All About Street Legal Vehicles In Ohio
Making Your Side by Side Street Legal in Ohio
When it comes to meeting the street legal requirements in Ohio, it is accomplished through the use of several different modifications and legal requirements. You must have the required safety equipment, the right modification for headlights, taillights, mirrors, and horns, as well as others.
In addition to the standard modification you would normally need for a vehicle on the road, you also need to obtain an ODOT certificate for your side by side. These certificates are usually obtained directly through the Ohio Department of Transportation. This certificate verifies that the vehicle has the required ODOT components , as well as the proper emissions. In some areas, it may be a stricter test. Once the certificate has been obtained you can use that to obtain the street legal registration.
In order to fully understand what is required by ODOT, you will need to consult with the proper offices. It is generally best to speak to either the county or city engineer, as they will have all of the necessary information to help you determine what is required to meet the street legal requirement in your area of Ohio. You can also verify with your insurance company that you have the right coverage required for all street legal vehicles.
Modifications You Need To Make
To be considered legal for use on Ohio roadways, a side by side must be modified to include adequate implements of safety. These items include mirrors so that the operator has the ability to observe the rear of the vehicle while in transit, weight restrictions on the amount of equipment that the side by side can pull so that the brakes on the machine will be able to accommodate stopping the trailer, safety gear in case of an accident which include turn signals and brake lights, and maximum speeds of 25 miles per hour. It is also required that the vehicle have adequate tire-track width and wheel base width to remain in upper transport positions of the vehicle while in motion. All lights on the vehicle must be functional and in working condition and the operator must carry a valid drivers license of an acceptable class while operating the vehicle on roadways so as not to be ticketed for violations.
Registering The Vehicle In Ohio
After obtaining the OHV Title for your side by side or other OHV, you have to take the following steps to complete registration:
- (1) Take the OHV Title along with a valid form of identification to your local county clerk’s office or a deputy registrar office.
- (2) You will need a valid driver’s license or a valid state I.D. card, as well as either the vehicle’s proof of insurance (which is usually a card or we can look you up), a used OHV Title, or a registration receipt if the vehicle was purchased at an auction.
- (3) Fill out the Application for Watercraft Title (OHRV Title Application) or for BMV5203 for motorcycle registration.
- (4) Pay the registration fee which is $23.00 where I live (Franklin County). Your local County Clerk or deputy registrar may have a different fee schedule as they are able to raise the registration fees up to an additional $15.00, but I would expect that they are all relatively similar as these fees go to the local governments rather than the State of Ohio.
- (5) Get the BMV5203 (title) stamped or marked with current date and authorized signature by the clerk issuing the new license plates.
- (6) Place the issued license plate on your ATV and complete and sign assignment side of title.
- (7) Don’t lose the registration slip they give you with the new license plates on it.
- (8) Complete the reverse side of the title and return the title to clerk issuing the new license plates.
Insurance For Street Legal Vehicles
If you want to be able to play nice with the local Sheriff, the State Highway Patrol, and local law enforcement, you’re going to have to make sure that your side by side is insured. It sounds like a no-brainer, but as a Florida Ex-Pat myself, I feel for those of you who don’t even get a traffic ticket where I’m from unless you were drunk and crashed into a school bus. So, here’s the deal in Ohio with insurance.
$12,500 SERI (Single Limit Bodily Injury/Property Damage Liability, per accident) AND
$20000 PIP (Personal Injury Protection) (Bodily Injury, per person)
A quick note on the $12,500 single limit. That’s a combined number, so it’s not $12,500 for the car, plus $12,500 for the trailer, plus $12,500 for the Cargo you tow with your Raptor Utility Trailer. $12,500 is the TOTAL amount of insurance coverage that your company could be on the hook for. Depending on the attorney involved, that could be a very good, or a very bad, thing for the insurance company. Just know that on a $12,500 policy, that’s pretty limited in today’s market. Get higher limits if you can afford the additional premiums. Be honest with the insurance agent about your intended use. Don’t say "oh, well, I only use it to go pay bills." That’s asking for it. Tell him that you’re going camping . Tell him you’re going to do some mudding, or rock climbing, or other activities that might be considered more than just "paying bills", which I find personally hard to believe.
So, where can you find this insurance? Worthless answer: anywhere. On the internet, in town. There are many, many companies that will sell you what you need, and if you’re not sure where to start, ask your local boys in blue who they have their toys insured with. They’ve been asked plenty of times, and will likely be happy to help out in that regard. After all, we want to stay out of their cross hairs, right?
Another quick note: don’t lie when you’re talking to the agent about coverage, especially if you’re renting. If you’ve got a short-term rental from a buddy, from a dealer, from somewhere like Turo, get the coverage from them. If they’re paying for it, let them know what you’re doing with it. Most of the time, they’ll be happy to let you rent the rig for a few extra bucks. Think of it this way: It’s only an extra $25-$50 a day, which is the difference between you not paying for a replacement parts and having to pay for a new engine entirely. Plus, it’s only for a little while, right?
So there you have it. The insurance requirements for making your Side by Side Street Legal in Ohio. Have a Safe and Happy Day!
Mistakes Commonly Made
Certain issues come up with owners of UTVs that want to make their UTV street legal in Ohio. Some issues that come up are problems with properly assigning an out of state title, getting insurance coverage that covers theft, the issue with a color match on the new windshield, and title issues that arise from incorrectly drawing boundaries on your VIN.
The first mistake that people make is not explaining that the side by side is going to be a street vehicle. If you read the Bureau of Motor Vehicle’s form, it explains that if an owner’s vehicle is modified for street use, that is a reason to refuse the assignment of the out of state title. The best thing to do is explain the UTV is going to be street legal and that it’s going to need to comply with Ohio law.
The second mistake is not getting the proper coverage. When you go to your auto insurance agent, they’re likely thinking you’re getting a regular vehicle like a car or truck. If you’re making the side by side street legal, then your insurance agent needs to understand you’re going to be driving a side by side, that the side by side is a single unit, it doesn’t have a truck bed on the back, and it doesn’t have a trailer hitch. Rather than telling your agent that you need the coverage for a sports utility vehicle, explain the vehicle to your agent. The issue that we see is that the owner fails to explain that they’re modifying the vehicle, and then the insurance company denies coverage when the vehicle is stolen.
The third mistake is the color mismatch. If you’re getting a windshield for the vehicle, try to get one that’s a shade or two darker than whatever the factory windshield comes as. When they paint the factory colored windshields, they are painted so that the color matches the surrounding paint. If you paint it several shades darker, then the windshield becomes more visible when the vehicle is on the roadway.
The fourth issue is improperly drawing lines on the VIN. The VIN will be considered an odometer if the first letter in the VIN is certain letters. In this case, you must consider the first letter the second letter, and the second letter the first. It sounds confusing but this is how the state of Ohio set up the Form BMV 3713. We have seen owners draw the line in the wrong spot causing them to have an odometer reading that looks like the side by side has traveled hundreds of thousands of miles. Take your time and draw the line properly.
The final issue is with discrepancies within the "out of state" title versus the "Ohio" title. The out of state title may display the correct model number but the "Ohio" title will display the "make" of the vehicle incorrectly. Instead of trying to correct the title, it may get rejected and the owner may have to take additional steps to correct an otherwise correct title. Make sure any issues are well explained when doing a transfer.
Advantages Of A Street Legal Side By Side
Benefits of Having A Street Legal Side by Side in Ohio
In Ohio, street legal side by sides give you the ability to further enjoy your side by side, beyond typical ATV trails. Many communities in the state give you the ability to drive from your house, or your hotel, directly to your favorite ATV trail. As a result, you often can do away with gas cans and trailers for your side by side and simply drive your vehicle where you need to go.
Additionally, making your side by side street legal allows you to use your preferred 4-wheeler on class roads, provided local ordinances permit it. The ability to drive directly to destinations cannot be understated, as it keeps costly wear and tear off of trailers . Furthermore, being able to navigate your side by side to a variety of places will enable you to make the most out of your ATV while you have it. Whether you decide to take the trails or go visit a nearby lake or other landmark, making your side by side street legal will definitely increase the number of places you can visit.
Albeit inconvenient for some, the best way to get started on making a side by side street legal in Ohio is to check your local ordinances. If you have never looked at the law before, you may be blown away by how many local ordinances there are regarding ATVs, but we assure you it is worth looking into to determine whether you are subject to any of these local rules. It is critical because some local ordinances may prohibit the use of ATVs altogether, even if the state law permits their use.