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

However, it is possible to make a UTV street legal in Louisiana by registering it 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 Louisiana and beyond.

This page covers street legal UTVs in Louisiana 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.

Good to go? Start making your UTV street legal in Louisiana 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 Louisiana Can’t Register UTVs as Street Legal

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

Louisiana Statute 32:1252 states that All-Terrain Vehicles, a broad category that includes both ATVs and UTVs, “cannot be issued a registration certificate and license to operate on the public roads of this state because, at the time of manufacture, the vehicle does not meet the safety requirements prescribed by RS. 32:1301 through 1310” which are Louisiana’s motor vehicle inspection requirements.

Likewise, UTVs and similar OHVs cannot be registered as another class of vehicle. Of the possible candidates:

• Motorcycles cannot have more than three wheels

• Autocycles must have three wheels

• Low-Speed Vehicles must have a top speed between 20 and 25 MPH

Possibility of registering as a Mini-Truck

Louisiana defines a Mini-Truck as a “reduced dimension truck […] with a top speed of 65 MPH, equipped with a truck bed or compartment for hauling, and having an enclosed passenger cab.” UTVs with roll cages instead of full metal enclosures are unlikely to meet the latter requirement.

If a person were to succeed in registering a UTV as a Mini-Truck in Louisiana, they would be restricted to roads marked 55 MPH or less and would not be allowed on interstates, controlled-access highways, multi-lane divided highways, or other roads where Mini-Trucks are prohibited by local jurisdictions. Mini-Trucks in Louisiana are required to register as Off-Road Vehicles and are not guaranteed any street legality in other states.

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 categories allow UTVs to be registered as street legal vehicles. You can register 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 the state of Louisiana with an out-of-state registration (see How to Make Your UTV Street Legal).

Imagine riding to Kisatchie, Zona, or High Lifter without needing a truck and trailer to get you there. With a street legal UTV, you could do all that and more. Head into Arkansas to ride in the Ozarks or just drive to work and turn heads in the parking lot. Speaking of work, our team of experts can register your UTV on your behalf while you’re doing something way more fun than OMV paperwork. Which is basically anything.

Parts Required to Be Street Legal in Louisiana

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

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 Louisiana roads without needing any equipment required by Louisiana and without needing to pass a Louisiana 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 Louisiana

Because street legal UTVs are a small niche, local law enforcement may not know that a UTV can be made street legal in Louisiana. 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).

Vehicles licensed in other states can be driven legally in Louisiana thanks to registration reciprocity agreements between states. Louisiana’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 Louisiana from another state because of vehicle type mismatches between states.

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

Helmet laws in Louisiana

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

• Occupants may be required to wear helmets in OHV areas

The state does require all motorcycle riders to wear helmets. Eye protection is required if the helmet is not full face. For these reasons and for safety reasons, we suggest wearing a helmet whenever you operate a UTV on public roads in Louisiana as this is what local law enforcement will likely be most familiar with.

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 Louisiana’s OHV Areas

Registration

Whether your UTV is street legal or not, if you plan to operate as an off-highway vehicle in Louisiana (in OHV areas, public lands, etc.) you must obtain an Off-Road Vehicle Registration through Louisiana and display the corresponding decal on your UTV. Registrations can only be obtained by visiting a physical Louisiana OMV (DMV) location. See locations

If your UTV is street legal with an out-of-state registration, or if you are not a resident of Louisiana, you will still need a Louisiana Off-Road Vehicle registration unless you have a valid registration from another state. We learned this by calling the Louisiana OMV as we could not find any official laws or documentation regarding nonresident OHVs in Louisiana. We were told that Louisiana honors all out-of-state OHV registrations, but to err on the side of caution we would encourage you to call ahead to the OMV (and/or the OHV area you plan to visit) and ask if your state’s OHV registration would be honored.

Equipment

Louisiana does not require OHVs to have any specific equipment to operate off-road. To be sure, we contacted the Louisiana OMV and an agent confirmed there are no statewide equipment requirements for OHV areas.

Many OHV areas require a Forest Service-qualified spark arrester, a good working muffler with a maximum volume of about 80-90 decibels, and basic equipment like working lights and brakes. OHV areas in Louisiana will have their own requirements regarding equipment, helmet use, and other factors, so be sure to check ahead when you plan to travel.

Help us improve this section! If you know of any official resources for these topics, please contact us so we can improve this guide for others.

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

In Louisiana, UTVs and other off-highway vehicles can only be driven on public roads that have been approved for OHV use by local jurisdictions. OHVs may also drive on the shoulder of public roads during daylight hours. Roads that are approved for OHV use must be marked with corresponding signage.

Statewide requirements are as follows:

• Driver must be 21 or older with a valid driver’s license

• Vehicle must be registered with the OMV as an Off-Road Vehicle

• Vehicle cannot carry more passengers than it has seat belts

• Vehicle must carry liability insurance as described in Louisiana Statute 32:861

Local jurisdictions

Towns, parishes, and other local jurisdictions determine how and when OHVs can use public roads. Local laws might restrict OHVs, ban them altogether, restrict hours of operation, or designate certain requirements like helmet use for all occupants, so be sure to check the resources of the areas you plan to travel to. If online resources are sparse, call a local OMV or local authorities to learn more.

Crossing roads

In Louisiana, OHVs may cross any road or divided highway with a posted speed limit higher than 35 MPH at an intersection with another road. Interestingly, crossing methods for other roads are not specified and might be determined by local jurisdictions. Check local resources to confirm.

Required registration

Before driving on public roads, UTVs and other off-highway vehicles must be registered with the state of Louisiana as Off-Road Vehicles. This registration is covered in the previous section on OHV areas.

Required equipment

UTVs not registered as street legal must have the following equipment to drive on public roads in Louisiana:

• Headlights

• Taillights

• Stop lights

• Front and rear turn signals

• Reflectors at the rearmost part of each side

• Red reflector on the rear of the vehicle

• Driver’s side exterior mirror

• Passenger’s side exterior mirror OR interior mirror

• Brakes for each wheel

• Parking brake

• Seat belt on each seat

• Speedometer

• Odometer

• Windshield

• A windshield wiper

• VIN or serial number

This list was taken directly from Louisiana Statute 32:299.3.

Helmet use

According to the Louisiana OMV agent we spoke to, helmets are required when driving UTVs and other off-highway vehicles on public roads. Although we could not find any official resources to confirm that, the state’s motorcycle helmet law does require all motorcycle riders to wear helmets, so it would make sense that OHV occupants would need them as well. Additionally, local jurisdictions could require helmets even if the state does not. With that in mind, all occupants should wear helmets while operating on public roads in Louisiana as this is what local authorities will likely be most familiar with.

Special exceptions

Louisiana grants expanded road use permissions to some farmers, agricultural workers, law enforcement, and other special use purposes as described in Louisiana Statute 32:299. Contact the OMV or local law enforcement to learn more.

How Louisiana defines a UTV

This guide focuses on Utility Terrain Vehicles, a Louisiana motor vehicle category that includes most modern UTVs and side-by-sides as defined in Louisiana Statute 32:299.3. Different rules apply to other off-highway vehicles like mini-trucks and ATVs.

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

• Your local Office of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

• Louisiana State 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.

General information

Louisiana OHV and ATV Trails (third-party site)

Road use of OHVs not registered as street legal

Louisiana Statute 32:127 (Road crossings)

Louisiana Statute 32:1252 (Off-road vehicles cannot be registered for full road use)

Louisiana Statute 32:299 (Special use cases including farm use, university use, etc.)

Louisiana Statute 32:299.3 (Normal road use exceptions, equipment requirements, UTVs defined)

Other resources

Louisiana Statute 32:1 (Definitions of other vehicles including autocycles and low-speed vehicles, highway)

Louisiana Statute 32:1301 and subsequent statutes (Louisiana motor vehicle inspection requirements)

Louisiana Statute 32:190 (Louisiana motorcycle helmet law)

Louisiana Statute 32:190.1 (Louisiana motorcycle eye protection law)

Louisiana Statute 32:299.2 (Mini-truck definition and limitations)

Louisiana Statute 32:300.1 (Low-speed vehicle limitations)

Louisiana Statute 32:404 (Louisiana vehicle registration reciprocity)

Louisiana Statute 32:861 (Insurance requirements)

Louisiana State Code

Louisiana OMV