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Are side-by-sides street legal in Arizona?

Arizona's law on side-by-sides and ATVs on public roads, quoted from its own page, with the conditions, equipment and plate rule.

The law in Arizona

  • Side-by-side (UTV): Yes, with a plate. Arizona lets you register a side-by-side for public roads if it meets the state's rules.

    "When a person pays for a resident off-highway vehicle user indicia pursuant to this section, the person may request a motor vehicle registration if the vehicle meets all equipment requirements to be operated on a highway pursuant to article 16 of this chapter. If a person submits a signed affidavit to the department affirming that the vehicle meets all of the equipment requirements for highway use and that the vehicle will be operated primarily off of highways, the department shall register the vehicle for highway use and the vehicle owner is not required to pay the registration fee prescribed in section 28-2003."

  • ATV (quad): Yes, with a plate. Arizona lets you register an ATV for public roads if it meets the state's rules.

    "When a person pays for a resident off-highway vehicle user indicia pursuant to this section, the person may request a motor vehicle registration if the vehicle meets all equipment requirements to be operated on a highway pursuant to article 16 of this chapter. If a person submits a signed affidavit to the department affirming that the vehicle meets all of the equipment requirements for highway use and that the vehicle will be operated primarily off of highways, the department shall register the vehicle for highway use and the vehicle owner is not required to pay the registration fee prescribed in section 28-2003."

  • Dirt bike: Yes, with a plate. Arizona lets you register a dirt bike for public roads if it meets the state's rules.

    "When a person pays for a resident off-highway vehicle user indicia pursuant to this section, the person may request a motor vehicle registration if the vehicle meets all equipment requirements to be operated on a highway pursuant to article 16 of this chapter."

28-1177 - Off-highway vehicle user fee; indicia; registration; state trust land recreational permit; exception, checked November 2026.

Street Legal UTV Check
What do you ride?

Side-by-side (UTV) · Arizona. Yes, with a plate. Arizona lets you register a side-by-side for public roads if it meets the state's rules.

Side-by-side (UTV) · Arizona

Street legal with a plate

Yes, with a plate. Arizona lets you register a side-by-side for public roads if it meets the state's rules.

"When a person pays for a resident off-highway vehicle user indicia pursuant to this section, the person may request a motor vehicle registration if the vehicle meets all equipment requirements to be operated on a highway pursuant to article 16 of this chapter. If a person submits a signed affidavit to the department affirming that the vehicle meets all of the equipment requirements for highway use and that the vehicle will be operated primarily off of highways, the department shall register the vehicle for highway use and the vehicle owner is not required to pay the registration fee prescribed in section 28-2003."

Conditions

  • "A. A person shall not operate, move or leave standing on a highway a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer unless the motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer has been registered with the department for the current registration year"
  • "This section does not apply to: ... 9. An all-terrain vehicle or an off-road recreational motor vehicle operating on a dirt road that is located in an unincorporated area of this state. For the purposes of this paragraph, "dirt road" means an unpaved or ungraveled road that is not maintained by this state or a city, town or county of this state."
  • "11. An all-terrain vehicle or an off-highway vehicle as defined in section 28-1171 that is only incidentally operated or moved on a highway."
  • "A person who is under eighteen years of age may not operate an off-highway vehicle or be an off-highway vehicle passenger on public or state land unless the person is wearing a protective helmet that is properly fitted and fastened, that is designed for motorized vehicle use and that has a minimum United States department of transportation safety rating."

Registration and plates

"the person may request a motor vehicle registration if the vehicle meets all equipment requirements to be operated on a highway pursuant to article 16 of this chapter."
Required equipment (4)
  • Brakes adequate to control the movement of the vehicle and to stop and hold the vehicle under normal operating conditions.
  • Lighted headlights and taillights that meet or exceed original equipment manufacturer guidelines if operated between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise.
  • Except when operating on a closed course, either a muffler or other noise dissipative device that prevents sound above ninety-six decibels.
  • A spark arrestor device that is approved by the United States department of agriculture and that is in constant operation except if operating on a closed course.

Driver's license

"A. Unless exempt pursuant to this chapter, a person shall not drive a motor vehicle or vehicle combination on a highway without a valid driver license and proper endorsement as prescribed by this chapter. ... C. A person may not drive an off-highway vehicle in this state without a valid driver license as prescribed by this chapter."
More from Arizona's law
"A. A person shall not operate or allow the operation of an all-terrain vehicle or an off-highway vehicle in this state without either a resident or nonresident off-highway vehicle user indicia issued by the department if the all-terrain vehicle or off-highway vehicle meets both of the following criteria: 1. Is designed by the manufacturer primarily for travel over unimproved terrain. 2. Has an unladen weight of two thousand five hundred pounds or less."
"(b) Includes a tracked or wheeled vehicle, recreational or utility side-by-side vehicle, all-terrain vehicle, motorcycle, dirt bike, dune buggy, sand rail, amphibious vehicle, ground effects or air cushion vehicle and any other means of land transportation deriving motive power from a source other than muscle or wind."

Source: 28-1177 - Off-highway vehicle user fee; indicia; registration; state trust land recreational permit; exception, checked November 2026.

Also read on: 28-2153 - Registration requirement; exceptions; assessment; violation; classification · 28-1179 - Off-highway vehicle equipment requirements; rule making; exception · 28-3151 - Driver license requirement; definition · 28-1171 - Definitions (off-highway vehicles)

Find off-road parks to ride without the road questionRiding a dirt bike? Check its road law

A guide to each state's published law, not legal advice. City and county ordinances and posted signs decide which roads are open; the linked law is the authority.

  • Each state's own law, quoted
  • Side-by-side or ATV
  • Conditions, equipment and plates

Riding in Arizona

72 off-road parks listed in Arizona. National forest roads open to your vehicle today.

See Arizona off-road parks

Other states

Side-by-side and ATV road laws in other states

Compare every state's law

Common questions

Street legal UTV questions

Yes, with a plate. Arizona lets you register a side-by-side for public roads if it meets the state's rules. Source: 28-1177 - Off-highway vehicle user fee; indicia; registration; state trust land recreational permit; exception.

Yes, with a plate. Arizona lets you register an ATV for public roads if it meets the state's rules. Source: 28-1177 - Off-highway vehicle user fee; indicia; registration; state trust land recreational permit; exception.

Arizona's law says: "the person may request a motor vehicle registration if the vehicle meets all equipment requirements to be operated on a highway pursuant to article 16 of this chapter."

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