Many of Wisconsin’s rural roads are open to off-highway vehicles. Approved roads statewide, designated as ATV Routes, are open to many types of OHVs including UTVs and side-by-sides. However, it is impossible to register a UTV in Wisconsin as a regular street legal vehicle for reasons discussed below.

It is possible to make a UTV street legal in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin and beyond.

This page covers street legal UTVs in Wisconsin from top to bottom including relevant laws, details about OHV areas, and times when UTVs that are not registered as street legal can be driven on local roads. There’s a lot to cover here, so feel free to skip to what you’re looking for!

Registering out of state lets you use roads besides ATV Routes. You can also cross state lines. Dirt Legal makes it easy to register in other states. Click to learn more.

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.

Contents

Registering a UTV as a regular street legal vehicle

Driving street legal UTVs registered out of state

Using Wisconsin’s OHV areas

Driving a UTV on Wisconsin ATV Routes

How Wisconsin defines off-highway vehicles

Laws, Codes, and Other Resources

What You Need to Know

• UTVs and other off-highway vehicles can use roads marked as ATV Routes throughout Wisconsin

• Vehicle must be registered as an OHV with Wisconsin – nonresidents must also register

• Drivers born on or after 1/1/1988 must pass a Wisconsin ATV Safety Course

• Occupants younger than 18 must wear helmets

• Auxiliary lights and nonstandard lighting colors usually can’t be used on-road

• Vehicle exhaust must not exceed 96 dB(A)

• Vehicle width cannot exceed 65”

Why Wisconsin Can’t Register UTVs as Street Legal

Wisconsin allows local jurisdictions like towns, cities, and counties to designate public roads as ATV Routes. These roads are open to many types of off-highway vehicles including UTVs and side-by-sides. To use ATV Routes, qualifying vehicles need to obtain restricted-use license plates by registering with Wisconsin as an off-highway vehicle.

We will explore ATV Routes later on, but for the purpose of this section, the existence of such a wide-reaching program means Wisconsin has a high level of awareness about UTVs and side-by-sides and will not register them as regular street legal passenger vehicles regardless of what parts are installed.

Registering as a regular street legal vehicle through the Wisconsin DMV would also involve finding a category in the Wisconsin Motor Vehicle Code to register under, but none of the possible categories will accommodate a typical UTV.

• Motorcycles cannot have more than 3 wheels and must have handlebars and straddle seating

• Autocycles must have 3 wheels and be manufactured to meet federal motorcycle safety standards (49 CFR 571)

• Low-Speed Vehicles must meet federal LSV standards including a top speed between 20 and 25 MPH (49 CFR 571.3 and 49 CFR 571.500)

• Off-Road Utility Vehicles are owned or contracted by the government for uses like landscaping and waste disposal

• Commercial Quadricycles are more commonly known as pedal pubs

Want to see the laws for yourself? Additional resources used to reach these conclusions are linked in the Laws, Codes, and Other Resources section below.

How to get street legal

Wisconsin’s endless miles of OHV trails make the state a popular destination for off-roaders across the United States and beyond, but the vast distances between trails can be problematic for getting the most out of a day’s sunlight, especially when you have to load up the tow rig to use roads that aren’t ATV Routes.

The Wisconsin ATV/UTV Regulation Handbook (PDF) states that “There is no residential access allowance that permits you to ride on a roadway from a dwelling to the nearest trail or route. You will need to haul your machine to the nearest legal access point” if a designated ATV Route does not connect you to it. This can easily turn into a serious hurdle, but there is a way to gain more freedom on the road in Wisconsin.

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

Imagine driving your UTV for the entire journey without needing a truck and trailer to get you there. Take the family on the winding coulee roads to the Eau Galle Cheese Factory, take a day trip into the U. P., ride the highways connecting the many trails of Iron County, or pop down to Madison for dinner by the lake. Which lake? Your call.

If you can weather the coldest winter storm but shiver at the thought of DMV paperwork, let our team of experts register your UTV as street legal on your behalf while you plan your next great adventure.

Parts Required to Register Out of State

The only way to make a UTV street legal in Wisconsin across the board is to register in another state, a process that doesn’t involve any parts specific to Wisconsin. Parts required for ATV Routes and road use of other UTVs are listed in a later section.

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 Wisconsin roads without needing any equipment required by Wisconsin and without needing to pass a Wisconsin 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 Street Legal UTVs Registered in Other States

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

• All OHVs are subject to statewide auxiliary lighting restrictions explained below

Because street legal UTVs are a small niche, local law enforcement may not know that a UTV can be made street legal in Wisconsin by registering out of state. While we are not attorneys, we always 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 Wisconsin thanks to registration reciprocity agreements between states. Wisconsin’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 Wisconsin from another state because of vehicle type mismatches between states.

Helmet laws in Wisconsin

• Occupants younger than 18 are required to wear helmets in OHV areas and on ATV Routes

• Wisconsin does not have specific helmet laws for street legal UTVs registered out of state

In considering whether helmets would be required for a vehicle registered out of state, since Wisconsin has such a significant street legal program of its own, it would be best to follow that program’s requirement of DOT helmets with fastened chin straps for occupants younger than 18. The same is required for any UTV operated in off-road locations like OHV areas, trails, and public lands.

It is also worth noting that Wisconsin requires motorcycle and autocycle riders younger than 18 to wear helmets (and all riders with instructional permits). Additionally, all riders must wear eye protection like glasses, goggles, or transparent face shields. The eye protection requirement is waived for autocycles with windshields and for motorcycles where the windshield extends more than 15” above the handlebars, but a street legal UTV does not fit Wisconsin’s definition of an autocycle or a motorcycle.

For safety reasons, we recommend helmets for all occupants while driving 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

Using Wisconsin’s OHV Areas

Whenever you drive off-road in places like OHV areas, trails, and public lands, your UTV will be considered an off-highway vehicle even if it is registered as street legal.

• The Wisconsin ATV/UTV Regulation Handbook (PDF) covers everything you need to know about OHVs in Wisconsin

• Visit Wisconsin DNR: ATV and UTV Registration to get an OHV registration for your vehicle

• You will not need to register your OHV with Wisconsin if it will only be in the state during the first full weekend in June

Equipment

Any UTV operated as an OHV in Wisconsin is required to have a Forest Service-qualified spark arrester and a good working muffler with a maximum volume of 96 dB(A). Other basic equipment is required like working lights and brakes. Street legal or not, all OHVs are subject to the statewide restrictions on auxiliary lighting explained below. Occupants younger than 18 are required to wear helmets in OHV areas. In Wisconsin, a UTV’s width cannot exceed 65” from the factory or through aftermarket modifications.

Individual OHV areas within Wisconsin often have their own requirements regarding equipment, engine size restrictions by rider age, helmets, or other factors, so be sure to check ahead when you plan to travel.

Registration

Whether your UTV is street legal or not, if you plan to operate as an off-highway vehicle in Wisconsin you must obtain an OHV Registration through Wisconsin and display the corresponding decals and rear license plate on your UTV.

If your UTV is street legal with an out-of-state registration, or if you are not a resident of Wisconsin, you can choose to get either a 5-day Trail Pass or a 1-year Nonresident OHV Registration from Wisconsin. If you store your vehicle in Wisconsin but are a nonresident, you will need to obtain a Wisconsin registration because of a specific law requiring in-state registration in this circumstance.

How to register

Registrations can be obtained online through the Wisconsin DNR, by mail after completing Application Form 9400-376 (PDF), in person at a DNR Service Location, or at any commercial ATV/UTV dealer in Wisconsin. If you register online or in person you can get a temporary registration instantly.

Design your own OHV license plate

Wisconsin allows you to design and build your own license plate for an off-highway vehicle. Learn more at Wisconsin DNR: ATV and UTV Registration under the section “Display of Decals and Rear Registration Plate.”

Use of ATV trails

Wisconsin refers to most OHVs using the umbrella term “ATV.” You will see the term ATV used by local OHV areas and on local signage, and unless otherwise stated that information also applies to UTVs and side-by-sides. Most of Wisconsin’s ATV trails are open to UTVs unless they are marked otherwise or limited by width but be sure to double-check this before you hit the road.

Required safety course

Drivers born on or after 1/1/1988 must pass a Wisconsin ATV Safety Course to operate a UTV or other off-highway vehicle on ATV Routes, trails, public lands, and other off-road riding areas throughout the state.

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

Wisconsin’s robust off-highway vehicle program allows towns, cities, and other local jurisdictions to designate public roads as ATV Routes. Though the name implies these roads are just for conventional ATVs with handlebars, they are open to UTVs and other off-highway vehicles as well.

OHVs in Wisconsin are also allowed on seasonally maintained roads when maintenance is not occurring and can use roads and shoulders for the express purpose of crossing a bridge, culvert, or railroad. Crossing requirements are detailed below.

Outside of these circumstances, OHVs cannot be operated on shoulders, ditches, or any public road that is not designated for OHV use. OHVs are never allowed on interstate highways in Wisconsin.

We’ve done our best to cover the most important elements of this program in the following sections, but there is a lot that goes beyond the scope of this guide. Thankfully, there is the wonderful Wisconsin ATV/UTV Regulation Handbook (PDF) that should answer any other questions you have about OHVs in Wisconsin.

Which roads are open for off-highway vehicles in Wisconsin?

Approved roads and sections are marked with prominent green signage featuring a white ATV and an arrow indicating the route’s direction, along with additional signage at the beginning and end of each route. Approval can apply to just a few miles of a given road or the entire road from beginning to end, or every road in a town, or anything in between.

At the time of writing this guide, there is no official source listing which roads an OHV can drive on in Wisconsin. Several official and independent websites claim to show the state’s ATV Routes, but we have yet to find one that is accurate and up to date. Some of them even tell you that contacting the county directly is the only way to get accurate information.

Your best bet is to start by contacting someone in the area you plan to drive in. Contact a local DMV, OHV area, ATV club, or local law enforcement and ask if they can provide a localized ATV Route Map. Ask if any towns and cities have different road rules you need to know about. Here are some resources to get you started:

• Official contact information for every county in Wisconsin

• Wisconsin ATV and UTV Association: List of local ATV clubs

Online maps of Wisconsin ATV Routes

Discrepancies have been known to develop when online maps are not updated in a timely manner. In 2020 in Breckenridge, Colorado, Youtubers Our Keen Life were pulled over for driving on what an online map claimed to be an approved OHV route, only to discover the map had not been updated and the road was not actually approved.

We found this to be especially relevant in Wisconsin because none of the resources linked below seem to list the same ATV Routes. Our advice is to use the following resources for general information and contact someone on the local level before you put wheels on the ground. Please contact us if a better resource becomes available.

• Official Wisconsin Cartographer’s Office ATV trail map resources

• Official Wisconsin Department of Tourism ATV Travel Guide

• Wisconsin ATV and UTV Association: Statewide Trail Map and Trails by County

• Northwest Wisconsin: ATV and snowmobile corridors map

• TrailLink Wisconsin: ATV Trails and Maps (Registration required for extended use)

• ATV-WI.com: List of local ATV maps (Note: Page has some suspicious links)

Can OHVs use other roads besides ATV Routes?

As stated in the Wisconsin ATV/UTV Regulation Handbook (PDF), “There is no residential access allowance that permits you to ride on a roadway from a dwelling to the nearest trail or route. You will need to haul your machine to the nearest legal access point” if an approved ATV Route does not connect you to it. With that said, we called the Wisconsin DMV and were told that many small towns are lenient toward OHVs while cities tend not to be, so your mileage may vary.

Driving on official ATV Routes in Wisconsin

Off-highway vehicles driving on designated Wisconsin ATV Routes must follow these rules:

• Drive only at the extreme right side of the road surface

• Drive only in a single-file line

• Do not pass other moving vehicles including other OHVs

• Make left turns only when legal and safe to do so

• Use hand signals for stopping and turning if vehicle does not have signals

• Ensure passengers do not hang off the vehicle or ride in aftermarket seating

• Always keep headlights and taillights turned on

Other restrictions, equipment requirements, and limited hours of operation may vary between localities, so be sure to check ahead when you plan to travel.

Required registration

All off-highway vehicles driven on public roads in Wisconsin are required to obtain a Wisconsin OHV Registration from the state. Registrations can be obtained online through the Wisconsin DNR, by mail after completing Application Form 9400-376 (PDF), in person at a DNR Service Location, or at any commercial ATV/UTV dealer in Wisconsin. If you register online or in person you can get a temporary registration instantly.

Wisconsin allows you to design and build your own OHV license plate at the time of registration. Learn more at Wisconsin DNR: ATV and UTV Registration under the section “Display of Decals and Rear Registration Plate.”

Required safety course

Drivers born on or after 1/1/1988 must pass a Wisconsin ATV Safety Course to operate a UTV or other off-highway vehicle on ATV Routes, trails, public lands, and other off-road riding areas throughout the state.

Required equipment

To use public roads and ATV Routes in Wisconsin, a UTV must have been originally manufactured with this equipment:

• Two headlights

• At least one taillight

• At least one brake light

• Seat belts at each seat

• Rollover protection

• Working brakes

Additionally, all UTVs must meet the following requirements:

• Forest Service approved spark arrester and a muffler with a maximum volume of 96 dB(A)

• Width cannot exceed 65 inches from the factory or through aftermarket modifications

• All OHVs are subject to statewide auxiliary lighting restrictions explained below

• Occupants younger than 18 must wear helmets both on and off-road

Lighting restrictions

Wisconsin requires all off-highway vehicles to meet following lighting requirements:

• Forward-facing lights can only be white

• Rear-facing lights can only be red, yellow, amber, or white

• Flashing, oscillating, or rotating lights can only be yellow or amber

• Front high beams and extra driving lights must be dimmed when meeting traffic

• No more than 4 front-facing lights can be used within 500 feet of oncoming traffic

• Reverse lights cannot remain on while driving forward

• No more than 2 lights can be used for reversing

Though these laws are written for OHVs that are not street legal, given their specific nature and the popularity of OHVs on public roads in Wisconsin, you can expect them to be enforced for street legal UTVs registered out of state as well. The exact wording can be found throughout the Wisconsin ATV/UTV Regulation Handbook (PDF), mostly in sections 24 and 25.

Driving on trails next to roadways

When driving on a trail next to a roadway, the vehicle must always stay at least 10 feet from the road. OHVs can travel with or against the flow of traffic on these trails during daylight, but at night they must travel with the flow of traffic if using a trail within 40 feet of the road unless the two are separated by a barrier.

Crossing roads

OHVs in Wisconsin may cross public roads including those that are not ATV Routes. Crossings must be done at a safe location in the most direct manner possible, after coming to a complete stop and yielding to traffic. Roads can also be used to cross bridges, culverts, and railroads. Bridges crossed in this manner must be 1,000’ or less in length and there must be a local ordinance permitting this action. Other details are often determined by local ordinances, so be sure to check ahead.

Special exceptions

UTVs and other off-highway vehicles used for certain industrial purposes like agriculture and farming may qualify for expanded road use permissions. Refer to the Wisconsin ATV/UTV Regulation Handbook (PDF) or contact the DMV or local law enforcement to learn more.

How Wisconsin Defines Off-Highway Vehicles

Note: These definitions changed in 2020 as described in Wisconsin ATV and UTV Law Changes Effective March 4, 2020 (PDF).

Wisconsin defines a Small All-Terrain Vehicle as one with:

• Engine size 200cc or less (or an equivalent power unit)

• Four wheels

Wisconsin defines an All-Terrain Vehicle as one with:

• Width of 50” or less (wheel to wheel)

• Dry weight of 900 lbs. or less

• Three or more tires

• Straddle seating

• Commercially designed and manufactured

Wisconsin defines a Utility Terrain Vehicle as one originally manufactured with:

• Width of 65” or less (wheel to wheel)

• Dry weight of 3,000 lbs. or less

• Four or more tires

• Steering wheel

• Two headlights

• At least one taillight

• At least one brake light

• Seat belts for each seat

• Rollover protection

• Commercially designed and manufactured

• Does not meet federal motor vehicle safety standards

• Is not a golf cart, dune buggy, mini-truck, or tracked vehicle

• Is designed primarily for off-road use

Alternatively, a Utility Terrain Vehicle can be any vehicle with three or more wheels with straddle seating and measuring 65” or less in width that does not qualify as an All-Terrain Vehicle.

This guide focuses on vehicles classified as Utility Terrain Vehicles. Although Wisconsin generally refers to all three categories with the blanket term ATV, vehicles fitting the other two categories sometimes follow different rules as detailed in the Wisconsin ATV/UTV Regulation Handbook (PDF).

For questions outside the scope of this guide, try:

• Wisconsin DOT Division of Motor Vehicles

• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

• Wisconsin Department of Tourism

• Wisconsin Cartographer’s Office

• Official list of Wisconsin counties and contact information

• Wisconsin ATV and UTV Association and their list of local ATV clubs

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.

Start here

Wisconsin ATV/UTV Regulation Handbook (PDF)

Wisconsin DNR: ATV and UTV Registration

Wisconsin DNR: ATV Safety Courses

Wisconsin DOT: ATV and UTV Road Use Guide

Operating as an OHV

Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 23 Section 33 (Conservation statutes pertaining to OHVs)

Wisconsin Statute 23.33.2 (Registration, exemptions)

Wisconsin Statute 23.33.3g (OHV helmet law)

Wisconsin Statute 23.33.6 (Equipment requirements)

Wisconsin Statute 23.33.6m (Noise limits)

Road use of OHVs not registered as street legal

Wisconsin Statute 23.33.4d (Road use)

Wisconsin Statute 23.33.8 (Routes and trails)

Other resources

Wisconsin ATV/UTV Law Changes Effective March 4, 2020 (PDF)

Wisconsin Statute 23.33.1.ng (Definition of a Utility-Terrain Vehicle)

Wisconsin Statute 340.01 (Definitions of various vehicles, highway)

Wisconsin Statute 341.40 (Wisconsin vehicle registration reciprocity)

Wisconsin Statute 346.94(19) (Off-Road Utility Vehicles)

Wisconsin Statute 347.485 (Wisconsin motorcycle helmet law)

Wisconsin Statutes