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Are side-by-sides street legal in Minnesota?

Minnesota'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 Minnesota

  • Side-by-side (UTV): On some roads. Minnesota allows a side-by-side on certain public roads, under the conditions below.

    "(c) A person may operate a class 1 all-terrain vehicle designed by the manufacturer for off-road use to be driven by a steering wheel and equipped with operator and passenger seat belts and a roll-over protective structure or a class 2 all-terrain vehicle: (1) within the public road right-of-way of a county state-aid or county highway on the right shoulder or the extreme right-hand side of the road and left turns may be made from any part of the road if it is safe to do so under the prevailing conditions, unless prohibited under paragraph (d) or (f);"

  • ATV (quad): On some roads. Minnesota allows an ATV on certain public roads, under the conditions below.

    "(b) A person may operate a class 1 all-terrain vehicle in the ditch or the outside bank or slope of a trunk, county state-aid, or county highway unless prohibited under paragraph (d) or (f). ... (a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a city or town, acting through its governing body, may by resolution or ordinance prohibit the operation of all-terrain vehicles on city streets or town roads in its jurisdiction provided the regulations are otherwise consistent with sections 84.92 to 84.928 ."

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

    "(a) An off-highway motorcycle registered under this section may also be registered as a motorcycle under chapter 168 for use on public roads and highways."

Minnesota Statutes 84.928 OPERATION REQUIREMENTS; LOCAL REGULATION., checked November 2026.

Street Legal UTV Check
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Side-by-side (UTV) · Minnesota. On some roads. Minnesota allows a side-by-side on certain public roads, under the conditions below.

Side-by-side (UTV) · Minnesota

Some roads

On some roads. Minnesota allows a side-by-side on certain public roads, under the conditions below.

"(c) A person may operate a class 1 all-terrain vehicle designed by the manufacturer for off-road use to be driven by a steering wheel and equipped with operator and passenger seat belts and a roll-over protective structure or a class 2 all-terrain vehicle: (1) within the public road right-of-way of a county state-aid or county highway on the right shoulder or the extreme right-hand side of the road and left turns may be made from any part of the road if it is safe to do so under the prevailing conditions, unless prohibited under paragraph (d) or (f);"

Conditions

  • ""Class 2 all-terrain vehicle" means an all-terrain vehicle that has a total width from outside of tire rim to outside of tire rim that is greater than 50 inches but not more than 65 inches."
  • "(a) Unless otherwise allowed in sections 84.92 to 84.928 or by local ordinance under paragraph (k), a person shall not operate an all-terrain vehicle in this state along or on the roadway, shoulder, or inside bank or slope of a public road right-of-way of a trunk, county state-aid, or county highway."
  • "(d) A road authority as defined under section 160.02 , subdivision 25, may after a public hearing restrict the use of all-terrain vehicles in the public road right-of-way under its jurisdiction."
  • "(h) A person shall not operate an all-terrain vehicle within the public road right-of-way of a trunk, county state-aid, or county highway from April 1 to August 1 in the agricultural zone unless the vehicle is being used exclusively as transportation to and from work on agricultural lands."
  • "(j) A person shall not operate an all-terrain vehicle at any time within the right-of-way of an interstate highway or freeway within this state."
Required equipment (1)
  • (c) A person shall not operate an all-terrain vehicle upon a public street or highway unless the vehicle is equipped with at least one headlight and one taillight, each of minimum candlepower as prescribed by rules of the commissioner, and with brakes conforming to standards prescribed by rule of the commissioner, and all of which are subject to the approval of the commissioner of public safety.

Driver's license

"(a) Except for operation on public road rights-of-way that is permitted under section 84.928 and as provided under paragraph (j), a driver's license issued by the state or another state is required to operate an all-terrain vehicle along or on a public road right-of-way."
More from Minnesota's law
"The governing body of any county, home rule charter or statutory city, or town may by ordinance authorize the operation of motorized golf carts, all-terrain vehicles, utility task vehicles, or mini trucks, on designated roadways or portions thereof under its jurisdiction. Authorization to operate a motorized golf cart, all-terrain vehicle, utility task vehicle, or mini truck is by permit only."
"a utility task vehicle means a side-by-side, four-wheel drive, off-road vehicle that has four wheels, is propelled by an internal combustion engine with a piston displacement capacity of 1,200 cubic centimeters or less, and has a total dry weight of 1,800 but less than 2,600 pounds."
"(h) A road authority as defined in section 160.02, subdivision 25 , may by permit designate corridor access trails on public road rights-of-way for purposes of accessing established all-terrain vehicle trails. A driver's license is not required to operate an all-terrain vehicle on a designated corridor access trail."

Source: Minnesota Statutes 84.928 OPERATION REQUIREMENTS; LOCAL REGULATION., checked November 2026.

Also read on: Minnesota Statutes 84.92 DEFINITIONS. · Minnesota Statutes 84.9256 (youthful operators; driver's license) · Minnesota Statutes 169.045 SPECIAL VEHICLE USE ON ROADWAY.

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 Minnesota

33 off-road parks listed in Minnesota. National forest roads open to your vehicle today.

See Minnesota 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

On some roads. Minnesota allows a side-by-side on certain public roads, under the conditions below. Source: Minnesota Statutes 84.928 OPERATION REQUIREMENTS; LOCAL REGULATION..

On some roads. Minnesota allows an ATV on certain public roads, under the conditions below. Source: Minnesota Statutes 84.928 OPERATION REQUIREMENTS; LOCAL REGULATION..

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