Georgia Dept of Revenue Approves Registration of Certain Off-Road Vehicles

If you own a multipurpose off-highway vehicle (MPOHV) you can now register it to make it legal to drive it on county roads.

The Georgia Department of Revenue announced that beginning today, owners of multipurpose off-highway vehicles may voluntarily register their off-road vehicles so they may be driven on county roads.

This comes as the result of the passage of HB121 which provides for the registration of off-road vehicles.

Beginning Friday, owners will be able to register their vehicles and receive a certificate of registration and a license plate.

However, MPOHVs will not be titled.

County Tag Offices will receive and process the registration applications and issue a temporary operating permit that can be used as a license plate until the metal plate can be mailed to the customer.

But registration is NOT required so owners of multi-purpose off-road vehicles may continue to use the vehicles solely for off-road purposes without registration.

Additionally, only off-road vehicles manufactured after January 1, 2000 may be registered.

Not all vehicles built for off-road purposes or purposes other than driving on roads will qualify as MPOHVs eligible for registration.

Additionally, in order to be registered the off-road vehicle must have “features specifically intended for utility use” and meet several specifications.

They must be able to operate at speeds between 25 miles per hour and 65 miles per hour.

MPOHVs must also have features specifically intended for utility use. Generally, this means that MPOHVs must be vehicles designed and manufactured primarily for performing off-road tasks in agricultural, construction, or industrial settings.

This will exclude vehicles made for on-road use, regardless of whether such on-road use was intended for highways within Georgia or elsewhere. This will also exclude golf carts, which are designed primarily for recreational use and do not have features specifically intended for utility use.

Generally, side-by-side utility vehicles, often called “utility task vehicles” or “UTVs,” will be eligible for registration, subject to compliance with the statutorily prescribed vehicle characteristics and safety features.

MPOHVs cannot be wider than 80 inches and must have a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 4,000 pounds and a have a minimum cargo capacity of 350 pounds.

Other requirements include:

– Off-road vehicles must travel on four or more wheels, use a steering wheel, and use a non-straddle seat, which excludes the registration of dirt bikes, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, and other vehicles with handlebar steering, straddle seats, or less than four wheels.

-HB 121 requires that MPOHVs be equipped with headlights, brake lights, taillights, a rearview mirror, and safety belts.

For more information, you can contact your county tag office. You can also visit the Georgia Motor Vehicle Division website at dor.georgia.gov/motor-vehicles.