South Carolina UTV Owners Rally To Pass Road-Legal Bill

UTVs don’t get the same level of media and legislative attention that cars do, but many can be made road-legal, just like your parents’ Buick. Owners in South Carolina haven’t been able to register their UTVs on the road, but that could change with a bill recently put before the State House.

This is the third time the bill has gone before the House, which passed it both times before. The South Carolina Street-Legal SxSs group rallied to support the bill, saying the South Carolina Senate has failed to give the legislation adequate attention during prior attempts. Group members noted that the Senate Transportation Committee has sat on the bill for over a year.

If passed, it would allow owners to register their UTVs for road use after adding turn signals and other safety gear. They would also need to insure the vehicles, and they’d be limited to roads with speed limits lower than 55 mph.

The 1,600-strong South Carolina owners group has been consistent in its efforts to spur action among lawmakers in the state, but it’s still unclear if they will be successful. It’s surprising to see the process taking so long, as UTVs have been road-legal in several states for years. Maine, New York, and several others passed legislation on the subject years ago, allowing UTV owners to register their vehicles with some caveats.

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