Our current domicile is in Illinois. Illinos does not recognize our Side by Side (OHV) as a street-legal vehicle, but several states like Arizona, Utah, South Dakota, Montana…and many more….do! Having a street-legal and licensed OHV can open the door to many more adventures!
Licensing your UTV
Licensing your UTV or Side by Side for use on roads is a hotly debated topic in the Side by Side forums and Facebook Groups. For our specific needs, we simply licensed ours through our South Dakota address. This works for us for where we want to use our Can Am on the roads. You need to do your own research to see what works for you. There is more on this discussion in the link provided above.
Equipment Needed
The requirements to make an OHV, UTV, ATV street legal varies from state to state, but there are some consistencies. Pick the most extreme you’ll encounter and use that as your guideline.
We registered our Can Am Maverick X3 Max in South Dakota, so we used their guidelines which seemed pretty consistent with most states.
We did note there were some requirements where you must have a windshield OR goggles must be worn. I was a little surprised a speedometer wasn’t a requirement, but I guess you just don’t need to go faster than the guy next to you. Most GPS systems or apps will have speed, so if necessary you should be able to use that.
I purchased a Corbin Custom Works street legal kit including the license plate bracket and light kit. They are likely not the cheapest but I can vouch for their quality of product, thoroughness and accuracy of install instructions, and ease of installation.
Our Can Am already had a BRP windshield installed when we bought it, so no issues there. We also added side mirrors – while not required by South Dakota, they are very nice to have!
You’ll also need the license plate. I purchased the lighted license plate frame from Corbin when I ordered the other kit components.
South Dakota Requirements:
- Rearview Mirror
- Horn
- Exhaust and Muffler
- Headlights
- License Plate Light
- Parking, Tail, and Stop Lights
- Minimum 200 CC for 4 wheels, 120 CC for 2 wheels
Some states also require
- DOT-certified tires only
- Parking Brake
Our 2023 Can Am Maverick X3 came with Maxxis Carnivore tires. These are pretty aggressive tires and will not last long on concrete/blacktop roads. Since we intended to drive the Can Am on the roads, getting to and from trails, we wanted a tire that would hopefully ride better and last longer. We ordered the BGF Mud-Terrain KM3’s. These are fantastic tires, we’ve since put about 500 miles on them both on and off road.
I went with a tire\wheel combo from KJ Motorsports. System 3 SB-5 grey 15″ wheels and 32x10x15 BFG KM3 tires. They come mounted with valve stem and locking lug nuts (with key). Great to work with and super fast shipping. I took the opportunity to spend the extra money on a spare tire while I was ordering.
OHV Permits
Each state we travel to has different OHV laws, and they’re very confusing (to me) to figure out what exactly I need and don’t need. You have to do some research….and you’ll also find a county or city can override the state’s stance on OHV use.
So far we have non-resident (2023) permits for and have ridden in:
- Arizona – can drive our street-legal Can Am anywhere, no restrictions that we’ve found. Get a non-resident OHV permit through AZ Game and Fish for $30, good for 1 year.
- California – we needed an OHV permit for Glamis Sand Dunes ($30, 1/1-12/31), they’re available online through California State Parks or at several retailers in CA, AZ and NV.
- Colorado – Colorado mostly frowns upon OHV use on roads, so we didn’t even try it in the Grand Junction area. Non-resident permits are $25 and available through Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
- Michigan – we ended up not riding here, but had gotten the permit as we had planned to. Permits are required ($36.25, 4/1 – 3/31) and available online through Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
- Montana – Requires a non-resident OHV permit ($30, good 1/1-12/31) available through Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Your OHV must be street legal to ride on public roads.
- Idaho – Requires a non-resident OHV permit ($12, valid 1/1 – 12/31). Available from Idaho Parks and Recreation online or through many retailers.
- Utah – As of Jan 1 2023 you do have to complete an OHV Safety Course. If your OHV is licensed and if that state reciprocates a Utah street legal ATV on the other state’s highways. Since we’re registered in South Dakota we did not need an additional permit for Utah.
- Wisconsin – were were unable to obtain an OHV permit, they do not recognize anything over 64″. Most of their ATV/UTV trails are more narrow. I am unsure if driving a street-legal UTV in Wisconsin (not on ATV/UTV trails) is allowed, we didn’t try it.
You will need to research each state’s rules and regulations on OHV’s and decide what you need.
Insurance
You will need to carry valid insurance on your OHV for on-road use. Verify with your insurance carrier if you have the proper coverage.
Final Thoughts
I’m super happy with the Corbin street-legal kits, it’s very high quality and a super easy, plug and play install. They did a fantastic job on the whole kit with step by step instructions. The most difficult part was getting the front plastics off then back on correctly, but take your time and it’s not too bad. The kit has worked perfectly on the road.
The BFG KM3’s are excellent tires for on and offroad. They performed perfectly in Montana and Idaho, on roads and trails of all types.
There is definitely time and expense involved in making your Can Am street-legal, but I am SO glad we did it! We’ve gotten so much use out of it during our time in Montana, Idaho and Utah to make it worthwhile. Many more adventures to come!
Note: This post contains affiliate links for products and I do receive a commission, at no additional cost to you, if you purchase using these links. Thank you for your support!
