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Are side-by-sides street legal in Illinois?

Illinois'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 Illinois

Side-by-side (UTV): Only where it is allowed locally. In Illinois, a side-by-side may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it.
"(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, it is unlawful for any person to drive or operate a non-highway vehicle upon any street, highway, or roadway in this State. If the operation of a non-highway vehicle is authorized under subsection (d), the non-highway vehicle may be operated only on streets where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less. ... (d) A municipality, township, county, or other unit of local government may authorize, by ordinance or resolution, the operation of non-highway vehicles on roadways under its jurisdiction if the unit of local government determines that the public safety will not be jeopardized."
ATV (quad): Only where it is allowed locally. In Illinois, an ATV may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it.
"(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, it is unlawful for any person to drive or operate a non-highway vehicle upon any street, highway, or roadway in this State. If the operation of a non-highway vehicle is authorized under subsection (d), the non-highway vehicle may be operated only on streets where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less. ... (d) A municipality, township, county, or other unit of local government may authorize, by ordinance or resolution, the operation of non-highway vehicles on roadways under its jurisdiction if the unit of local government determines that the public safety will not be jeopardized."

Illinois General Assembly: 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1, checked November 2026.

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Side-by-side (UTV) · Illinois

Where locally allowed

Only where it is allowed locally. In Illinois, a side-by-side may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it.

"(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, it is unlawful for any person to drive or operate a non-highway vehicle upon any street, highway, or roadway in this State. If the operation of a non-highway vehicle is authorized under subsection (d), the non-highway vehicle may be operated only on streets where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less. ... (d) A municipality, township, county, or other unit of local government may authorize, by ordinance or resolution, the operation of non-highway vehicles on roadways under its jurisdiction if the unit of local government determines that the public safety will not be jeopardized."

Conditions

"The unit of local government or the Department may restrict the types of non-highway vehicles that are authorized to be used on its streets."
"No person operating a non-highway vehicle shall make a direct crossing upon or across any tollroad, interstate highway, or controlled access highway in this State."
"Any person who operates a non-highway vehicle on a street, highway, or roadway shall be subject to the mandatory insurance requirements under Article VI of Chapter 7 of this Code."
"It shall not be unlawful for any person to drive or operate a non-highway vehicle, as defined in paragraphs (1) and (4) of subsection (a) of this Section, on a county roadway or township roadway for the purpose of conducting farming operations to and from the home, farm, farm buildings, and any adjacent or nearby farm land."

Required equipment (1)

No non-highway vehicle may be operated on a roadway unless, at a minimum, it has the following: brakes, a steering apparatus, tires, a rearview mirror, red reflectorized warning devices in the front and rear, a slow moving emblem (as required of other vehicles in Section 12-709 of this Code) on the rear of the non-highway vehicle, a headlight that emits a white light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the front, a tail lamp that emits a red light visible from at least 100 feet from the rear, brake lights, and turn signals.

Driver's license

"A person may not operate a non-highway vehicle upon any street, highway, or roadway in this State unless he or she has a valid driver's license issued in his or her name by the Secretary of State or by a foreign jurisdiction."

Riding in Illinois

31 off-road parks listed in Illinois. National forest roads open to your vehicle today.

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Common questions

Street legal UTV questions

Only where it is allowed locally. In Illinois, a side-by-side may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it. Source: Illinois General Assembly: 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1.

Only where it is allowed locally. In Illinois, an ATV may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it. Source: Illinois General Assembly: 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1.

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