check out these kits from Amazon: Safety is the main reason why UTVs are rarely allowed on the road. In addition to emissions, it is the lack of occupant safety that keeps these vehicles in dirt, sand and mud. If a vehicle is manufactured and intended for off-road or off-road use only, it may not be driven on Nevada public roads or highways, even if it has safety equipment.
Only two-wheeled motorcycles can be converted for road traffic. To drive legally in North Dakota, all drivers must be properly registered or licensed. ATVs, UTVs and ATVs can work: While most UTVs have limited-slip differentials, some models are in a permanently locked configuration. While this isn`t an issue when it comes to registering a UTV as a roadside approval, it`s a safety issue that anyone looking to use one on the road should consider. Unless your local laws provide otherwise, it is not legal to drive a UTV on the road you live on without a basic road permit. You cannot ride ATVs or ATVs on public roads, roads or highways. A duly registered ATV may only travel at the required distance on a public highway, but in no case may it exceed 500 metres, on the extreme right of the road travelled, in order to cross as directly as possible a public road, a bridge, an overpass, an underpass, a sidewalk or a culvert, provided that this operation can be carried out safely and does not hinder traffic, approaching from both directions on the public road. I searched every state law I could find to give you a detailed list of whether or not you can legalize a UTV or ATV and what it takes to get you on the road. I have listed the websites for each state, so please check your state to save you a lot of time and effort. What if we told you that you can legalize any UTV route? It is the responsibility of people considering a legal road conversion to know the local laws in which they wish to work side by side.
It won`t be a small investment, and you shouldn`t do it lightly. Legalizing a side-by-side is as complicated as registering an off-road motorcycle, if not more complicated. To get roadside approval, a UTV must meet most of the same safety standards as a car, and there are several modifications you need to make side-by-side on your warehouse. In states like Florida, residents who legalize a UTV for street use have it easy when it comes to mirrors. Dirt Legal provides you with a title, license plate and registration to enable your UTV road approval in any state. We only need some basic information from you to make this happen. It`s always up to you to make sure your UTV complies with all local laws and regulations regarding blinders, etc., but it`s much easier than dealing with DMV. Trust us. In South Dakota, no one is allowed to drive an SUV on a public road or highway except to cross from one side of the road to the other, and cannot drive in a ditch along the interstate highway system.