It is possible to make a UTV street-legal in Illinois 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 Illinois and beyond.
This page covers street-legal UTVs in Illinois 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.
Rather skip all the hassle? Take the first step toward making your UTV street-legal in Illinois today with the help of our expert team.
Why Illinois Can’t Register UTVs as Street-Legal
In order to register a UTV as a regular street-legal vehicle through the Illinois DMV, it would need to fit Illinois’ definition of a street-legal vehicle and pass an Illinois motor vehicle inspection, however, Illinois’ laws do not allow for this.
The vehicle categories listed in the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code include All-Terrain Vehicles and Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles. Anything commonly referred to as a UTV fits into one of these two categories. Illinois Statute 5/11-1426 states that these vehicles are not allowed on public roads, mainly because they do not meet the inspection standards and emissions standards Illinois holds for road-going vehicles. This means there is no way to register a UTV as street-legal in Illinois, whether as a passenger vehicle or under any other category. Looking at the other category options:
Autocycles in Illinois must have three wheels
Motorcycles cannot have more than three wheels
Low-Speed Vehicles must meet federal LSV standards, including a top speed of 25 MPH
Additional resources 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 Illinois with an out-of-state registration.
From the self-proclaimed “Insane Terrain” of The Cliffs Off-Road Park all the way down to Illinois’ own Garden of the Gods, a street-legal UTV can take you to all the best off-roading trails Illinois has to offer. Ride in, get dirty, and ride home – it’s that simple. Even easier is letting our team of experts register your UTV while you’re out riding. We’ll handle the hard part while you break the news to your truck and trailer.
You won’t need to do this with a street-legal UTV!
Parts Required to Be Street-Legal in Illinois
Because the only way to make a UTV street-legal in Illinois is to register in another state, getting street-legal does not involve any parts specific to Illinois.
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 Illinois roads without needing any equipment required by Illinois and without needing to pass an Illinois inspection.
Driving a Street-Legal UTV on Public Roads in Illinois
Illinois vehicle registration reciprocity statute (excerpt)
Vehicles licensed in other states can be driven in Illinois thanks to registration reciprocity agreements between states. Illinois’ 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 Illinois 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 Illinois. While we are not attorneys, we 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 Illinois need to observe all laws and rules of the road just as a car would.
Helmet Laws in Illinois
Illinois does not have specific helmet laws for street-legal UTVs
Eye protection is suggested on public roads, as explained below
Helmets may be required in OHV areas – call ahead to confirm
For motorcycles, Illinois does not require helmets but does require eye protection. Although a street-legal UTV does not meet Illinois’ definition of a motorcycle, we still suggest wearing eye protection, as this is what local law enforcement will be most familiar with. For safety reasons, we suggest wearing a helmet whenever you operate a UTV on public roads.
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 Illinois’ OHV Areas
Registration
Help us improve this section of the guide! Please contact us if you have experience with Illinois OHV registrations.
Official state resources are unclear as to why and when an OHV registration would be needed in Illinois, so we made calls to Conservation, Land Management, DNR, the Secretary of State’s Office, and local OHV areas. We discovered that most OHV areas in Illinois do not require a state-level OHV registration or require nonresidents to show any proof of a valid OHV registration from another state.
It seems that Illinois does have an OHV registration program, and some nonresidents are given reciprocity for OHV permits from other states, but nobody could tell us when a person would need an Illinois OHV registration or which states are given reciprocity and which ones aren’t.
One thing is clear: special permits are required at Illinois Grant-Assisted OHV Sites. To ride at these locations, you will need to obtain a Public Access Decal and permit directly from each site. When we called around, some sites had been waiting on a restock of permits for so long that they stopped requiring them. If you plan to travel to one of these sites, we suggest calling ahead using the numbers provided on the page linked above to confirm what permit, if any, will be needed.
Equipment
Illinois does not appear to have any statewide equipment requirements for using OHV areas, public lands, and other similar spaces. Most OHV areas in the United States require a Forest Service-qualified spark arrester and a good working muffler with a maximum volume of about 80-90 decibels, along with other basic equipment like working lights and strong brakes. Specific areas within Illinois may have their requirements, so be sure to check ahead when you travel.
Helmets are required in grant-assisted sites and may be required elsewhere – call ahead to confirm.
When a Normal UTV Can Be Driven on Illinois Roads
This section is about UTVs that have not been made street-legal through the means described above.
This section is about vehicles that are not street-legal.
In Illinois, UTVs and other off-highway vehicles can only be driven on roads that have been approved for OHV use through local ordinances. Approved roads and sections are marked with distinct OHV signage. OHVs are also allowed to cross some roads.
Local Jurisdictions
Towns, cities, and counties in Illinois have the authority to designate any road marked 35 MPH or less as open for OHV travel. They are also responsible for setting all related road rules. Check with local authorities to find out what roads are approved and what special requirements your area may have.
Road Use Requirements
Any OHV that is not street-legal must have the following equipment to drive on public roads in Illinois:
At least one white headlight is visible from 500+ feet
At least one red taillight is visible from 100+ feet
Red reflectors front and rear
Brake lights
Turn signals
Brakes
Tires
“A steering apparatus”
At least one rear-view mirror
A slow-moving vehicle emblem
Driver must have a valid driver’s license
Vehicle must be insured
Lights must always be on
Vehicle insurance must meet Illinois’ standard motor vehicle liability requirements as described in ILCS Chapter 7 Article VI.
State-level registration or a Public Access Decal might be required – consult local resources or call a local DMV office to confirm.
Crossing Roads
Illinois law states that OHVs may be driven across all roads except toll roads, interstates, and controlled-access highways. Highways may only be crossed at intersections with another street or highway. Be sure to check local resources to see if there are any additional crossing restrictions in your area.
Exceptions
Special permissions are given to some off-highway vehicles used in farming and other industries. This includes being allowed to drive “on a county roadway or township roadway to conduct farming operations to and from the home, farm, farm buildings, and any adjacent or nearby farm land.” There are also special crossing rights and alternative insurance options for qualifying vehicles. More details can be found in Illinois Statute 625 5/11-1426.1 Section H.
Contact local law enforcement or your local DMV office to see if your vehicle qualifies and what registration it would need.
Movement to Expand OHV Use in Illinois
Introduced February 8, 2021, Illinois House Bill 720 aims to expand the state’s existing OHV laws by allowing OHVs on all roads marked 55 MPH or less, except state highways, federal highways, and roads within incorporated areas like towns and cities. These roads would no longer need local approval, and the top speed for roads accessible by OHVs would increase by 20 MPH from the current maximum of 35 MPH.
Laws, Codes, and Other Resources
For questions outside the scope of this guide, try contacting:
Illinois Secretary of State is using the phone numbers and email form found on this page
Illinois Department of Natural Resources uses the phone numbers on this page
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.
General Resources
Illinois DNR: OHV Regulation Guide (PDF)
Illinois DNR: Physical Locations Where OHV Permits are Sold
Illinois DNR: Grant-Assisted OHV Sites
Street-Legal UTVs
Illinois Administrative Code 1010.705 (Illinois vehicle registration reciprocity code)
Illinois Statute 625 5/3-402 B (Illinois vehicle registration reciprocity statute)
Road Use of OHVs Not Registered as Street-Legal
ILCS Chapter 7 Article VI (Insurance requirements)
Illinois House Bill 720 (Proposed changes to OHV road use in Illinois)
Illinois Statute 625 5/11-1426.1 (Operation of OHVs on streets, roads, and highways; farm use exceptions)
Illinois Statute 625-5/12-709 (Slow-moving vehicle emblems)
Other Resources
Illinois Statute 625-5-1 (Definition of a highway, definitions of various vehicle types; All-Terrain, Recreational Off-Highway, etc.)
Illinois Statute 625 5/11-1404 (Illinois motorcycle helmet law)
Illinois Statute 625-5-13 (Motor vehicle inspection standards)
