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Department of Safety preview: bill to consolidate ATV/UTV rules would allow off-highway vehicles on roads with speed limits up to 45 mph
Summary
Department of Safety staff told the House Transportation Committee that a proposed bill (house bill 810) would create a uniform "utility terrain vehicle" category, allow those vehicles on county and state roads posted at 45 mph or lower, cap their on-road speed at 35 mph, and retain existing helmet, age and registration requirements.
Department of Safety legislative staff briefed the House Transportation Committee on a bill to consolidate Tennessee’s patchwork of off-highway vehicle laws and create a single "utility terrain vehicle" class to cover ATVs, side-by-sides and similar vehicles.
Elizabeth Stroker, legislative director for the Department of Safety, told members the measure (identified for the committee as House Bill 810) is intended to make statewide rules consistent so local one- and two-mile exemptions are no longer needed. "It creates a what is called a utility terrain vehicle, which will encapsulate your 4 wheelers, side by sides, off high highway vehicles," Stroker said. She said the bill would allow those vehicles to operate on county and state roads that do not have a posted speed limit in excess of 45 miles per hour, and would limit the vehicles to 35 miles per hour on roads where they are allowed.
Stroker said the bill keeps existing requirements: operators must be at least 16 years old, may not operate on a permit, must carry insurance and registration, and must wear helmets unless the vehicle type is exempt. Exceptions for park or farm vehicles remain in place, and the department said the penalty structure would remain a class C misdemeanor with a fine only (the department recited the current fine amount as $50).
Why it matters: Committee members have requested consolidation because Tennessee’s current patchwork of local allowances and spot approvals has created inconsistent rules across counties. Department staff said the change is intended to make the rules uniform statewide while preserving existing exceptions and safety requirements.
What the committee was told: Stroker and other department staff said the bill aims to remove the annual need for piecemeal local approvals by setting a statewide standard. The committee did not vote on the bill in this hearing; staff advised members the bill would be on the committee’s agenda in the upcoming week for formal consideration.
Implementation and open questions: The department said it will keep helmet, registration, insurance and minimum-age requirements. It also said it would not expand additional restrictions beyond those already in law. The committee did not discuss specific enforcement-resource impacts, local signage needs, or whether individual counties would be required to modify local ordinances to match the statewide standard.
Attribution: Quotes and explanation in this article are taken from the committee hearing and from statements by Elizabeth Stroker and Department of Safety staff recorded on the Feb. 18 meeting transcript.
