It is not possible to register a UTV in Kansas as street legal for reasons discussed below.

However, it is possible to make a UTV street legal in Kansas by registering in another state. The resulting title, registration, and license plate will allow you to drive your side-by-side on roads, highways, and city streets in Kansas and beyond.

This page covers street legal UTVs in Kansas from top to bottom including relevant laws, details about OHV areas, and times when a UTV not registered as street legal can be driven on local roads. Review the following resources to learn more.

Ready to roll? Start making your UTV street legal in Kansas right now with the help of our expert team.

We have made our best effort to include all relevant details, but something we did not cover might apply to your situation. We are enthusiasts, not attorneys. This is not legal advice.

Why Kansas Can’t Register UTVs as Street Legal

In order to register a UTV as a regular street legal vehicle through Kansas, it would need to fit Kansas’s definition of a street legal vehicle and pass a Kansas motor vehicle inspection, however Kansas’s laws do not allow for this.

None of the vehicle categories found in the Kansas Motor Vehicle Code can be used to register a UTV for street legal use. Of the possible candidates:

• Motorcycles cannot have more than three wheels

• Autocycles must have three wheels

• Golf Carts must have a designed top speed of 25 MPH

• Micro Utility Trucks must have been originally manufactured with a metal cab

Additional resources used to inform this guide are linked in the Laws, Codes, and Other Resources section below.

How to get street legal

In states like Montana and South Dakota, the vehicle code allows UTVs to be registered as street legal vehicles. You can register your UTV in those states without ever leaving your home. Once registration is complete and the required equipment is installed, your UTV will be street legal in Kansas with an out-of-state registration (see How to Make Your UTV Street Legal).

A street legal UTV could take you anywhere from the sand dunes of Syracuse to the woodlands of Kansas Rocks. Drive all the way to the alpine trails of the Rocky Mountains or just cruise downtown to grab some groceries. Imagine going wherever you want without a truck and trailer holding you back. Drive in, get dirty, drive home – sounds like a blast, right?

If you can throttle your UTV all day long but get queasy at the thought of the DMV, let our team of experts register your UTV as street legal on your behalf while you break the news to your truck and trailer.

Parts Required to Be Street Legal in Kansas

Because the only way to make a UTV street legal in Kansas is to register in another state, getting legal does not involve any parts specific to Kansas.

Thanks to reciprocity agreements between states, a vehicle only needs to have the parts required by the state where it is registered. That means a UTV with an out-of-state registration can be driven on Kansas roads without needing any equipment required by Kansas and without needing to pass a Kansas inspection.

• Here is what is legally required for registrations in Montana and South Dakota (other states)

• These are the minimum parts we suggest having on any street legal UTV

There are also some parts we suggest leaving off which are rarely allowed on street legal vehicles in any state.

Driving a Street Legal UTV on Public Roads in Kansas

Vehicles licensed in other states can be driven legally in Kansas thanks to registration reciprocity agreements between states. Kansas’s registration reciprocity statute is linked in the resources below. You should not need to worry about title transfer windows if you maintain residency in another state or your UTV is registered to an LLC in another state. In some cases, it might not be possible to transfer your registration to Kansas from another state because of vehicle type mismatches between states.

Because street legal UTVs are a small niche, local law enforcement may not know that a UTV can be made street legal in Kansas. While we are not attorneys, we suggest carrying physical copies of your UTV’s registration and insurance proofs and being knowledgeable about the ways your vehicle is legal for road use (see Knowing Your Legality).

Keep in mind that street legal UTVs in Kansas need to observe all laws and rules of the road just as a car would.

Helmet laws in Kansas

• Kansas does not have specific helmet laws for street legal UTVs

• Occupants younger than 18 should wear helmets on public roads

• Helmets will be required in some OHV areas

The motorcycle helmet law in Kansas requires any rider younger than 18 to wear a helmet. Although this law does not apply to occupants riding in an “enclosed cab” and although a UTV does not meet Kansas’s legal definition of a motorcycle, local law enforcement might expect occupants younger than 18 to wear helmets on public roads since that is what they are most familiar with expecting. For safety reasons, we believe occupants of all ages should wear helmets when operating a street legal UTV on public roads.

Keep in mind that helmet laws need to be followed on a state-by-state basis. Before you travel, learn the helmet situation in any state you plan to drive in. See other states

Driving a Street Legal UTV in Kansas’ OHV Areas

Registration

Kansas does not issue registrations for off-highway vehicles.

Equipment

Beyond basic equipment like working headlights and taillights, Kansas does not require any specific equipment for operation within OHV areas, public lands, and other similar spaces. Most OHV areas in the United States require a Forest Service-qualified spark arrester and a good working muffler with a maximum volume of about 80-90 decibels. Specific areas within Kansas may have their own requirements regarding equipment, helmet use, engine size restrictions by rider age, or other factors, so be sure to check ahead when you plan to travel.

This section is about vehicles that do not have street legal registrations.

In Kansas, UTVs and other off-highway vehicles can be driven on public roads in cities with less than 15,000 residents. Specific rules like speed and distance limitations are decided by each jurisdiction. OHVs might also be prohibited on certain roads or road sections, so be sure to check local resources before you take to the road.

Requirements

For any OHV using public roads in Kansas:

• If driven at night, the vehicle must be equipped with the same lights required for motorcycles: at least one headlight and at least one taillight as described in those statutes.

• Driver must have a valid driver’s license

• OHVs do not need to be registered with the state

Off-highway vehicle classifications in Kansas

• All-Terrain Vehicles: Most ATVs. 50” or narrower, dry weight of 1,500 lbs. or less, 3+ nonhighway tires.

• Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles: Most UTVs and side-by-sides. Between 50” and 64” wide, dry weight 2,000 lbs. or less, 4+ nonhighway tires.

• Work-Site Utility Vehicles: 48” or wider, unladen wet weight of more than 800 lbs., 4+ nonhighway tires, wheel for steering, side-by-side seating.

Full specifications for each category can be found here.

Crossing roads

Kansas allows OHVs to cross state and federal roads but does not give any details as to the manner or method of crossing. Based on the crossing laws of other states, it is reasonable to assume that crossings should be made as safely and directly as possible and should not interfere with traffic.

Special exceptions

Kansas grants expanded road use privileges to OHVs classified as Work Site Vehicles as well as some vehicles involved in industries like farming and agriculture. Contact your local DMV or local law enforcement to learn more.

For questions outside the scope of this guide, try contacting:

• Kansas Department of Revenue: Vehicle Titles and Registrations

• Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

These are the sources we used to create this guide. If you find any inaccurate or outdated information, please contact us and we will be happy to address it.

Operating as an OHV

Forest Service: Map of Kansas OHV Areas

Kansas Statute 8-1-28 (Registration not required)

Road use of OHVs not registered as street legal

Kansas Statute 8-15-100 (Road use exceptions; crossings; equipment; etc.)

Kansas Statute 8-15-109 (Exceptions for Work-Site Utility Vehicles)

Kansas Statute 8-18-1 (Headlight as required by 8-15-100)

Kansas Statute 8-18-2 (Taillight as required by 8-15-100)

Kansas Statute 13-1-1 (Defines Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 cities)

Other resources

Kansas Attorney General Opinion 94-102 (1994 document discussing ATV use in Class 2 and Class 3 cities)

Kansas Statute 8-1-26 (Definitions of Highway, All-Terrain Vehicle, Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle, Work-Site Utility Vehicle, etc.)

Kansas Statute 8-1-38a (Kansas vehicle registration reciprocity)

Kansas Statute 8-15-98 (Kansas motorcycle helmet law)

Kansas Statutes (More recent versions found at Revisor)

Kansas DOR: Division of Vehicles (DMV)