ATV Riding Laws – New York

The use of ATVs and other off-road vehicles is legislated under Chapters 25 and 33 of the New York statutes. In terms of these statutes all residents of the state who own ATVs need to register them and display decals on their vehicles. The local Sheriff in each county of the state is responsible for enforcing the provisions of the laws.

An Overview of New York’s ATV Laws

New York statutes prohibit ATVs from riding on highways unless they are in the process of crossing. Other statutory provisions include:

  • Registration of ATVs with the Department of Motor Vehicles is compulsory and is required to be renewed every year.
  • Unless otherwise designed for this purpose, no ATV may carry passengers.
  • All ATV riders and their passengers must wear helmets at all times.
  • A child under 10 years of age is prohibited from operating or riding an ATV.
  • Children between the ages of 10 and 15 may ride an ATV only on their parent’s land, and only if supervised by a parent or having an ATV safety training certificate.
  • From 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, every ATV in operation must have a lighted headlight and taillight.

ATV Registration

All ATVs operated in the state of New York must be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This also applies to those vehicles which are only ridden on the owner’s property. Registrations are renewable each year.

In normal circumstances, the law requires dealers to register ATVs before hand over to the purchaser. However, a purchaser may be exempt from registration if the ATV is to be used:

  • Out of state.
  • For farming purposes.
  • For snow plowing of the owner’s property.
  • For special events only.

The law clearly states that an owner who doesn’t qualify for an exemption may not take delivery of the vehicle before it is registered. For non-residents, New York recognizes registrations of ATVs in another state.

ATV Operating Regulations

ATV riders are not permitted to cross an interstate highway, a thruway or parkway. When crossing other highways and roads, riders must first ascertain that it is safe to do so before crossing at a 90 angle to the roadway. If a highway is divided, an ATV is only allowed to cross where it intersects another roadway.

ATVs may only travel on roads and highways that have been designated by a state or local authority. When doing so, the DMV advises riders to switch on their head and tail lights and to wear reflective clothing in order to be clearly visible to other motorists.

ATVs may not operate on public land unless permission is clearly signposted. When riding on private land, the consent of the owner must be obtained.

Statutory Safety Requirements

All ATVs must have the following equipment and devices:

  • Brakes in good working order.
  • Tires with a minimum of 2/23nds tread in good condition.
  • A white headlight and red taillight for night driving.
  • A muffler for effective noise reduction.
  • A spark arrestor that meets approved standards of the U.S. Forest Service