Tracked ATVs in Arizona: What the State Publishes

A.R.S. Sec. 28-1171(6), the definition that governs the whole off-highway vehicle article, names tracked vehicles outright and reaches modified machines outright. Paragraph (a) covers a motorized vehicle "operated primarily off of highways" that is "designed, modified or purpose-built primarily for recreational nonhighway all-terrain travel" - the word "modified" is in the statute. Paragraph (b) then says the term includes "a tracked or wheeled vehicle." Nothing in the article conditions OHV status on wheels, tires or tire count. Paragraph (c) does carve two things out of the definition - a vehicle designed primarily for travel on or in the water, and one used for utility, railroad, mining or mineral-exploration work - and neither reaches a quad ridden for recreation. The only place a tire count appears is the separate Sec. 28-101(3) definition of "all-terrain vehicle," which is the highway-operation definition and requires a vehicle that "travels on three or more nonhighway tires" and "is operated on a public highway" - that is the definition that matters for street registration, not for off-highway riding.

"Off-highway vehicle": (a) Means a motorized vehicle that is operated primarily off of highways and that is designed, modified or purpose-built primarily for recreational nonhighway all-terrain travel. (b) Includes a tracked or wheeled vehicle, recreational or utility side-by-side vehicle, all-terrain vehicle, motorcycle, dirt bike, dune buggy, sand rail, amphibious vehicle, ground effects or air cushion vehicle and any other means of land transportation deriving motive power from a source other than muscle or wind. ... (c) Does not include a vehicle that is either: (i) Designed primarily for travel on, over or in the water. (ii) Used in installation, inspection, maintenance, repair or related activities involving facilities for the provision of utility or railroad service or used in the exploration or mining of minerals or aggregates as defined in title 27.A.R.S. Sec. 28-1171(6) — source · read 2026-09-26

An OHV user indicia (the OHV decal) is required to operate an OHV in Arizona if the machine is designed by the manufacturer primarily for travel over unimproved terrain and has an unladen weight of 2,500 lb or less. ADOT prices it at $25 per year, valid one year from purchase. ADOT also requires the free AZGFD "Safe & Ethical Riding in Arizona" course: beginning 1 January 2025 it must be passed before you renew the decal, at least one owner (or one representative of an organisation) must take it, it only needs to be taken once regardless of how many OHVs you own, and ADOT describes it as required one time before registrations or renewals between 1 January 2025 and 1 June 2027. The statute itself (Sec. 28-1175) only directs AZGFD to conduct or approve a course; the requirement to have passed it is ADOT's published condition on the decal. Separately, Sec. 28-1177(C) lets a resident who has paid for the indicia request a motor vehicle registration if the vehicle meets the article 16 equipment requirements for highway operation, on a signed affidavit, with no Sec. 28-2003 registration fee. The indicia is not required for machines used off-highway exclusively for agricultural, ranching, construction, mining or building-trade purposes, nor on private land (Sec. 28-1178).

A. A person shall not operate or allow the operation of an all-terrain vehicle or an off-highway vehicle in this state without either a resident or nonresident off-highway vehicle user indicia issued by the department if the all-terrain vehicle or off-highway vehicle meets both of the following criteria: 1. Is designed by the manufacturer primarily for travel over unimproved terrain. 2. Has an unladen weight of two thousand five hundred pounds or less.A.R.S. Sec. 28-1177(A) — source · read 2026-09-26

A different document, other jurisdictions
Registering a Tracked Quad sets several named agencies' own class definitions side by side, and shows that they are not written to a common test. It settles nothing for Arizona; what Arizona publishes is directly above.

Yes. Arizona's rule is simply that you ride where the land manager has opened the road, trail, route or area, and not off it in a way that damages resources. An "off-highway vehicle trail" is defined as a multiple-use corridor open to recreational OHV travel and designated or managed for OHV use by the managing authority, and "highway" for these purposes expressly "does not include routes designated for off-highway vehicle use." Because the OHV definition names tracked vehicles, a tracked quad appears to ride on the same terms as any other OHV.

A person shall operate or allow a minor who is under twelve years of age to operate an off-highway vehicle only on roads, trails, routes or areas that are opened as indicated in rules or regulations of a federal agency, this state or a county or a municipality.A.R.S. Sec. 28-1174(B) — source · read 2026-09-26

A different document, other jurisdictions
Groomed Snowmobile Trails quotes named agencies in other jurisdictions on the groomed-trail question, and they do not agree with each other. It settles nothing for Arizona; what Arizona publishes is directly above.

Arizona has a genuine street-legal route for OHVs, but a tracked machine probably cannot take it. Sec. 28-1177(C) says a resident who pays for the OHV indicia "may request a motor vehicle registration if the vehicle meets all equipment requirements to be operated on a highway pursuant to article 16," on a signed affidavit that it meets those requirements and will be operated primarily off highways, with the Sec. 28-2003 registration fee waived. Three things cut against a four-track conversion. (1) Within that same article 16, Sec. 28-958(C) lets the director or a local authority "issue special permits authorizing the operation on a highway of traction engines or tractors having movable tracks with transverse corrugations on the periphery of the movable tracks ... the operation of which on a highway would otherwise be prohibited under this chapter" - the statute's own premise is that a machine on movable tracks is not otherwise allowed on a highway. (2) The highway-side definition of "all-terrain vehicle" in Sec. 28-101(3) requires a vehicle that "travels on three or more nonhighway tires." (3) ADOT's non-resident OHV 30-day road permit requires a machine that "travels on four or more non-highway tires." Confirm with ADOT MVD before assuming a tracked quad can be plated. Note also that routes designated for OHV use are not "highways" at all under Sec. 28-1171(3), so riding a designated route is not road use.

When a person pays for a resident off-highway vehicle user indicia pursuant to this section, the person may request a motor vehicle registration if the vehicle meets all equipment requirements to be operated on a highway pursuant to article 16 of this chapter. If a person submits a signed affidavit to the department affirming that the vehicle meets all of the equipment requirements for highway use and that the vehicle will be operated primarily off of highways, the department shall register the vehicle for highway use and the vehicle owner is not required to pay the registration fee prescribed in section 28-2003. This subsection does not apply to vehicles that as produced by the manufacturer meet the equipment requirements to be operated on a highway pursuant to article 16 of this chapter.A.R.S. Sec. 28-1177(C) — source · read 2026-09-26

A different document, other jurisdictions
Roads, Shoulders and Crossings separates crossing a road from travelling along one in several named jurisdictions, because most of them do. It settles nothing for Arizona; what Arizona publishes is directly above.

Ride on open roads, trails, routes and areas as designated by the federal agency, the state, the county or the municipality that manages the land. Equipment required statewide: brakes adequate to control, stop and hold the vehicle; headlight and taillight meeting or exceeding OEM guidelines if operating from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise; a muffler or noise-dissipative device holding sound at or below 96 decibels; a USDA-approved spark arrester in constant operation; and a 6-by-12-inch safety flag at least eight feet above level ground on sand dunes or where the managing agency requires it. Riders and passengers under 18 must wear a DOT-rated helmet on public or state land. Crossing state trust land is allowed with a valid OHV indicia; every other recreational activity there needs a state trust land recreational permit.

An off-highway vehicle in operation in this state shall be equipped with all of the following: 1. Brakes adequate to control the movement of the vehicle and to stop and hold the vehicle under normal operating conditions. 2. Lighted headlights and taillights that meet or exceed original equipment manufacturer guidelines if operated between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise. 3. Except when operating on a closed course, either a muffler or other noise dissipative device that prevents sound above ninety-six decibels. ... 4. A spark arrestor device that is approved by the United States department of agriculture and that is in constant operation except if operating on a closed course.A.R.S. Sec. 28-1179(A) — source · read 2026-09-26

A different document, other jurisdictions
Public Land and Width Limits covers the federal land managers, who publish route designations rather than permissions and answer to nobody's state code. It settles nothing for Arizona; what Arizona publishes is directly above.