UTV’s and Side by Sides Could Soon Be Street Legal In OK

While it's been the norm in some smaller towns across this state for a few years, a bill is working through that could officially classify side by sides as motor vehicles to be lawfully used on roads and highways. Now if you're thinking "They've been legal for over a decade." there's truth and misunderstanding to that train of thought.

Back in 2004, when gas prices soared, restrictions were eased on the usage of golf carts and atv/utv's to be driven on some roads. Any road unicorporated to any township with a maximum speed limit of twenty-five unless a local government allowed it. Apparently, the wording of that original bill was garbled enough that the legislature decided to redefine the difference between atv's (four wheelers) and utv's (side by sides) a few years later, but now the question is being argued that side by sides deserve an equal place on public roadways as any other motor vehicle. Plus, the additional means to gain revenues on licensing and tagging probably had a big influence on that too.

The long and short of it is, if you have a side by side with DOT approved tires, insurance and seat belts, and it will do more than 45mph you will be able to tag it as a motor vehicle and drive it on any road and/or highway in the state. At least that's how the bill reads to me... I'm sure the verbiage will change a dozen times between now and a point which it is official... but things are looking up.

It's neat to think side by sides might become the next must-have powersports toy for city slickers, but this has been the norm in so many small towns across Oklahoma, some see it as a money-grab from the state in requiring licensing and tags etc... In fact, I'm surprised we didn't see politicians in the public eye talking about how much good the profitable fees could do for schools and children. Who wants to bet you'll eventually need a city permit also?