Off-roading

What's new this year

The big statewide rules are stable. City and county side-by-side rules can change by local vote.

The statewide rules are stable; the local rules move

The current statute still contains the ROHV three-mile residence exception. Titling, the highway ban, and the under-18 helmet rule also remain in place. What changes more often is local permission, so check your town or county each season.

Riding-area fees and seasons can change

St. Joe, Finger Lakes, Chadwick, and Sutton Bluff can adjust permit prices, seasons, and vehicle rules — confirm before you load up.

The short version

Big rules stay put; your town is what moves

The statewide rules don't change much year to year: an ATV still has to be titled and registered, off-road machines still can't ride public highways except in a few cases, the three-mile residence exception still belongs to the ROHV only, and riders under 18 still need a helmet. Learn those once and they hold.

What changes is local. More cities and counties keep voting to allow side-by-sides on their streets, and just as many have not. Details vary from town to town. Ask your town each season: city hall, the county clerk, the police, or the sheriff will tell you what's allowed where you ride.

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