Well, it’s cold out, everyone. We are securely stuck in the doldrums of winter. At the time of writing, it’s the end of January. Christmas is firmly planted in the rearview mirror, and there isn’t much to look forward to until stuff isn’t brown anymore. Unless, of course, you live in the Great White North. If that’s you, then you well know it’s prime sled seaso

Of course, we aren’t talking about toboggans here. We’re talking about carving up some badass powder with your skuh dew. And we haven’t even gotten to 2-strokes versus 4-strokes yet. But here’s the thing: what about street legality on your snowmobile? I mean, if you are far enough north, it looks like a necessity, right? But is it legal? That’s the big question we’re going to tackle here. 

Are Snowmobile Titles & Registration The Same Thing?

We are asked this question surprisingly often, but that is probably because of an overall level of under-education on the topic. So here is the quick, down & dirty difference between the two pieces of paper. 

A title defines ownership of an asset. It doesn’t matter what the asset is. Even for vehicles that aren’t street-legal, they are often still required to have a title by the state. But having a title does not make a vehicle street-legal. The title must first be marked as an on-road vehicle for it to be used to make a vehicle street-legal.

Now, here’s the thing: you do not need a title to register your snowmobile for trails; it may only need proof of ownership, which is not a title. It all depends on what your home state requires, which you must find out beforehand. If you need proof of ownership because your machine didn’t come with adequate proof, we may be able to help. 

Registration is then the piece of paperwork that says you can legally operate wherever it is that you want to operate. A vehicle must be registered if you aim to drive on the road as a street-legal on-road vehicle. Now, in the northern states, registration is often also required for sleds to operate on public trails, which are not roads. As a non-northerner, I was blown away when I found out about the public trail systems and was floored to find out that there are about 230,000 miles of maintained sled trails! But these trails aren’t free or even cheap to maintain. Like it or not, this is where snowmobile registration fees come into the equation. 

Can You Even Ride A Snowmobile On The Road Legally?

Now we come to the crux of the matter: can you ride a sled legally on the road? 

This begs the question: WHY would you want to do that?

Your sled is a purpose-built machine made specifically for carving up trails in the deep powder. It is absolutely not made for the rigors of a paved road or a dirt/gravel road. They made those for wheeled vehicles, and it should stay that way unless the road is covered in deep snow, but we need to talk about that. That's up to your local laws and regulations.

If you want to drive an OHV on a public roadway, we recommend an ATV or a UTV, which we can easily make street-legal for you. They are much easier to make roadworthy and are much better in the snow than a passenger car or truck. If you are already committing yourself to ride something open-air and cold, go with an ATV or UTV. 

What Are The Risks Of Riding Your Sled On The Road?

Well, the risk of riding your sled on roads is serious damage to the machine, although it is not limited to just damage. They designed snowmobiles for riding on snow. Catastrophic damage to your sled can also be bad news for the rider. 

But more directly, riding on pavement or gravel will wear out the carbides fast.

But the biggest hazard is the complete lack of directional control of your sled on hard surfaces. And no, you should not throw a set of pneumatic tires on there. They do not make tracks for hard surfaces; sled tracks are made for snow and only for snow. 

Again, if you want to ride an OHV on public roads, check out our off-road vehicle street legal service and tag your OHV. But please, leave your sled for the snow. However, if your shred sled needs proof of ownership, we can help. 

Are Snowmobiles Street-legal?

We can’t speak for every municipality because they can impose their local ordinances. For instance, in the outer reaches of Alaska, things are probably different than in semi-urban Colorado. So check your local rules and get to know them well. But as a general rule of thumb, don’t count on snowmobiles being street-legal pretty much anywhere except for extremely rural and northern areas. Check for local, publicly maintained sled trail systems instead.

What If You Can't Get Around Riding Your Sled On The Road?

There might be situations where you need help to get around riding your sled on the road. Usually, there are rules about these situations in the local community or municipality, so check them out. 

Refueling

Refueling is the most obvious case where you might have to jump on a roadway for a second. Check all the local rules, and if you aren’t a local, talk to the locals! See where they go for gas, ask if it’s legal, and get some tips. If you have to go on the pavement, take it really slow. 

Connecting Trails

Another likely scenario is crossing roads for connecting trails. Again, find out what the local rules are on this. Most likely, the local public trails policies explain what to do about crossing roads for snowmobile trail connections. Also, talk to the locals and see how they handle it. But the state agencies governing trail use usually explain these things. Taking it slowly across the pavement shouldn’t destroy anything, but don’t make it a habit, ya know?

How About Them Shoulders?

So, what about shoulders? Especially if they haven’t been cleared of snow?

Well, shoulders are part of the road, or at least the road's right-of-way, so street legality comes into play. You should check what the local rules are about shoulders; chances are that if you’ve thought of it, someone else also has. 

Are They Legal In Snow Emergencies?

Again, check your local rules. But we know some areas allow snowmobiles on legal roadways during snow emergencies. 

Since snow emergencies are declared because of snow, sleds are a practical way to get around when cars and trucks can’t. Check in with your local municipality and read up on the exact rules about this, so you are in the right no matter what. 

If It's Not Street-Legal, Then Why Does It Need A Title?

Off-road vehicles need titles all the time, even though they’re OHVs. As we said earlier, you will probably need proof of ownership to register your vehicle for public trails or public use in general. So unless you only plan to ride around your yard, you’ll probably need proof of ownership. We can help you with that. 

The Dirt Legal Advantage

We are your first stop in any town to get your vehicles titled, tagged, and street-legal. Or, in this case, provide you with valid proof of ownership for your snowmobile. Again, if you live up in the northern tiers and want a rugged machine for the snow but plan to travel on roads, check out our UTV and ATV services. 

Surplus military trucks are a GREAT option for snowy regions, so check out our collection of articles on getting Army trucks up and running legally.