Arizona Dirt Bike Laws: Equipment, Licensing, and Where to Ride

Arizona dirt bike laws require every off-highway vehicle ridden on public or state trust land to display a valid Arizona OHV decal, meet basic equipment standards, and stay on designated routes. Riders under 18 must wear a DOT-approved helmet, every rider needs eye protection, and operating a dirt bike while impaired is a class 2 misdemeanor. The rules apply the same way on a desert trail outside Phoenix or a forest route near Flagstaff.

The Arizona OHV Decal

Any off-highway vehicle designed primarily for unimproved terrain and weighing 2,500 pounds or less unladen must display a valid Arizona OHV decal before operating on public or state trust land.¹ The decal costs $25 per year through the Motor Vehicle Division or the Arizona Game and Fish Department and is good for one year from the date of issuance.² You’ll need a VIN and proof of ownership to apply. The decal goes in the upper left corner of the bike so law enforcement can see it.

Arizona no longer honors OHV decals from other states. Non-residents have to buy an Arizona non-resident decal before riding on public land here.³

Starting January 2025, at least one owner listed on the registration must complete a free basic educational course before buying or renewing a decal. The course consists of a 10-minute video and 20 multiple-choice questions, built by Arizona Game and Fish. The requirement runs through June 1, 2027.⁴

One boundary worth knowing: Arizona’s OHV rules in Article 20 do not apply on private land with the landowner’s permission or on tribal land with the tribal government’s permission.⁵ The moment you leave that property for public trails or state trust land, the full set of requirements applies again.

Equipment Your Dirt Bike Must Have

Every dirt bike ridden off-road on public land in Arizona has to meet the equipment standards in ARS 28-1179:

A braking system adequate to stop and hold the vehicle under normal conditions.⁶
A muffler or noise-reduction device that keeps sound below 96 decibels.
A USDA-approved spark arrestor in constant operation.
Headlights and taillights meeting or exceeding manufacturer guidelines, required between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise.

Arizona State Parks also notes you need a brake light and at least one red rear reflector if the taillight doesn’t reflect on its own.⁷ The muffler and spark arrestor requirements are waived on closed courses, such as sanctioned race tracks. Brakes and lighting still apply everywhere.

Helmets and Eye Protection

Riders and passengers under 18 must wear a properly fitted, securely fastened DOT-approved helmet while operating or riding on a dirt bike.⁸ Riders 18 and older are not required by state law to wear a helmet, though Arizona Game and Fish strongly recommends it.⁷

Eye protection is mandatory for every rider regardless of age. That means protective glasses, goggles, or a transparent face shield approved by the director of the Arizona Department of Transportation. The only exception is a bike equipped with a protective windshield, which most dirt bikes don’t have.⁸ Goggles or a helmet-mounted face shield are the standard setup.

Age and Driver’s License Rules

Arizona sets no blanket minimum age for operating a dirt bike off-road, but riders under 12 face real restrictions. A child under 12 may only operate an OHV on roads, trails, routes, or areas officially designated as open by a federal agency, the state, or a local government.⁹ Riding off designated routes, on closed trails, or in a way that damages wildlife habitat, riparian areas, or natural resources is specifically prohibited for riders under 12. Arizona Game and Fish recommends supervising any child under 16 and matching the vehicle to the child’s size.⁴

No driver’s license is needed when you’re riding exclusively on routes designated for off-highway vehicle use. Arizona law requires a valid license to operate a motor vehicle on a highway, but the statute’s definition of “highway” excludes OHV-designated routes.¹⁰ The moment the bike touches a maintained public road, a license is required. That transition point, where a trail meets pavement connecting trailheads, is where riders most often get caught.

Where You Can Ride

State Trust Land

Riding on Arizona State Trust Land takes a recreational permit from the Arizona State Land Department on top of your OHV decal. Individual permits are $15 per year; family permits covering two adults and children under 18 are $20 per year.¹¹

Federal Land

The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service manage much of Arizona’s riding terrain. These agencies designate routes as open, closed, or restricted, and you must stay on routes marked open. Cross-country travel off established trails is prohibited. Patrol officers check both permits and route compliance.

Wilderness Areas

Designated wilderness areas are completely off-limits to motorized vehicles under the Wilderness Act. Arizona has dozens of them, especially inside national forests and on BLM land. Riding into one can bring a federal citation, and wilderness boundaries aren’t always obvious from the trail. Check the land manager’s map before heading somewhere new.

Making a Dirt Bike Street Legal

Riding on public roads is a separate category. When you pay for a resident OHV decal, you can request motor vehicle registration at the same time, provided the bike meets all highway equipment requirements.¹ Under ARS 28-964, every motorcycle and ATV on the road must have a rearview mirror, a seat and footrests for the operator, and seat and footrests for any passenger.⁸ Arizona Game and Fish adds a brake light, headlights and taillights visible from 500 feet for dusk-to-dawn riding, at least one red rear reflector, and a securely fastened license plate.³

You’ll also need Arizona liability insurance at the state minimum of 25/50/15: $25,000 for one person’s bodily injury, $50,000 for two or more people in one accident, and $15,000 for property damage.¹² Once registered and insured, the bike has to obey traffic signals, right-of-way rules, and posted speed limits like any other vehicle.

Impaired and Careless Riding Penalties

ARS 28-1174 prohibits operating an OHV while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug on public land, separate from the standard highway DUI statute.⁹ A violation is a class 2 misdemeanor, which under Arizona sentencing can carry up to four months in jail plus a fine. OHVs are also covered by Arizona’s open container law on any public highway or right-of-way.

The same statute reaches careless operation that endangers people or property, and riding that damages riparian areas, wildlife habitat, cultural resources, roads, trails, fences, water sources, or other facilities. Any of those violations is also a class 2 misdemeanor. Equipment and decal infractions are generally handled as civil traffic violations, meaning fines rather than criminal charges, but rangers and deputies patrol popular riding areas and will cite on the spot for a missing decal, failed equipment, or a closed-trail ride.

1
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-1177 – Off-Highway Vehicle User Fee; Indicia; Registration; State Trust Land Recreational Permit; Exception
2
Arizona Department of Transportation. Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) and Boating Registration
3
Arizona Game & Fish Department. OHV Decals
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Arizona Game & Fish Department. Get Keys to OHV for Holidays? A Few Reminders
5
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes – Title 28 – Section 28-1172
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Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-1179 – Off-Highway Vehicle Equipment Requirements; Rule Making; Exception
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Arizona State Parks. OHV Laws and Regulations
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Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-964 – Motorcycles; All-Terrain Vehicles; Motor Driven Cycles; Equipment; Exception; Citations; Civil Penalty; Community Restitution
9
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-1174 – Operation Restrictions; Violation; Classification; Citation
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Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-3151 – Driver License Requirement; Definition
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Arizona State Land Department. Applications & Permits
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Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions. Automobile Insurance