Some UTVs May Be Street-Legal in North Carolina

It’s a great time to be a UTV owner in the state of North Carolina. A few weeks ago the state senate passed SB 241, a bill that amends the state’s definition of a “modified utility vehicle” in such a way that many full-size UTVs now qualify, making it possible to register them for road use. The old law required a 2.4-liter or greater engine and a total length of more than 142 inches to qualify for MUV designation. The new definition eliminates the engine size limit and alters the size requirements.

The new law states that a modified utility vehicle needs to be at least 110 inches long, 58 inches wide, and 60 inches tall. That means machines like the Polaris Ranger, Kawasaki Teryx, and Can-Am Maverick X3 would all be on the list. Curiously the biggest limiting factor here appears to be the length requirement. Some UTVs like the SX lineup of Kawasaki Mules fall just short of that 110-inch limit.

Other requirements for registration as a modified utility vehicle include the typical list of “road-legal” amenities. Your rig must have lights front and rear, brake lights, turn signals, mirrors, reflectors, a speedometer, and seatbelts. There is no requirement for a windshield, but all passengers must wear helmets.

Your rig must also have “a maximum speed capability of 40 miles per hour or greater.” If you think that speed requirement sounds weird, there is a reason. This law states that you can operate your MUV on roads with speeds as high as 55 mph, so long as there are only two total travel lanes. Any road with more than two lanes must have a speed of 35 mph or less to be legal to drive your rig. The state does reserve the right for NCDOT to declare any road off-limits if there is a safety concern.

If you live in North Carolina and are interested in getting your UTV registered as a modified utility vehicle, the law goes into effect on October 1, 2021.