It is possible to make a UTV street-legal in Maryland 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 Maryland and beyond.
This page covers street-legal UTVs in Maryland 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 make your UTV street-legal in Maryland? Our expert team can make it happen for you.
Why Maryland Can’t Register UTVs as Street-Legal
In order to register a UTV as a regular street-legal vehicle through the Maryland MVA, it would need to fit Maryland’s definition of a street-legal vehicle and pass a Maryland motor vehicle inspection, however, Maryland’s laws do not allow for this.
In Maryland, anything commonly referred to as a UTV is either considered an Off-Highway Recreational Vehicle as defined in Statute 11-140.1 or an All-Terrain Vehicle as defined in Statute 11-103.3. Vehicles fitting these descriptions will not pass a motor vehicle inspection and cannot be registered as street-legal in Maryland.
Looking at other possible registration categories, motorcycles are defined as having straddle seating and three or fewer wheels, and autocycles must have two front wheels and one rear wheel. 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 Maryland with an out-of-state registration (see How to Make Your UTV Street-Legal).
Imagine packing up your UTV, leaving your truck and trailer behind, and riding out to your favorite place for a weekend of off-road adventures. Whether you’ll get there on Highway 68 through Cumberland or the magnificent Highway 48 through West Virginia, a street-legal UTV can take you there all the same. Best of all, our expert team can take care of the paperwork while you decide where to drive first.
Parts Required to Be Street-Legal in Maryland
Because the only way to make a UTV street-legal in Maryland is to register in another state, getting street-legal does not involve any parts specific to Maryland.
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 Maryland roads without needing any equipment required by Maryland and without needing to pass a Maryland inspection.
Driving a Street-Legal UTV on Public Roads in Maryland
Because street-legal UTVs are a small niche, local law enforcement may not know that a UTV can be made street-legal in Maryland. 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.
Vehicles licensed in other states can be driven in Maryland thanks to registration reciprocity agreements between states. Maryland’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 Maryland from another state because of vehicle type mismatches between states.
Keep in mind that street-legal UTVs in Maryland need to observe all laws and rules of the road just as a car would.
Helmet laws in Maryland
While Maryland does not have specific helmet laws for street-legal UTVs, there are some other variables worth considering.
Maryland’s motorcycle helmet law requires all riders to wear helmets. Additionally, all riders must wear eye protection if the vehicle does not have a windshield. Not only does a UTV not fit Maryland’s definition of a motorcycle, but the law in question specifically excludes occupants riding “in an enclosed cab.” Still, given that helmets are required for all motorcycle riders, we suggest wearing a helmet whenever you operate a UTV on public roads in Maryland, as this is what local authorities will be most familiar with.
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 Maryland’s OHV Areas
Registration
Whether your UTV is street-legal or not, if you plan to operate as an off-highway vehicle in Maryland (in OHV areas, public lands, etc.), you must obtain an OHV registration through Maryland and display the corresponding decal on your UTV.
If your UTV is street-legal with an out-of-state registration, or if you are not a resident of Maryland, you will need a special Maryland Nonresident OHV Registration issued by the state. This is required even if you already have a valid OHV registration elsewhere, as Maryland does not offer reciprocity for off-road registrations from other states.
Get your Maryland OHV registration digitally through the Maryland OHV Registration Portal or in person at one of many DNR Licensing Centers
Equipment
Maryland does not have any statewide equipment requirements for operation within 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 in addition to basic parts like working lights and brakes. Individual areas may have their requirements regarding equipment, helmet use, engine size restrictions by rider age, or other factors, so be sure to check ahead when you plan to travel.
When a Normal UTV Can Be Driven on Maryland Roads
This section is about UTVs that have not been made street-legal through the means described above.
This section is about vehicles that do not have street-legal registrations.
Maryland only allows UTVs and other off-highway vehicles to be driven on specific public roads approved for OHV use through local laws or permits.
Towns, cities, and other jurisdictions control every aspect of OHV road use in Maryland. Some only allow OHVs to drive limited distances, at very slow speeds, or only allow road use for crossing purposes. Equipment requirements vary along with whether you need to register your OHV on the state level, as described in the previous section on OHV areas. Contact the counties, towns, and cities you intend to operate in to learn their specific requirements.
Special exceptions
UTVs and other off-highway vehicles used for certain purposes like farming and government work may qualify for different road use restrictions. Contact the MVA or local law enforcement to learn more.
Some OHV areas offer permits that apply to roads in the local area as well as the off-road sections.
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.
Operating as an OHV
Maryland OHV Online Registration
Maryland OHV Registration Locations
Road Use of OHVs Not Registered as Street-Legal
Maryland Transportation Statute 11-103.3 (Defines All-Terrain Vehicle)
Maryland Transportation Statute 11-140.1 (Defines Off-Highway Recreational Vehicle)
Maryland Transportation Statute 25-102 (Localities provide OHV laws)
Other Resources
Maryland Transportation Statute 11-103.4 (Defines Autocycle)
Maryland Transportation Statute 11-127 (Defines Highway)
Maryland Transportation Statute 11-136 (Defines Motorcycle)
Maryland Transportation Statute 13-402.1 (Maryland vehicle registration reciprocity)
Maryland Transportation Statute 21-1306 (Maryland motorcycle helmet law)
