OHV riders now required to complete online course to ride on public lands

By Austin Isbell

The Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation (DOR) is launching a new off-highway vehicle (OHV) education course to help preserve access and increase rider safety. Anyone 18 years or older must now complete the free online course to operate an OHV on public lands in Utah.

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“Our goal is to increase overall awareness and education of Utah’s OHV laws and rules to help increase overall rider safety and responsible recreation,” DOR’s OHV program manager Chase Pili said. “We believe the new OHV education course will benefit the entire OHV community, from new riders to seasoned operators and the broader outdoor recreation community by promoting respectful, sustainable, and on-trail OHV operation and respect for the communities affected by OHV operation.”

The education course takes less than 30 minutes to complete, and the certification will remain valid for a user’s lifetime. It consists of 26 questions, accompanied by educational videos that cover basic safety advice, guidance on legal requirements for operating an OHV on public lands, packing out waste, and how to be a good steward and sustainable user of trails and the environment. The course was created by members of the OHV community and local partners, including Grand County, and Tread Lightly! which is a nonprofit organization promoting responsible recreation through stewardship, education and communication.

Completion of the course is required to operate Type 1 ATVs (three or more wheels with handlebars and designed to be straddled), Type II UTVs (side-by-sides), Type III OHVs (modified jeeps or “rock crawlers”), and offhighway motorcycles. Snowmobiles are exempt, as are participants of guided tours, implements of husbandry, sanctioned OHV events and 4x4s registered as normal road vehicles with full-sized license plates.

The requirements for operators under 18 years old have not changed; operators under the age of 18 must still have a youth OHV education certificate to operate an OHV on public land, road or trail. Drivers under 18 are required to take the existing, separate youth OHV safety course for $35 or take an approved, in-person, hands-on skills course and exam.

For more information, visit ohv.utah.gov.