Anyone gone through the process of getting plates for your UTV yet? I just heard about it earlier this week, and plan to get one for my Canam defender. The guy I saw that got one, said all he needed was a vin and his drivers licence. I figured proof of insurance may be needed? What are yalls experience if any?

UTV License Plate Site

I need to do this. I already drive around my hood some now but have never came across any popo.

I do too. My wife, however, is a rule follower and refuses to ride around the hood with me and our two boys.

I've heard what you heard, and I've also heard you have add turn signals, horn, mirrors, etc.

I was planning to go into the county office and see what the official deal is when they open back up.

I would imagine that you would have to get it inspected. Depending on where you live it may have to have the emissions test done. You will need proof of insurance. You really want to go through all this?

The website says nothing about blinkers or even DOT tires. It doesn't say anything about insurance either, but i just found that to be odd. There are some stipulations though.

A Utility Vehicle (UTV) is a motor vehicle that:

has side by side seating for the operator and passenger;
has four or more tires;
is designed for off-highway use; and
is designed by the manufacturer for utility work and not for recreational purposes.


An off-highway vehicle operated on public off-highway vehicle land must have:

a brake system;
a muffler system;
U.S. Forest Service qualified spark arrester;
a head light and tail light; and
an Off-Highway Vehicle decal issued by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.


ATVs, ROVs, UTVs and Sand Rails with an Off-Highway Vehicle license plate may be operated on roads in the following situations:

in a master planned community with a uniform set of restrictive covenants and a county or municipality-approved plat; or
on a road with a posted speed limit of not more than 35 mph, during the daytime and not more than two miles from the location where it is usually parked for transportation to and from a golf course; and
to cross intersections, including a road or street that has a posted speed limit of more than 35 mph.
Additionally, cities and certain counties may authorize operation of ATVs, ROVs, UTVs, and Sand Rails on roads within the boundaries of the city or within unincorporated areas of certain counties. 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. 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.

ZK,
How old are the rules you just posted? Are you calling an OHV sticker a license plate?

While I was gearing up to operate my first UTV, the state pulled the entire legislative chapter out of the Texas Code book for redaction. I have been waiting on the latest updates but have not looked in awhile.

So you just want it so you can drive around your neighborhood?

Just from what I've heard from the guy i found this out through, March 1st, 2020 is when this came about. So it's fairly new. It' a OHV license plate. I'll see if i can find a picture of his.

That, or to the convenience store down the street, to/from walmart, the mexican restaraunt down the street. Pretty much anywhere within the 2 mile radius. .

The picture a guy posted in an open group on fb, so I didn’t feel as bad reposting it.

They want plates on my tractors too I bet. Nope.

Pretty sure tractors are still good with the orange slow moving triangle. Other states have had atv, utv, etc plates in place for a few years now, but i think Texas may finally be catching on. Not real sure of it.

So, do you have to have insurance just like a normal vehicle?

Not to get the tag from my understanding so I don’t think you have to have it. But I’m about to get one so will let you know. I already have insurance so will see if they require

I had to carry $500,000 ins. on my Mule for a lease I was on, it was less than $100/year. And yes I have several undeveloped areas near me that are great for working my dogs on Homing pigeons and great for taking them for a run. Mule is always ready to go, if I have to use the truck means loading up a box into the truck each time to haul dogs in. I didn't have to worry about this 5 years ago because all these roads i'm talking about were private but have since became public. I'm definitely looking into this.

"So, do you have to have insurance just like a normal vehicle?" Geez . . . . As an insurance agent with a large core of rural business, I can tell you ATVs are the bane of my existence. They are unprotected and, plain & simple, not worthy for road use. I especially despise it when I see younger, unrestrained children being lugged around in them (and in golf carts). I've got friends whose children have died in them. I know of other loved ones no longer right in the head because of an ATV ride. Got another one who was air lifted from West TX and missed lots of work.

Do you have to and should you obtain it are two different issues. Without a separate policy, most ATV owner's home insurance provides automatic coverage only on the initial residence premises. Most of the people I know who own one or some, never operate them on their initial residence premises.

Oh, btw, most insurance companies do not even like to underwrite them if being used on a roadway making it an automatic declination if the question is answered correctly or even posed at all. There are reasons. These reasons are called claims.

In some of the out of states, some of the towns have approved them for running around town. I have not seen anything in Texas about using them on the streets.

I’m just looking at it from the perspective of when they are involved In a wreck, are they going to be considered uninsured motorist? I just see them as a hazard because you’re going to have a lot of high horsepower machines taking to the streets and the general public doesn’t pay attention very well.

Yep, big, under-protected hazard. Can't qualify for UM unless they have a policy with UM on it - ATV policies are somewhat of a modified motorcycle policy. Oftentimes, the UM coverage portion is way more than the liability coverage segment. Most people won't purchase the UM because of the cost. Takes it a ways from the $100 cited above.

From what I was told, he didn’t have to show proof of insurance. He said he had it though.

I agree, I could see a big mess happening if it doesn’t get changed to having to prove insurance. I do have insurance on mine.

Will an umbrella policy cover it also? I have insurance but hell I don’t even know what the policy covers, just got it. But also have umbrella policy too.

Most often no or possibly yes with a sizeable gap, unless declared and underlying insurance in place. Talk to your agent.

PM me if questions.

Has anyone gone to get one of these yet? I finally got some time today to go in. Got an appointment made (appointments only for bell co.), showed up, stood in line, then with 4 people left in front of me, the state-wide system went down.

I waited around for over an hour and finally gave up. I talked to the lady and rescheduled my appointment for Tuesday.

I was just curious if anyone has gone through with it yet or not?

Was planning on going next week