It is possible to make a UTV street-legal in Pennsylvania by registering it in another state. The resulting title, registration, and license plate will allow you to drive your side-by-side on roads, highways, and city streets in Pennsylvania and beyond.
This page covers street-legal UTVs in Pennsylvania from top to bottom, including relevant laws, details about OHV areas, and times when a UTV not registered as street-legal can be driven on local roads. Review the following resources to learn more.
Ready to drive? Register as street-legal out of state with the help of our expert team.
Why Pennsylvania Can’t Register UTVs as Street-Legal
To register a UTV as a regular street-legal vehicle through the Pennsylvania DMV, it would need to fit Pennsylvania’s definition of a street-legal vehicle and pass a Pennsylvania motor vehicle inspection, however, Pennsylvania’s laws do not allow for this.
None of the vehicle categories found in the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code can be used to register a UTV for street-legal use. Of the possible candidates:
Autocycles must have three wheels
Motorcycles cannot have more than three wheels (except trike conversions)
Neighborhood Electric Vehicles cannot have a top speed of more than 25 MPH
Additional resources used to reach these conclusions are linked in the Laws, Codes, and Other Resources section below.
How to Get Street-Legal
In states like Montana and South Dakota, the vehicle code allows UTVs to be registered as street-legal vehicles. You can register your UTV in those states without ever leaving your home. Once registration is complete and the required equipment is installed, your UTV will be street-legal in the state of Pennsylvania with an out-of-state registration (see How to Make Your UTV Street-Legal).
Did you know Pennsylvania has over 700 miles of OHV trails? A street-legal UTV could take you to all of them without a truck and trailer holding you back. And if you let our expert team register your UTV for you, you’ll have even more time to explore Lake Erie, the Delaware River, and all the trails in between instead of doing all that tedious DMV paperwork.
Parts Required to Be Street-Legal in Pennsylvania
Because the only way to make a UTV street-legal in Pennsylvania is to register in another state, getting street-legal does not involve any parts specific to Pennsylvania.
Thanks to reciprocity agreements between states, a vehicle only needs to have the parts required by the state where it is registered. That means a UTV with an out-of-state registration can be driven on Pennsylvania roads without needing any equipment required by Pennsylvania and without needing to pass a Pennsylvania inspection.
Driving a Street-Legal UTV on Public Roads in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania vehicle registration reciprocity statute (excerpt)
Vehicles licensed in other states can be driven in Pennsylvania thanks to registration reciprocity agreements between states. Pennsylvania’s registration reciprocity statute is linked in the resources below. You should not need to worry about title transfer windows if you maintain residency in another state or your UTV is registered to an LLC in another state. In some cases, it might not be possible to transfer your registration to Pennsylvania from another state because of vehicle type mismatches between states.
Because street-legal UTVs are a small niche, local law enforcement may not know that a UTV can be made street-legal in Pennsylvania. While we are not attorneys, we always suggest carrying physical copies of your UTV’s registration and insurance proofs and being knowledgeable about the ways your vehicle is ready for road use.
Keep in mind that street-legal UTVs in Pennsylvania need to observe all laws and rules of the road just as a car would.
Helmet Laws in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania does not have specific helmet laws for street-legal UTVs
Helmets are suggested for all occupants as described below
Pennsylvania requires all occupants to wear helmets in OHV areas
Pennsylvania requires motorcycle riders younger than 21 to wear helmets, and all motorcycle riders must wear eye protection. These provisions do not apply to persons riding in an autocycle with an enclosed cab, and since an autocycle is the closest thing to a street-legal UTV in the Pennsylvania vehicle code, it makes sense that this provision would not apply to a UTV either. However, helmets are required in UTVs and other OHVs that are not street-legal, in the rare circumstances they can use public roads in Pennsylvania. This is most likely what local law enforcement will be expecting from street-legal UTVs as well.
For these reasons and for safety reasons, we suggest wearing a helmet whenever you operate a street-legal UTV in Pennsylvania.
Keep in mind that helmet laws need to be followed on a state-by-state basis. Before you travel, learn the helmet situation in any state you plan to drive in.
Driving a Street-Legal UTV in Pennsylvania’s OHV Areas
Registration
Whether your UTV is street-legal or not, if you plan to operate as an off-highway vehicle in Pennsylvania (in OHV areas, public lands, etc), you must obtain an OHV registration through Pennsylvania and display proof of it on your UTV.
If your UTV is street-legal with an out-of-state registration, or if you are not a resident of Pennsylvania, you will either need to supply proof of a valid OHV registration from another state or acquire one from Pennsylvania.
Equipment
OHVs operated in Pennsylvania must meet the following requirements:
During darkness or poor conditions, the vehicle must have at least one white headlight visible at 100 feet and at least one red taillight visible at 500 feet.
Brakes must be operated by hand or foot and be capable of decelerating the vehicle from 20 MPH at 14 feet per second or faster.
Mufflers must be in constant operation and free of crackles and pops. Volume must not exceed 96 dB(A).
Pennsylvania law specifically prohibits modifying the muffler of an OHV to increase its sound level.
All occupants are required to wear helmets regardless of age or experience.
Many OHV areas in the United States require a Forest Service-qualified spark arrester. OHV areas within Pennsylvania may have their requirements regarding equipment, helmet use, engine size restrictions by rider age, and other factors, so be sure to check ahead when you plan to travel.
Insurance
OHVs operated in Pennsylvania are required to carry liability insurance. If your UTV is street-legal, you should already have enough insurance to satisfy this requirement.
Learn More
When a Normal UTV Can Be Driven on Pennsylvania Roads
This section is about UTVs that have not been made street-legal through the means described above.
When it comes to UTVs and other OHVs which have not been made street-legal, Pennsylvania does allow for road use in limited circumstances.
It is prohibited to operate an off-highway vehicle on public roads in Pennsylvania except:
When a local jurisdiction has designated a road for OHV travel
When a section of road is part of a designated OHV route
When road use is necessary to cross a bridge or culvert
During an officially declared emergency period or special event
Requirements and Limitations
Helmets are required for road use regardless of occupant age.
Roads open to OHV travel are marked with bright green signage.
Speed is limited to either the posted speed limit or what is “reasonable and proper” for conditions.
Riders may not ride abreast, ride on the left side of the roadway, or make turns on roadways without using hand signals.
OHV areas may have unique rules for the roads within them.
Required Registration and Equipment
Before being driven on public roads in Pennsylvania, OHVs must be registered, equipped, and insured as described in the previous section on OHV areas.
Crossing Roads
Roads may be crossed at about a 90-degree angle to the roadway after coming to a complete stop and yielding to traffic. Roads may also be used to cross a bridge or culvert. Divided highways may only be crossed at an intersection with another public street or highway.
Defining Your Vehicle
Pennsylvania law defines an “All-Terrain Vehicle” as any motorized off-highway vehicle with three or more tires. There are two off-highway vehicle categories in Pennsylvania:
Class I ATV: Most ATVs. Maximum width of 50”, maximum dry weight of 1,200 lbs.
Class II ATV: Most UTVs. Width over 50” or dry weight over 1,200 lbs.
Special Exceptions
UTVs and other off-highway vehicles used exclusively for farming, government work, and other special purposes may qualify for expanded road use. Contact your local DMV or local law enforcement to learn more.
Laws, Codes, and Other Resources
For questions outside the scope of this guide, try contacting:
These are the sources we used to create this guide. If you find any inaccurate or outdated information, please contact us, and we will be happy to address it.
Note: Pennsylvania often refers to all OHVs as ATVs.
Start Here
Pennsylvania Recreation: OHV Registration and Insurance
Pennsylvania Recreation: OHV Riding Rules
Pennsylvania Recreation: Riding in State Forests
Operating as an OHV
Pennsylvania Statute 75-77-11.1 (OHV registration and reciprocity)
Pennsylvania Statute 75-77-30 (Liability insurance requirement)
Pennsylvania Statute 75-77-41 (Headlights and taillights)
Pennsylvania Statute 75-77-42 (Brakes)
Pennsylvania Statute 75-77-43 (Mufflers and sound control)
Road Use of OHVs Not Registered as Street-Legal
Pennsylvania Statute 75-77-2 (Class I and Class II ATVs defined)
Pennsylvania Statutes 75-77-21 and 75-77-26 (OHV road use)
Pennsylvania Statute 75-77-22 (Designation of OHV routes)
Other Resources
Pennsylvania Statute 75-1-2 (Definitions of other vehicle categories, highway)
Pennsylvania Statute 75-13-3 (Pennsylvania vehicle registration reciprocity)
Pennsylvania Statute 75-35-25 (Pennsylvania motorcycle helmet law)
