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

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

This page covers street legal UTVs in Nevada 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 paved and unpaved roads throughout the state. Review the following resources to learn more.

Ready to get legal? Register out of state 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 Nevada Can’t Register UTVs as Street Legal

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

This FAQ from the Nevada Off-Highway Vehicles Program summarizes the situation:

The designation for off-highway use is usually indicated in ownership documents, the owner’s manual or by a U.S. DOT label attached to the frame of the vehicle. Only two-wheeled motorcycles may be converted to on-road use. Other OHVs may not be converted.

In Nevada, the term Off-Highway Vehicle includes “any motor vehicle used on public lands for the purpose of recreation [and] designed primarily for off-highway and all-terrain use.” One subset of this category is Large All-Terrain Vehicles, defined as “any all-terrain vehicle that includes seating capacity for at least two people abreast and total seating capacity for at least four people.” This category encompasses most vehicles commonly referred to as UTVs while the larger category catches the rest. Vehicles falling into either category cannot be registered as street legal in Nevada. Nevada law also states that a motorcycle cannot have more than three wheels and a “trimobile” must have three wheels with handlebars for steering.

OHVs in Nevada can use all unpaved roads (unless prohibited by local ordinances) but can only use paved roads in conjunction with an OHV trail (up to 2 miles) when local laws allow doing so. Given this factor alone, it is unlikely that Nevada inspection officials would pass a UTV and allow it to become street legal as a regular passenger vehicle.

Additional resources 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 Nevada with an out-of-state registration (see How to Make Your UTV Street Legal).

We know that filling out DMV paperwork can seem as endless as Interstate 80. That’s why our team of experts is willing to do the hard work for you by getting your UTV registered as street legal while you’re planning your next trip, one where you leave your tow rig at home.

Parts Required to Be Street Legal in Nevada

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

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

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

Helmet laws in Nevada

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

• However, you should plan on wearing a helmet for reasons discussed below

• You may be required to wear a helmet in OHV areas within Nevada

In considering Nevada’s motorcycle helmet law, all motorcycle riders are required to wear helmets and eye protection must be worn if no windshield is present, however three-wheeled vehicles with enclosed cabs are specifically exempt from these requirements. While most mainstream UTVs do not have three wheels, UTVs are also not considered motorcycles by Nevada’s definition and they often have enclosed cabs.

It is also worth noting that occupants of UTVs that have not been made street legal are required to wear helmets whenever those vehicles are operated on public roads. All things considered, we could imagine an officer expecting occupants of a street legal UTV to wear helmets as this is what local authorities are most familiar with. We always suggest wearing a helmet for safety reasons.

There is no statewide requirement to wear helmets in OHV areas in Nevada, but individual areas often require them so be sure to check ahead when you plan to travel.

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 Nevada’s OHV Areas

Whenever you operate in OHV areas, public lands, and other off-road situations, your UTV will usually be considered an off-highway vehicle even if it is street legal. This can change based on location, so be sure to call ahead to confirm.

Registration

UTVs that are not registered as street legal must be registered through Nevada as Off-Highway Vehicles and must bear their assigned OHV registration decal on either the left side or rear of the vehicle.

If your UTV is street legal with an out-of-state registration or has an active OHV registration from another state, you will not need to obtain a Nevada OHV registration to operate as an OHV unless the vehicle remains in the state for more than 15 days. If you are not a Nevada resident and your vehicle does not have an active OHV registration from another state, it will need to be registered with Nevada.

Registration can be obtained through the mail, through a licensed Nevada OHV dealer, or through the official online portal.

• OHV registration resources: Nevada OHV Registration Portal | Nevada OHV Registration FAQ | Nevada OHV Trails Map

Equipment

Nevada does not require OHVs to have any specific equipment on the state level beyond basic parts like working headlights and taillights. 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 in addition to other basic items like working brakes and restraints. Specific areas within Nevada may have their own requirements, so be sure to check ahead when you travel.

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

In Nevada, UTVs and other off-highway vehicles can be driven:

• On all unpaved public roads unless prohibited by local laws

• On paved public roads for up to 2 miles for the purposes of traveling to, from, and between OHV areas when allowed by local laws

• On a section of road that is part of an official OHV trail

• During emergency conditions which restrict automobile travel

• When loading or unloading the vehicle

Check out the Nevada OHV Trails Map for an interactive map of designated trails throughout Nevada.

Local laws

In Nevada, local jurisdictions can determine their own rules for OHVs by allowing them on some roads, restricting them on others, or making any other variety of changes to statewide laws. As it pertains to the conditions above, paved road use needs to be allowed on a local level and unpaved road use can be locally prohibited. OHVs are never allowed on interstates in Nevada. Be sure to verify local laws before traveling.

Crossing roads

Nevada law states that OHVs may cross a road at an angle perpendicular to traffic after coming to a complete stop and yielding to traffic.

Required registration and equipment

UTVs and other off-highway vehicles must meet the following requirements to drive on public roads in Nevada:

• If operated at night, at least one headlight visible at 500+ feet

• If operated at night, at least one taillight visible at 500+ feet

• At least one red reflector at the rear

• At least one stop lamp at the rear

• A good working muffler in constant operation

• Occupants must wear helmets

• Vehicle must be registered as an OHV

OHVs used on public roads must possess a valid Nevada Off-Highway Vehicle registration and matching decals as described in the previous section on OHV areas. It is unclear if an out-of-state OHV registration would suffice. Please contact us if you know the answer so we can improve this guide.

Special exceptions

OHVs used for farming, maintenance, and other special purposes may be eligible for a different set of road use rules. Contact your local DMV or local authorities to learn more.

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

• Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles

• Nevada Department of Wildlife

• Nevada Off-Highway Vehicles Program

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.

Off-road use

Nevada Official OHV Information

Nevada OHV Registration FAQ

Nevada OHV Registration Portal

Nevada OHV Trails Map

Nevada Statute 490.082 (Registration requirements and exemptions)

Road use of OHVs not registered as street legal

Nevada Statute 490.0825 (Registering for limited road use)

Nevada Statute 490.090 (Road use conditions)

Nevada Statute 490.120 (Equipment required for road use)

Nevada Statute 490.130 (Helmet required on roads)

Other resources

Nevada Statutes Chapter 486 (Defines highway, motorcycle, trimobile, and other categories)

Nevada Statute 482.385 (Nevada vehicle registration reciprocity)

Nevada Statute 486.041 (Defines Motorcycle)

Nevada Statute 486.057 (Defines Trimobile)

Nevada Statute 486.231 (Nevada motorcycle helmet law)

Nevada Statutes 490.060 (Defines OHV)

Nevada Statutes