ATV Riding Laws – Vermont

Vermont has a relatively low incidence of ATV fatality rates, with 78 accident-related deaths from 1982 through 2015, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. No state agency regulates vehicle use, but there are many laws that operators must abide by. The state requires all-terrain vehicles to be titled if they are of the 2004 model year or later, and all vehicles must have a registration unless the owner uses them only on private property. Also, owners must re-register their ATVs once every two years.

Where and Where Not to Ride

The state has stringent laws pertaining to where operators can and cannot ride. Privately owned land or bodies of water are not restricted if one is the property owner or an immediate family member. Use on private property is also allowed with written consent provided to the vehicle operator or a club they belong to. The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources has designated some public lands for ATV use. In 2011, the agency repealed a rule that permitted riders to operate on state land, due to environmental concerns and worries about illegal riding.

Public highways are open to ATV operators if they’re not maintained for snow removal in the winter, or a governing body has approved the roadway for all-terrain vehicle use.

Crossing these highways is allowable under limited circumstances. Riders must cross at unobstructed locations, at a 90-degree angle. After coming to a complete stop, they can proceed and yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and pedestrians. Any ATV must have taillights and headlights on when operating during nighttime hours

Also, no one can ride on an interstate or defense highway, a limited-access highway, or right-of-way or approach unless a state traffic committee permits it. Operating an all-terrain vehicle on a sidewalk is also illegal unless a local government entity says otherwise.

Age Restrictions in Vermont

To cross a highway, the operator must be at least 16 years old or a 12-year-old supervised by someone at least 18. Someone less than 12 years of age is forbidden to ride an all-terrain vehicle. The only exception is if they do so on a parent’s property or are supervised by an adult. A property owner may provide consent in writing as well.

An operator, driving an ATV in areas they or a parent doesn’t own, must have a safety training certificate if they are under 18.

Other Tips on Obeying Vermont ATV Law

If a law enforcement officer instructs it, an operator must stop their vehicle, or do so if their vehicle is flashing blue or blue/white signals or sounds its siren. Violations of the law in Vermont can lead to a $300 fine or revocation or suspension of an ATV registration.