Wishing you could ride your ATV to the trail? That would require that you could legally ride off-road vehicles on paved streets. In this post we’ll answer the question: are ATVs street legal in Canada, so you can make wise decisions with your machine.
The simplest answer is no, unless a road specifically allows ATV access or you are riding on private property. The more complicated answer is that different municipalities and provinces have their own rules.
If you are riding on private property, the only requirement is that the rider is 12 years old or more.
Every municipality and province in Canada will require you to register and insure your ATV before riding it on the road. You will also be required to have a valid driver’s license.
If you need to cross a public street while riding legally in or near an ATV park, you may be able to legally cross the street if your ATV is registered and insured and you are crossing safely. You should check the laws in your municipality before doing this to be sure this is true in the area you are riding and there aren’t additional requirements.
ATVs will only be street legal in Alberta if the individual municipality allows it or you are riding in a public park. If the municipality allows, you can ride on virtually road, but you may have to reduce your speed. Helmets are not required in Alberta.
British Columbia requires that ATVs be registered and insured even if you are riding on private property. You may be allowed to legally ride your ATV on public roads near designated ATV trails. Helmets are required.
You cannot ride your ATV on any highway, pathway, or residential street, but if it is both registered and insured and you have a valid driver’s license, helmet, and goggles, you can ride it beside many highways and roads. There are no legal restrictions on riding on private land.
You may legally ride your ATV on some roads that have been deemed safe for ATVs and those that are coded as QuadNB, if you are a member of a QuadNB club and bear the proper documentation.
In Newfoundland, ATVs are only legally able to cross public roads if the individual road has been deemed safe for ATVs. Children under 16 years old are not allowed to ride ATVs with engines more powerful than 90cc.
ATVs must be registered and insured even on private property. The only time they may be allowed on public roads is if the road has been designated safe for ATVs and you have purchased a use permit that costs C$75 or US$59.
Some municipalities allow ATVs to ride on certain public roads. On others, you may be allowed to ride on the side if you ride at a slower speed. Every other road is illegal for ATVs to ride on. Helmets are required when riding anywhere in Ontario.
A valid driver’s license and passing a OHV safety course are required to legally ride on public roads in Prince Edward Island. Children under 14 are also not allowed to ride ATVs.
In Quebec, you can only cross public roads, not ride on them, and you can only do that if you have a valid license for trail riding. Children younger than 16 are not allowed to ride ATVs.
You can legally ride an ATV on some public roads if you have a valid driver’s license and have registered and insured the ATV. Helmets and goggles are required even on private property and trails.
Whether you live in a neighboring US state like Vermont and are planning an ATV vacation or live in Toronto and want to make traveling to your favorite trail as easy as possible, it is important to educate yourself about laws impacting your chosen destination and the area around it for traveling to be sure your trip is unhindered.
Don’t rely 100% on anything you read online about ATV laws. Posts such as this are intended to give you an idea of what to expect. Because laws are subject to change, you should always check them before acting on them. Even after you have first determined they are accurate, it’s also a good idea to recheck them on a regular basis to be you aren’t acting on old information.
