California OHV laws require every off-highway vehicle used on public land to carry a DMV registration sticker, restrict riding to designated areas, set age and training rules that vary by vehicle type, and back the whole system with penalties that range from small infractions to federal charges carrying up to a year in prison. The rules come from three overlapping sources: the state Vehicle Code, California Air Resources Board emissions standards, and park-specific regulations that change from one riding area to the next.
Registering Your OHV
California puts every OHV into one of two registration categories based on emissions. Vehicles that meet current CARB standards get a green sticker and can ride year-round on all public OHV lands. Vehicles that fall short get a red sticker and are limited to seasonal riding windows set area by area.1California State Parks – Off-Highway Vehicles. Green and Red Sticker Information A red sticker window open at one park may be closed at another, so check dates for your specific destination before you go.
Registration runs $54 for two years, broken down into a $33 registration fee, a $10 CHP fee, a $7 service fee, and a $4 license fee.2California State Department of Motor Vehicles. Registration Fees A valid sticker must be displayed whenever you ride on public land. Officers check regularly at popular areas like Ocotillo Wells and the Imperial Sand Dunes, and riding without one is an infraction.
A vehicle capable of both on-road and off-road use can get dual registration or a street-legal plate if it passes safety and emissions inspection for highway use. Dual-sport motorcycles and some modified UTVs commonly go this route.
Out-of-State Riders
If your OHV is registered in another state, you generally need a California Nonresident OHV Use Permit, which costs $30 plus a $1.95 processing fee online.3California State Parks – Off-Highway Vehicles. Nonresident OHV Use Permits Some states have reciprocal agreements with California. Nevada, for example, recognizes California registrations for visits of 15 days or less, so Nevada-registered OHVs are valid in California without an extra permit. Arizona stopped honoring other states’ OHV permits, so Arizona riders need a California nonresident permit and California riders heading to Arizona need an Arizona permit.4California Department of Parks and Recreation. Off Highway Motor Vehicle Information Bulletin – State Reciprocity These agreements shift, so verify before your trip.
Where You Can Legally Ride
Not every stretch of open land is legal riding territory. California channels OHV use into three types of areas: State Vehicular Recreation Areas, designated routes on federal land, and permitted private property. Riding outside these carries real consequences.
State Vehicular Recreation Areas
The state runs nine SVRAs through its Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division, including Hollister Hills, Hungry Valley, Oceano Dunes, Ocotillo Wells, and Prairie City.5California State Parks – Off-Highway Vehicles. OHMVR Division Each park has its own rules about which vehicle types are allowed, which trails are open, and whether red sticker vehicles can ride on a given date. Fees vary by location.
National Forest and BLM Land
On National Forest land, riders must follow the Motor Vehicle Use Map for that specific forest. Routes not on the MVUM are closed to motorized travel, and confirming you are on a designated route for your vehicle type is your responsibility. Enforcement can cite you any time after the MVUM is publicly available.6Forest Service U.S. Department of Agriculture. Motor Vehicle Use Map Information and Frequently Asked Questions MVUMs are posted on each forest’s webpage and available in paper at visitor centers.
BLM land uses three designations: open areas where cross-country travel is allowed, limited areas restricted to designated routes or seasons, and closed areas where OHV use is prohibited entirely. Congressionally designated wilderness areas are always closed to motorized use.7BLM. Travel and Transportation Management Manual The federal penalties for riding in a closed wilderness area are severe: fines up to $100,000 and imprisonment up to 12 months on conviction.8eCFR. 43 CFR 6302.30 – Penalties for Prohibited Acts in BLM Wilderness
Environmental closures add another layer. The Endangered Species Act prohibits any action that causes a “taking” of a listed species or damages designated critical habitat, so areas with known endangered species populations may be closed seasonally or permanently.9US EPA. Summary of the Endangered Species Act
Rules by Vehicle Type
California treats each OHV category differently, especially when it comes to who can operate one.
Off-Road Motorcycles
Dirt bikes need either a green or red sticker and a qualified spark arrester whenever they operate on forest-covered, brush-covered, or grass-covered land.10Justia. California Code Vehicle Code Article 4 – Equipment Motocross bikes usually ship with a muffler that is not a spark arrester, so riders using them on public land need to install one separately.11USDA Forest Service. Off-Highway Vehicle Spark Arrestors Noise is capped at 82 dBA measured 50 feet from the centerline of travel for bikes made from 1986 onward, with higher limits for older machines. The DMV will not register a new vehicle that exceeds these limits, and officers use noise-monitoring equipment at OHV areas.
No driver’s license is required on OHV lands. Individual SVRAs sometimes add age-based restrictions of their own. A license is only necessary if you take a dual-sport onto public roads.
All-Terrain Vehicles
ATVs carry the strictest rider requirements of any OHV category. Riders under 18 must complete a state-approved ATV safety training course, and anyone under 14 must also ride under the direct supervision of a parent, guardian, or an adult authorized by a parent or guardian.12California Legislative Information. California Code VEH Section 38504 Riders aged 14 to 17 can ride without a supervisor once they hold a valid safety certificate.13California Legislative Information. California Code VEH Section 38503 Every ATV rider on public land must wear a DOT-approved helmet meeting motorcycle and motorized bicycle standards.14California Legislative Information. California Code VEH Section 38505
Side-by-Sides (ROVs and UTVs)
Operators of recreational off-highway vehicles must be at least 16, or ride under direct supervision of a parent, guardian, or other adult. Every occupant must wear a seatbelt or safety harness and a DOT-approved helmet. Passengers have to sit in a manufacturer-designed seat, upright with their back against the seatback and able to reach the occupant handhold with the restraint fastened.15California State Parks – Off-Highway Vehicles. ROV Specific Laws No riding in the bed or on the roll cage. If the manufacturer did not put a seat there, nobody sits there.
Required Safety Equipment
Some equipment rules apply across every OHV category, others only to specific vehicle types.
- DOT-approved helmets for all ATV riders and all ROV occupants on public land. Most SVRAs and OHV areas require helmets for motorcycle riders under park-specific regulations.14California Legislative Information. California Code VEH Section 38505
- Functional brakes adequate for safe stopping under varying terrain.
- At least one working headlight and one taillight for nighttime operation.
- A spark arrester in effective working order on any internal combustion OHV operating on land covered by forest, brush, or grass, mounted so exhaust heat cannot ignite surrounding material.10Justia. California Code Vehicle Code Article 4 – Equipment
- A properly maintained exhaust system that stays within noise limits.
- Seatbelts for all ROV occupants. Specialty trucks with roll cages should also have occupant restraints.
Penalties and Enforcement
The California Highway Patrol, county sheriffs, and park rangers enforce OHV laws, patrolling and running checkpoints at busy riding areas. Consequences depend on the violation.
Reckless operation is the most commonly cited serious OHV offense. Operating an off-highway vehicle with willful disregard for the safety of others carries a fine of $50 to $500, imprisonment for five to 90 days, or both, with enhanced penalties for repeat offenses or incidents involving injury.16California Legislative Information. California Code VEH Section 38316
Most other violations are infractions. Operating an unregistered vehicle is an infraction under the Vehicle Code. Equipment violations like missing spark arresters, broken lights, or excessive noise typically result in fix-it citations or fines, with first-offense noise violations starting at $35 and increasing for subsequent convictions.
Environmental violations can carry the heaviest consequences. Riding in closed areas, damaging protected habitat, or violating seasonal closures can lead to citations under state conservation laws, with fines that escalate based on the extent of the damage. Areas damaged by illegal OHV use are subject to restoration programs that remove unauthorized trails and repair habitat.17New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. California Code of Regulations 14 CCR 4970.11 – Restoration On federal land, penalties climb to $100,000 and a year in prison for violations in BLM wilderness.8eCFR. 43 CFR 6302.30 – Penalties for Prohibited Acts in BLM Wilderness
Operating an OHV under the influence of drugs or alcohol carries DUI penalties similar to those for on-road vehicles, including potential license suspension and mandatory treatment programs. Officers do conduct sobriety checks at OHV areas, particularly on busy holiday weekends.