It is illegal to use an ATV or UTV on public roads in Alabama. Specifically, Alabama prohibits on public roads all « vehicles specially designed by their manufacturers as off-road vehicles. » In Alabama, the registration of off-road and other off-road vehicles with the Enforcement Agency is voluntary. You can legally drive your ATV to any of these locations: Flint Creek, The Ridge, Bankhead National Forest, Hollytree Off-Road Park and others. ATVs are excluded from motorways. Continuing our series of articles analyzing atV laws in each state that emerged from this article, in this article we look at ATV laws in Alabama. It should also be noted that although I am a lawyer, I am not your lawyer and I do not give legal advice. If you have any questions, you should consult a local lawyer. Some of the laws that govern the operation of ATVs in Alabama are: In summary, we would like to point out that in this advisory and in the previous one, we believe that vehicles that are explicitly designated by their manufacturers as off-road vehicles should not be used on the roads and highways of this state. Change.org petition to expand UTV laws in Alabama As long as you carefully respect and abide by all ATV laws in Alabama, you won`t run into a problem. Alabama has some of the best mountain biking trails in the United States, and you`d love to ride one of them. If you were driving a road-certified UTV in Alabama, all occupants should probably wear a helmet and shoes.
This comes directly from Alabama`s 32-5A-245, which requires helmets and shoes for all motorcyclists except those riding in an enclosed cabin. While a legal UTV on the road doesn`t meet Alabama`s definition of a motorcycle, as we noted earlier, and while some UTVs have shut down taxis, this law is the one local authorities are most familiar with. An essential aspect of registering a legal UTV on the road in Alabama would be to look for a category of vehicle under which to register, but none of the categories in the Alabama Vehicle Code can be used to register a common UTV: Due to the wording of Alabama laws, driving a UTV on public roads in Alabama is at the operator`s risk, no matter how and where it is recorded. Registration of a side-by-side as a road approval by Alabama is impossible due to the unique way the state treats off-road vehicles, and off-state registration is possible, but is not recommended for the reasons listed below. There is a lot of confusion and complexity in trying to understand the ATV laws in Alabama. It is not easy to distinguish fiction from factual law. You don`t have to worry, we`ll make sure you identify and talk about all the ATV laws in Alabama so you know what to expect. An autonomous vehicle that is not designed for use on a highway, but is explicitly designated by the manufacturer as an « off-road vehicle » should not be assigned a license plate. Such a vehicle may not be used on state roads and highways, and the use of such a vehicle on public roads is prima facie a violation of S32-5A-190 – reckless driving. Overall, it is impossible to register an OHV as legal on the road through Alabama as long as the vehicle was originally designed for off-road use. Each state has reciprocal laws that allow vehicles registered in non-state vehicles to travel on their roads without cause for concern.
These are the laws that allow you to drive your car across state borders without making any changes, and Alabama`s mutual status for registration is no different from that of another state. At the same time, we know that out-of-state registration is a common way to secure registration and a license plate for a legal UTV on the road. But given that Alabama based its position strictly on the original manufacture of a vehicle as an off-road machine, we`re not sure that local law enforcement would allow a UTV on their roads, even if it was legally registered in another state. If you are an ATV driver visiting Alabama, you need to know all the ATV laws to avoid lawsuits. Every state in the United States has its own ATV laws, and you should never assume that the laws are similar. Learn more about Alabama`s ATV laws before driving in the ATV state. Alabama`s current approach to off-road vehicles emerged in 1985 when two letters were written to the Alabama Attorney General`s Office seeking clarification on the then-existing off-highway vehicle laws. The first letter asked whether the state could issue legal registrations and license plates for off-road vehicles, and the second letter asked what laws would apply to off-road vehicles if they were driven on public roads. Each response was issued as an opinion of the Attorney General, an official clarification of existing laws that has significant legal weight in itself.
In short, no. In Alabama, off-road vehicles are only allowed to use public roads in special circumstances such as agriculture, utility maintenance, and law enforcement. It is illegal for the general public to drive an OHV on the streets of Alabama. Here`s what you need to know if you plan to use your UTV on public lands or OHV areas in Alabama. This information applies regardless of whether your UTV is legal on the road or not. ATVs are one of the best vehicles ever created, unlike regular cars that can only be driven on slippery terrain such as highways and roads. ATVs can be driven on a variety of terrains, so laws are enforced to reduce the risk and occurrence of ATV accidents. We`re going to look at Alabama`s ATV laws. Registering a UTV as a State-approved highway would involve both the technical issue of passing a full safety inspection and the practical issue of trying to make an off-road vehicle legal in a state that has expressly prohibited it from using public roads. In short, it will not work. While these views preceded modern UTV and side-by-side by decades, they have been the cornerstone of Alabama`s laws and policies for all off-road vehicles from then to today.
Alabama is currently the only state to ban UTVs in this way, and because we`re enthusiasts, not lawyers, we don`t know how this will affect vehicles that drive in Alabama with out-of-state licenses. Located in the southern part of Alabama, this park has more than a thousand acres of mountain biking trails. There are swamps, roads, bogs and hills in this park, the dream of every ATV driver. There are different events in this park every weekend, so it is always full on weekends. Alabama Law Enforcement Agency OHV Registration Form (PDF) Mini trucks must be less than 48 inches wide with a fully enclosed metal cab and be regulated at 25 MPH or less (2) off-road vehicle. Any motorized vehicle that is not designed for use on a road and is capable of driving on land, snow, ice, swamps, swamps or any other natural terrain. The term includes all off-road vehicles and off-road recreational vehicles. The term excludes any golf cart; any vehicle used for military, fire, emergency or law enforcement purposes; any motorboat; all vehicles used exclusively on airport premises; all agricultural machinery, agricultural tractors and other self-propelled equipment for the harvesting and transport of forest products, for clearing areas for plantations, for supply and maintenance services, for earthmoving, construction or mining; and self-propelled lawn mowers, snow blowers and garden or lawn tractors, while these vehicles are used exclusively for their intended purpose. The term does not include motor vehicles for which a certificate of title is required in accordance with Chapter 8.