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Are side-by-sides street legal in Texas?
Texas'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 Texas
Side-by-side (UTV): Only where it is allowed locally. In Texas, a side-by-side may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it.
"Sec. 551A.051. APPLICABILITY. (a) A person may operate an off-highway vehicle on a highway only as provided by this chapter. ... Sec. 551A.053. OPERATION ON HIGHWAY AUTHORIZED BY MUNICIPALITY OR CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) In addition to the operation authorized by Section 551A.055 , the governing body of a municipality may allow an operator to operate an unregistered off-highway vehicle on all or part of a highway that: (1) is in the corporate boundaries of the municipality; and (2) has a posted speed limit of not more than 35 miles per hour."
ATV (quad): Only where it is allowed locally. In Texas, an ATV may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it.
"Sec. 551A.051. APPLICABILITY. (a) A person may operate an off-highway vehicle on a highway only as provided by this chapter. ... Sec. 551A.053. OPERATION ON HIGHWAY AUTHORIZED BY MUNICIPALITY OR CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) In addition to the operation authorized by Section 551A.055 , the governing body of a municipality may allow an operator to operate an unregistered off-highway vehicle on all or part of a highway that: (1) is in the corporate boundaries of the municipality; and (2) has a posted speed limit of not more than 35 miles per hour."
Dirt bike: No. Texas does not allow a dirt bike on public roads.
"Off-highway motorcycles (two or three wheels) are required to be titled, but not registered."
Transportation Code Chapter 551A. Off-Highway Vehicles, checked November 2026.
Side-by-side (UTV) · Texas. Only where it is allowed locally. In Texas, a side-by-side may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it.
Side-by-side (UTV) · Texas
Where locally allowedOnly where it is allowed locally. In Texas, a side-by-side may use a public road only where a city, county or road authority opens it.
"Sec. 551A.051. APPLICABILITY. (a) A person may operate an off-highway vehicle on a highway only as provided by this chapter. ... Sec. 551A.053. OPERATION ON HIGHWAY AUTHORIZED BY MUNICIPALITY OR CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) In addition to the operation authorized by Section 551A.055 , the governing body of a municipality may allow an operator to operate an unregistered off-highway vehicle on all or part of a highway that: (1) is in the corporate boundaries of the municipality; and (2) has a posted speed limit of not more than 35 miles per hour."
Conditions
"has a posted speed limit of not more than 35 miles per hour"
"the commissioners court of a county described by Subsection (c) may allow an operator to operate an unregistered off-highway vehicle on all or part of a highway that: (1) is located in the unincorporated area of the county; and (2) has a posted speed limit of not more than 35 miles per hour."
"An operator may operate an unregistered off-highway vehicle: (1) in a master planned community: (A) that has in place a uniform set of restrictive covenants; and (B) for which a county or municipality has approved a plat; or (2) on a highway for which the posted speed limit is not more than 35 miles per hour, if the off-highway vehicle is operated: (A) during the daytime; and (B) not more than two miles from the location where the off-highway vehicle is usually parked and for transportation to or from a golf course."
"An unregistered off-highway vehicle may cross a highway at an intersection, including an intersection with a highway that has a posted speed limit of more than 35 miles per hour."
"If operated on the roads at a speed of 25 mph or less, an ATV, ROV, UTV and Sand Rail is required to display a slow-moving vehicle emblem."
Registration and plates
"(a) Except as provided by Section 502.140 (c), the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles may not register an off-highway vehicle for operation on a highway regardless of whether any alteration has been made to the vehicle. (b) An operator may operate an unregistered off-highway vehicle on a highway in a manner authorized by this subchapter only if the vehicle displays a license plate issued under this section."
Required equipment (5)
- a brake system maintained in good operating condition;
- an adequate muffler system in good working condition; and
- a United States Forest Service qualified spark arrester.
- An off-highway vehicle that is operated on public off-highway vehicle land, a beach, or a highway must display a lighted headlight and taillight: (1) during the period from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise; and (2) at any time when visibility is reduced because of insufficient light or atmospheric conditions.
- a safety helmet that complies with United States Department of Transportation standards; (2) eye protection; and (3) seat belts, if the vehicle is equipped with seat belts. (b) Subsections (a)(1) and (2) do not apply to a motor vehicle that has four wheels, is equipped with bench or bucket seats and seat belts, and includes a roll bar or roll cage construction to reduce the risk of injury to an occupant of the vehicle in case of vehicle rollover.
More from Texas's law
"The TxDMV is required to title off-highway vehicles (ATVs, ROVs, UTVs, and Sand Rails), but these vehicles are not eligible for registration. Off-highway vehicles are eligible to receive an Off-Highway Vehicle license plate, which may be obtained from your county tax assessor-collector’s office."
"The ATV, ROV, UTV and Sand Rail must display an Off-Highway Vehicle license plate when operated on roads authorized by the city or county. Operation may be authorized only on roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or less."
"(a) The operator of an unregistered off-highway vehicle may operate the vehicle on a highway that is not an interstate or limited-access highway if: (1) the transportation is in connection with: (A) the production, cultivation, care, harvesting, preserving, drying, processing, canning, storing, handling, shipping, marketing, selling, or use of agricultural products, as defined by Section 52.002 , Agriculture Code; or (B) utility work performed by a utility; (2) the operator attaches to the back of the vehicle a triangular orange flag that is at least six feet above ground level; (3) the vehicle's headlights and taillights are illuminated; (4) the operation of the vehicle occurs in the daytime; and (5) the operation of the vehicle does not exceed a distance of 25 miles from the point of origin to the destination."
Source: Transportation Code Chapter 551A. Off-Highway Vehicles, checked November 2026.
Also read on: TxDMV: Unique 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 Texas
58 off-road parks listed in Texas. National forest roads open to your vehicle today.
Other states
Side-by-side and ATV road laws in other states
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Common questions
Street legal UTV questions
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