It is not possible to register a UTV in Maine as street legal for reasons discussed below. Designated Maine ATV Access Routes are public roads open to UTVs and other OHVs.

However, it is possible to make a UTV street legal in Maine 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 Maine and beyond.

This page covers street legal UTVs in Maine 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 including use of Maine ATV Access Routes. Review the following resources to learn more.

Ready to get going? Start making your UTV street legal in Maine today 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 Maine Can’t Register UTVs as Street Legal

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

The list of vehicles eligible for road use in Maine specifically excludes All-Terrain Vehicles, a category defined as any “motor-driven, off-road, recreational vehicle that was originally designed by the manufacturer for and is capable of cross-country travel” (see Item 42-B). Various statutes and official websites use the term “ATV” as a catch-all for ATVs, UTVs, side-by-sides, and other off-highway vehicles. Although these vehicles are granted some road use exceptions as described in a later section below, they cannot be registered as regular street legal passenger vehicles through the Maine BMV.

Other vehicle categories are not conducive to registering a UTV under, including Autocycles which are defined in Maine law as having three wheels and Motorcycles which must have either two or three wheels along with straddle-style seating. The resources we used to reach these conclusions 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 the state of Maine with an out-of-state registration (see How to Make Your UTV Street Legal).

Imagine riding up to Allagash for a weekend of outdoor adventures, down to New Hampshire to ride Jericho Mountain, or just into town to get some dinner – all in your street legal UTV. You could get even more seat time by letting our team of experts register your UTV on your behalf while you’re planning your next adventure.

Parts Required to Be Street Legal in Maine

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

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

Vehicles licensed in other states can be driven legally in Maine thanks to registration reciprocity agreements between states. Maine’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 Maine 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 Maine. 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 Maine need to observe all laws and rules of the road just as a car would.

Helmet laws in Maine

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

• Occupants younger than 18 should wear helmets on public roads as explained below

• Helmets are required in OHV areas for occupants younger than 18 and for all occupants if the driver must wear one

Maine’s motorcycle helmet law requires all riders younger than 18 to wear helmets in addition to anyone whose license endorsement is less than a year old. Looking to OHV laws, in OHV areas helmets are required for occupants younger than 18 and for all occupants if the driver is required to wear one. This also applies to non-street-legal off-highway vehicles operated on public roads in Maine in the limited circumstances described in a later section.

With these things in mind, we imagine local law enforcement would expect occupants of a street legal UTV to follow the same rules. We suggest wearing a helmet whenever you drive a street legal UTV in Maine, but especially if you are younger than 18 as this is what local law enforcement will 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

Snorkels

In Maine, snorkel kits are not allowed except for racing purposes or with the express permission of a landowner. Even if having a snorkel installed is legal in the state where your street legal UTV is registered, local law enforcement in Maine might stop you and ask questions if you are spotted running a snorkel kit.

Driving a Street Legal UTV in Maine’s OHV Areas

Registration

Whether your UTV is street legal or not, if you plan to operate as an off-highway vehicle in Maine (in OHV areas, public lands, etc.) you must obtain an OHV registration through the state of Maine and display your registration stickers at the front and rear of the vehicle.

If your UTV is street legal with an out-of-state registration, or if you are not a resident of Maine, you will need a special Nonresident OHV Registration issued by Maine. This is required even if you already have a valid OHV registration elsewhere as Maine does not offer reciprocity for off-road registrations except during a single 3-day window each year. Nonresidents can choose either a 7-day or full-season registration.

Equipment

Any UTV operated as an OHV in Maine is required to have a spark arrester and a good working muffler with a maximum volume of 96 dB. Other basic equipment is required, like working brakes and lights, as detailed in the resources linked below. Helmets are required for OHV occupants under age 18 and all occupants if the driver is required to wear one. Some OHV areas 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.

Snorkel kits

Snorkels are not allowed in Maine except for racing purposes or with the explicit permission of the landowner. If you want to run a snorkel, check ahead with any OHV area you plan to travel to.

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

Maine allows UTVs and other off-highway vehicles to drive on public roads marked as ATV Access Routes. Vehicles using these routes must stay to the far right and travel in the same direction as traffic without interfering with traffic. OHVs can also drive on any road that is closed for winter. ATV Access Routes are marked with distinct signage and may include all or part of a given road.

We could not find any online resources giving a comprehensive list of Maine’s ATV Access Routes. Please contact us if you know of one so we can include it for others.

Driving restrictions

OHVs must always stop and yield to traffic before entering the roadway. No specific speed limit is given at the state level except that OHVs must be operated at “a reasonable and prudent speed for the existing conditions.” Local jurisdictions might have different rules, including limited operational hours and different equipment requirements, so be sure to check ahead when you plan to travel. OHVs are prohibited statewide in marshes, tundra, and beaches.

Snorkels are only allowed for competition purposes or with the express permission of a landowner. Other statewide equipment requirements are listed below.

Crossing roads

Off-highway vehicles may cross any public road, bridge, overpass, underpass, sidewalk, or culvert in Maine using a road so long as the total distance driven is less than 500 yards. The crossing must be done “as directly as possible” in a way that does not interfere with traffic. The OHV must stop and yield to traffic before entering the roadway and must only travel along the roadway on the extreme right side if using the road to traverse an obstacle.

Highways with controlled access must be crossed in one of the following ways:

• By driving on a road that goes over or under the highway

• At designated ATV crossing locations marked with special signage

• At places where ATV Access Routes or official trails cross the highway

Local jurisdictions can prohibit OHVs from traveling on or across certain roads or road sections, so be sure to check the local resources of the areas you plan to operate in.

Required registration

To use ATV Access Routes and public roads in Maine, OHVs must be registered with the state as described in the previous section on OHV areas. Nonresidents must register as well.

Required equipment

Off-highway vehicles must have the following equipment to drive on public roads in Maine:

• Spark arrester

• Muffler not exceeding 96 dB in volume

• If operating after sunset or during poor visibility conditions, at least one headlight and taillight visible at 100 feet

Snorkel kits are not allowed except for racing purposes or with the explicit permission of the landowner.

Helmet use

Helmets are required for occupants younger than 18 operating on public roads. Additionally, all occupants must wear a helmet if the driver is required to wear one.

Special exceptions

Maine grants special road use exceptions for special events and emergency conditions. Vehicles used in agriculture and farming may also qualify for exceptions through a state-issued Special Registration Permit. See Maine Statute 29A-501 Section 8 or contact the BMV or local law enforcement for more information.

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

• Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles

• Maine Bureau of Parks and Land

• Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

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.

Note: Maine law refers to many off-highway vehicles, including UTVs, with the umbrella term All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV).

General resources

Maine OHV Laws, Rules, and Registration Guide

Maine OHV Registration Portal

Maine OHV Trail Guide

Operating as an OHV

Maine Statute 12-939-13155 (OHV registration)

Maine Statute 12-939-13157-A (Equipment requirements, helmet use, etc.)

Road use of OHVs not registered as street legal

Maine Statute 12-933-13001 (Definition of All-Terrain Vehicle)

Maine Statute 12-939-13155 (Registration for farm use and other cases)

Maine Statute 12-939-13157-A (Road use exceptions, crossings, helmets, equipment, etc.)

Maine Statute 12-941-13201 (Municipalities and local jurisdictions)

Maine Statute 29A-501 Section 8 (Farm use exceptions)

Other resources

Maine Statute 29A-101 (Definitions of motor vehicles, autocycles, etc.)

Maine Statute 29A-109 (Maine vehicle registration reciprocity)

Maine Statute 29A-2083 and Maine Legislature: Helmets (Maine motorcycle helmet law)

Maine Revised Statutes