Street Legal UTVs: Bringing It All Together

See the most important aspects of street legal UTVs and learn how Dirt Legal offers an easier way to get registered.

Congratulations on reaching the last page of our Nationwide Street Legal UTV Guide! Did you read it all or just skip to the end to see what’s here?

Don’t worry, there’s not a test waiting for you, just the satisfaction of knowing all there is to know about street legal UTVs in the United States. And if you somehow missed the rest, be sure to check out the guide from the very beginning. And if you haven't already, be sure to read your local section of the guide to get familiar with the street legal laws and resources for your area.

Let’s recap the major takeaways from the entire guide.

The street legal community needs your help!

You are part of a vibrant community now, one that wouldn’t exist without regular everyday advocates spreading the word. We can’t tell you how many laws have been passed thanks to the dedication of a handful of enthusiasts, or even just one, taking action in their local community.

Street legal laws almost always start from a localized proof of concept. That could be a new permit program for a town or county, it could be opening a select few roads to UTVs and other off-highway vehicles, or it could be expanding statewide permissions so OHVs can do more than they previously could on public roads.

Knowing what you know now puts you in a unique position to help the community grow. Here are some ways you can help:

• Join groups and forums related to street legal UTVs

• Join local and statewide OHV clubs and organizations

• Support your local street legal laws and initiatives

• Set a good example when you’re out on the road

The best way to help the street legal UTV movement grow is probably the easiest. Talk to people at gas stations, parking lots, OHV areas, and stop lights asking how in the world you got street legal. There are so many people who have no idea this is even possible! You could even collect contact info or start a local group for street legal UTVs in your area.

The most important things about street legal UTVs

To create this guide, we researched all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. and five US territories and wrote over 100,000 words about the street legal laws nationwide. These are the biggest trends and takeaways that you need to know about.

Support for street legal UTVs is growing

In recent years, several states have passed new laws allowing UTVs and other off-highway vehicles to attain unprecedented levels of street legality, not to mention all the local areas that have done the same thing. It's truly an exciting time to be part of powersports culture – as OHVs grow in both performance and safety, more people are getting street legal with more freedom than ever.

Read More: Strengthening Support

You only need the parts required by the state your UTV is registered in

Many states have exhaustive parts requirements including DOT tires and glass windshields, and while those parts are definitely good to have, they are often prohibitively expensive for someone who wants to get their UTV on the road without breaking the bank. There are often other options that won't require as many expensive parts, just keep in mind that going without certain parts is almost sure to attract the attention of Johnny Law.

Read More: Parts and Equipment

Some police officers don't know it’s possible to make a UTV street legal

Street legal UTVs are still a very small niche compared to the millions of regular cars on the road. Especially in urban areas, officers might have seen UTVs and other OHVs being driven illegally before and they might not realize there is a legal way to do it. The same goes for conservation agents, parks rangers, and other officials at public lands and OHV areas. It's important to know exactly what makes your UTV street legal and to carry documents that support those facts in case your legality is ever questioned.

Read More: Knowing Your Legality

You will probably get pulled over at some point

It's just the nature of the beast. Not only do many officers not realize this is possible, but most regular people don’t, either. The public is often encouraged to phone in suspicious activities, and that includes any vehicles that don't look like they should be driving on the road. But getting pulled over in a street legal UTV doesn't necessarily mean you were doing anything wrong – it’s often out of sheer curiosity.

Read More: Getting Pulled Over

Always call ahead before visiting a new OHV area

It's always best to call ahead and explain your situation in case something about that particular OHV area doesn't work with your setup. Some areas require different parts for OHVs than for licensed vehicles, and some even restrict trail access accordingly. Will they call your street legal UTV a truck or a UTV? It never hurts to err on the side of caution by calling ahead and explaining your situation before you travel.

Read More: Driving in OHV Areas

Localized laws only apply in localized areas

If you’re legal through a localized means like a city or county permit, you probably can’t leave that area without running into a new set of requirements. What’s more, states that issue special OHV license plates often do so in such a way that those plates aren’t honored anywhere else. That’s why we’re big fans of registering out of state through either Montana or South Dakota. Going that route allows you to drive your UTV with far more freedom, but for some those local laws are all you really need.

Read More: How to Make a UTV Street Legal

Dirt Legal specializes in street legal conversions

Registering out of state through Montana or South Dakota affords far more freedom for driving your street legal UTV. Maybe you’re interested in getting registered that way, but you’re not interested in all the time and effort required to make it happen. Maybe you like the idea of registering under a business or LLC but don’t know the first thing about setting one up.

Registering a UTV out of state takes a good chunk of time and a good eye for detail. If you make any mistakes, like forgetting to fill something out or putting something in the wrong field, the DMV will most likely toss out your application without even telling you. They might even keep your fees as a consolation prize.

Now that you've seen how complicated everything is, it probably makes sense when we say that our Street Legal UTV Registration Services create an efficient and stress-free path to street legality. Just fill out the papers we send you, install the required parts while we process your application, tack on the plate we send you a few weeks later, and hit the road in your street legal UTV.

Dirt Legal will get you a title, registration, and license plate for your UTV without you or your vehicle ever leaving your home. No inspections, no DMV visits, and no unnecessary complexity. Even if you only have a bill of sale or want your UTV registered under an LLC – maybe one that doesn’t even exist yet – our expert team can make it happen.

It’s all backed by our 100% Money Back Guarantee and thousands of successful conversions nationwide. Our team has registered UTVs and side-by-sides, ATVs, dirt bikes, and even military vehicles as street legal. We know what needs to be done and how to do it quickly and efficiently so you can get on the road faster.

If your time is worth money, or if you just don’t want to deal with all the caveats and details of the process, this is your path to street legality.

Below are our two most popular conversion services: registering out of state and registering under an LLC. Learn more about your options in Part 3: How to Make a UTV Street Legal and feel free to contact us with any questions or to get started over the phone.

A special thanks from our team

Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, we hope our Nationwide Street Legal UTV Guide has helped broaden your knowledge of street legal UTVs. Thank you for taking the time to read it.

It would mean a lot to us if you could tell us what you think of the guide using the form button below. It’s especially helpful to share anything we might have missed, new information we haven’t accounted for yet, or anything you feel was skipped or glossed over. Your feedback will help us improve the guide for future enthusiasts to learn from. Together we can help the street legal UTV movement grow stronger than ever!

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See you on the road!

– The team at Dirt Legal