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Are side-by-sides street legal in Oregon?

Oregon'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 Oregon

  • Side-by-side (UTV): Only where it is allowed locally. In Oregon, a side-by-side may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it.

    "(1) A person commits the offense of unlawful operation of an off-road vehicle on a highway or railroad if the person operates a vehicle described in subsection (2) of this section in any of the following described areas: (a) On or across the paved portion, the shoulder, inside bank or slope of any highway ... (2) A snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle may be lawfully operated upon a highway under any of the following circumstances: ... (c) Where the highway is posted to permit snowmobiles or all-terrain vehicles."

  • ATV (quad): Only where it is allowed locally. In Oregon, an ATV may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it.

    "(1) A person commits the offense of unlawful operation of an off-road vehicle on a highway or railroad if the person operates a vehicle described in subsection (2) of this section in any of the following described areas: (a) On or across the paved portion, the shoulder, inside bank or slope of any highway ... (2) A snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle may be lawfully operated upon a highway under any of the following circumstances: ... (c) Where the highway is posted to permit snowmobiles or all-terrain vehicles."

  • Dirt bike: On some roads. Oregon allows a dirt bike on certain public roads, under the conditions below.

    "Notwithstanding ORS 821.020, or any law requiring that vehicles be equipped in specified ways in order to operate on highways, a person may operate Class I, Class II, Class III and Class IV all-terrain vehicles on any highway in this state that is open to the public if: (1) The highway is not maintained for passenger car traffic."

ORS Chapter 821 (821.190 Unlawful operation of snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle on highway or railroad; 821.200 Exemptions; 821.191; 821.330), checked November 2026.

Street Legal UTV Check
What do you ride?

Side-by-side (UTV) · Oregon. Only where it is allowed locally. In Oregon, a side-by-side may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it.

Side-by-side (UTV) · Oregon

Where locally allowed

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

"(1) A person commits the offense of unlawful operation of an off-road vehicle on a highway or railroad if the person operates a vehicle described in subsection (2) of this section in any of the following described areas: (a) On or across the paved portion, the shoulder, inside bank or slope of any highway ... (2) A snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle may be lawfully operated upon a highway under any of the following circumstances: ... (c) Where the highway is posted to permit snowmobiles or all-terrain vehicles."

Conditions

  • "Class IV all-terrain vehicle means any motorized vehicle that: (a) Travels on four or more tires designed for off-road use only; (b) Is designed for or capable of cross-country travel on or immediately over land, water, sand, snow, ice, marsh, swampland or other natural terrain; (c) Has nonstraddle seating; (d) Has a steering wheel for steering control; (e) Has a dry weight of 3,500 pounds or less; (f) Is 75 inches wide or less at its widest point; and (g) Was originally manufactured for off-road use only."
  • "(1) A person may lawfully cross a highway or railroad right of way while operating a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle if the person complies with all of the following: (a) The crossing must be made at an angle of approximately 90 degrees to the direction of the highway or railroad right of way."
  • "(e) When traveling along a designated snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle trail."
  • "(1) The Oregon Transportation Commission shall designate all-terrain vehicle highway access routes on state highways throughout this state for the purpose of authorizing incidental use of all-terrain vehicles within the state highway right of way."
  • "(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person may operate a Class I, Class II or Class IV all-terrain vehicle that is not otherwise properly equipped for operation on a highway on the highways of this state if: (a) The person is using the all-terrain vehicle for transportation between ranching or farming headquarters, agricultural fields or pastures; (b) The person holds a valid driver license; (c) The person complies with posted speed limits, but in no event exceeds a speed of 20 miles per hour;"
More from Oregon's law
"(2) This section applies to: (a) Snowmobiles. (b) Class I all-terrain vehicles. (c) Class II all-terrain vehicles that are not properly equipped for operation on a highway. (d) Class III all-terrain vehicles. (e) Class IV all-terrain vehicles."
"(3) A grant of authority under this section to operate an all-terrain vehicle on an all-terrain vehicle highway access route is effective when signs are posted giving notice that the commission has designated a portion of the state highway right of way as an all-terrain vehicle highway access route."
"(5) The offense described in this section, unlawful operation of an off-road vehicle on a highway or railroad, is a Class B traffic violation."

Source: ORS Chapter 821 (821.190 Unlawful operation of snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle on highway or railroad; 821.200 Exemptions; 821.191; 821.330), checked November 2026.

Also read on: ORS Chapter 801 (801.190, 801.193, 801.194 ATV class definitions)

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 Oregon

47 off-road parks listed in Oregon. National forest roads open to your vehicle today.

See Oregon 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

Only where it is allowed locally. In Oregon, a side-by-side may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it. Source: ORS Chapter 821 (821.190 Unlawful operation of snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle on highway or railroad; 821.200 Exemptions; 821.191; 821.330).

Only where it is allowed locally. In Oregon, an ATV may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it. Source: ORS Chapter 821 (821.190 Unlawful operation of snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle on highway or railroad; 821.200 Exemptions; 821.191; 821.330).

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