Legal to ride ATV on the road now?

[BTLowry]

On the way home from work and saw four (yes 4) ATVs in a pack on one ot the major streets (6 lanes) turn onto another big street and they were doing wheelies and riding like they were at the ATV park without a care in the world.

Not the first time I have seen one

Do the police not even try to catch them?
They didn't seem worried being on a major street

[RLB]

Darwin will handle it….no worries.

[careybirdwell]

Yes, I believe you can register your ATV / UTV, get a license plate, and drive it on the street. I do believe you can only be a certain distance from your house though

[Bdub25]

Darwin will handle it….no worries.

This….


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[tvc184]

On the way home from work and saw four (yes 4) ATVs in a pack on one ot the major streets (6 lanes) turn onto another big street and they were doing wheelies and riding like they were at the ATV park without a care in the world.

Not the first time I have seen one

Do the police not even try to catch them?
They didn't seem worried being on a major street

I think the answer is no but I am not positive.

All off-road type vehicles were illegal in Texas except golf carts. Golf carts were only legal on a public road if you lived within 2 miles of a golf course and were going to and from the golf course and the road was not more than 35 mile an hour speed limit.

Under that law, a city could allow golf carts to be driven in the city limits regardless if you’re going to and from a golf course. There are several requirements by state law such as headlights, tail lights, slow moving vehicle emblem, seatbelts, etc. You are limited to operation on a road with a speed limit of not more than 35 miles an hour and I believe you had to have a drivers license. Basically golf carts were illegal on a road in Texas but a city could overcome that law by ordinance.

What changed in the law is it now off-highway vehicles, like golf cart previously, can be approved by a county or a city by ordinance. Like golf carts they are basically illegal unless approved. I would guess that most cities have not approved their use on a roadway. I think also the new law says that you have to have a license plate although the off-highway vehicle does not have to be registered. It does need to be registered with a license plate which cannot cost more than $10 from the county. It is a one time only and not an annual fee but if the off-highway vehicle is sold, the license plate cannot go with it.

That law is kind of unnecessarily long-winded with a lot of definitions but I think that is correct.

So the basic answer is probably no, they are not legal unless a city allows it. If the city does allow it then there are certain requirements that must be met.

[J-5]

I know of two troopers that will act as if you ran their kids over for being a mile from your house on a Ranger doing ag exempt stuff. Nothing more. Something must have really had them mad before. In the end I didn’t get ticketed, but it was only because their computer wasn’t working. It would have been a fun court date.

[hpdrifter]

Around here, the police are the ones doing the riding.

[Big Lee]

I'm surprised that SXS's have not become legal to drive on the road. I personally feel that all of them should be legal. Registration, insurance and follow all rules as any other vehicle. That goes for bicycles as well.

[tvc184]

Around here, the police are the ones doing the riding.

That’s because they are exempt from most of that law.

[tps7742]

I live rural. For the most part the law enforcement do not mess with you if you aren’t too blatant. What I mean is keep it on the side of the road, not too far from home etc. Now the forest service law enforcement (tree cops) they are hard liners and take their jobs way too serious imo. Even issuing speeding tickets on the main highways running radar.

[Gom]

My worry are the folks zipping down the street or thru store parking lots in the motorized wheelchairs. They ride so low, if you are in a pickup, you can’t see them when you are backing up. Can’t believe there are no safety laws in place.

[fishman]

I don't know about 4 wheelers, but you can register a golf cart or UTV for the street, but it has to stay on roads with speed limits 35mph or less. I think it cost me $10 to do it a few years ago.

[Quackerbox]

That’s because they are exempt from most of that law.

Like a lead ballon

[JonW]

As of 2017 it is if used for agricultural purpose, I do it regularly as a field I use is less than a mile away. Driver must be licensed, headlights on, and orange flag visible.

Joyriding, no.


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[tazhunter0]

Heard of a SXS in Wills Point that is fully tagged and licensed for use on the street. They pick their kids up at school in it on a regular basis. It’s lifted with all lights and everything.