Need a license plate on your UTV or ATV? You will not be alone. Utah is now requiring all ATVs or UTVs to have a real license plate with expiry stickers when operating on public land, not just the registration stickers that were previously required. This new law in Utah will go into effect on January 1, 2023. Some places on the Utah state website refer to it as an OHV license plate.
None of our current off-road ATVs or UTVs have a place for a license plate, unless they are made road legal, which we have done to a few of our UTVs. State wide Road-legal UTVs have always needed a license plate, and when we made our road legal, they gave us a license plate. At first, we attached the plate with zip ties, but then we finally found mounts for our Polaris General, and the license plate hooked on much better.
I have stickers on multiple machines right now that are valid until 2023. I wonder if the supply chain issues where they could not get the stickers for a while caused this or if it was just that they needed more identification on ATVs/UTVs.
Rocky Mountain ATV has mounts for these plates on many models, including ATVs. I was surprised by this because ATVs are not road legal in many places, and they cannot be made road legal in Utah. But now, you will need a mount to have your license plate on even when off-roading. When we talking about Rocky Mountain, you should read this post as we reviewed some of their top UTV Street Legal Kits that you need to put on your racer.
The funny thing about making UTVs and ATVs have license plates is that you might find a license plate now and then on the dunes, given how people ride and how far they jump. It seems that bolts could get loose or something could snag it, and you might lose your license plate. Time will tell if this happens, but it seems likely to me.
Utah is also requiring adults, even with a valid driver’s license, to now have an OHV education permit to operate OHVs on public land. An adult in Utah is 18 or older in this case. This has been required for youths for quite a while, but as of now, it is required for adults as well. The class is available online, and it is easy to take. It also provides useful information.
I was told that because of how many UTV’s are on our rails roads and how crazy people drove them was the reason for that they made us have these OHV education permits. The nice thing is at least for now you take it once and it is good for life. You do not have to have it renewed.
You do not need a valid driver’s license to get an OHV permit. This is true for all ages.
In Utah they call it an OHV education permit. That just translates to dirtbikes, ATV’s and UTV’s.
I was told that the reason we now need OHV education permits in Utah is because of the number of UTV’s on our roads and how recklessly people drive them. The good thing is that once you take the course, it’s valid for life and doesn’t require renewal.
It’s worth noting that you don’t need a valid driver’s license to obtain an OHV permit in Utah, regardless of your age. The term OHV refers to dirt bikes, ATVs, and UTVs.
I have had to install a license plate mount on my motorbike because it fell off while someone was riding it. Though I would never ride it recklessly, I have my suspicions that it was one of my nephews who did.
If you’re not making your OHV road legal, you won’t need a light to see it better in the dark. However, if you’re making it road legal, you will need a light to illuminate the license plate in the dark. It’s crucial to know the difference since the kits are quite different, and it’ll cost you a lot more if you have to wire up a license plate light.
The state of Utah is switching to a new sticker format for OHV registration. The new stickers are like those found on your car’s license plate. Currently, the DMV is sending out the old-sized stickers by default when you renew your registration online. If you need the new stickers, you’ll have to go to the DMV in person. It’s critical to get the new stickers since the old ones will not make your OHV legal after January 1st, 2023.
You will need to obtain a license plate holder and a new license plate before you can ride your OHV on public land in Utah after January 1, 2023. If you renew your registration now, you’ll receive stickers. However, even with the stickers, you won’t be legal if you don’t have a license plate.
Here’s what the new license plate looks like.
If you want to read the rules regarding OHV registration and permits on the Utah state website, you can follow this link: https://recreation.utah.gov/off-highway-vehicles/ohv-registration-and-permits/
In summary, you need a license and a license plate to ride your OHV on public land in Utah after January 1, 2023. The term OHV includes dirt bikes, ATVs, and UTVs.