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Side-by-sides are street legal in Ohio after they pass the required inspection to obtain a title and registration. Some alterations might need to be made to pass this inspection.

Ohio’s Street Legal Side-by-Side Laws:

When you’re driving your side-by-side around town, you do not want to run the risk of being pulled over by the police and getting fined and ticketed.

You must understand Ohio’s laws for side-by-sides. The laws are different for each state, so you shouldn’t assume that the same rules will apply if you have just moved from somewhere else.

Requirements for obtaining a street legal side-by-side:

• Have at least one headlight. The headlight should have enough brightness to illuminate any person or object in front of your vehicle within at least one hundred feet. This range should work during the hours of the night, or during times of poor lighting and visibility (such as rain and fog).

• Have at least one red tail light. This tail light should have enough brightness to be seen within five hundred feet behind the vehicle. This is so those driving on the road around you will be able to spot your side-by-side. This will help increase your safety and the safety of other drivers around you.

• Have a muffler system. This muffler system needs to be able to preclude the emission of smoke or exhaust fumes. It should also limit the engine’s noise.

You will need each of these items to obtain a street legal side-by-side. Without any one of these items, you may risk the safety of everyone on the road.

It would be so nice if your side-by-side could be used everywhere. However, the unfortunate truth is that there are some prohibitions on where you can drive it.

Just because your side by side is street legal, that does not mean that you are completely free to roam anywhere you want.

Some of the prohibitions on your street legal side by side in Ohio are:

• No use on limited access highways or freeways. This rule is exempt for any emergency purpose. The director of public safety can give you the ability for emergency traveling purposes.

• No operation on private property. This rule is not applicable if you have permission from the property owner.

• No operation on land or waters controlled by the state. If you are able to, there will be signs stating your allowance. However, without that, assume that you are not permitted access to the state’s land.

• No operation on tracks of any operating railroad. You will not want to ride your side-by-side through any tracks anyway. However, the law also states that you cannot.

• No operation between sunset to sunrise without lights on. To have a street legal side-by-side, you will need to follow the rules of the road. If it is dark outside, you will need and want your lights on.
• No side-by-sides (or vehicles of ANY kind) are permitted on the grass in ANY Village Park.

Another thing to be aware of while you are driving a side-by-side in Ohio is the age law. You may not drive the side-by-side if you are younger than 16 years old unless you are driving on private land and have supervision from an adult (18+).

Obtaining a Street Legal Side-by-Side:

Although there are so many places in Ohio where you will not have to worry about having a street legal side-by-side, it is still a good idea to have one. Getting yourself certified early can prevent problems in the future.

Before you can obtain a certificate of title and registration, you will need your side-by-side to be inspected by the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.

The process will be fairly easy if you are prepared with what they need. To pass your inspection, be sure that you have these things:

• Adequate brakes and braking system.

• Properly working brake lights, head lights, tail lights, and turn signals.

• Properly working steering mechanism.

• A windshield.

• A rear view mirror.

• Appropriate tires that are free from major bumps, bulges, breaks, or any conditions that could cause unsafe conditions.

If you side by side includes all of these elements, then you should easily be able to have a street legal side-by-side.

Along with all the things that your side-by-side will need, you will also need to have a few things on hand when walking into the office after inspection. Make sure that you bring along with you these things:

• A completed inspection from local law enforcement.

• Application for certificate of title to a motor vehicle form.

• Proof of ownership (this can be manufacture certificate of origin, assigned title from this state, bill of sale from retail business, etc.)

• Sales tax on purchase price.

• Payment for title fees, including a lien holder notation.

With all of these things, you should easily be able to obtain title and registration. It may not happen very quickly, but all good things take time!

Exceptions for the Agricultural Use Value Program:

Because of the number of farmers in Ohio, there is a law titled the Current Agricultural Use Value or CAUV. This is for property tax purposes. It is exclusive to commercial agriculture.

This relates to your street legal side-by-side in Ohio, because that is not a concern under this law. With this law, you will not need registration or a license to drive your side by side on the street.

As long as you are using you side by side for agricultural purposes, you will not need to obtain a street legal side-by-side through the normal process.

However, there are a few things you will need to require for this program. In order to obtain a street legal side-by-side under this law, you must meet one or more of these requirements during the 3 years preceding your application.

• Have ten or more acres devoted exclusively to commercial agricultural use.

• Have under ten acres devoted exclusively to commercial agricultural use, but produce an average yearly gross income of at least $2,500.

If you meet any of these requirements, then you will be able to ride your side-by-side street legally without your title and registration.

Again, just because your side-by-side is street legal, that does not mean that you are completely free to roam anywhere you want. You must understand local laws due to the legislative branch having the authority/choice to ultimately decide when and where the side-by-side can be used.

The Village of Jacksonville has been hard at work seeking grant funding.

Grant awards received by the Village for 2024 include:

• The Athens County Commissioner’s purchased and donated a new brush truck to the Jacksonville Fire Department valued at $98,285.
• The Village of Jacksonville was awarded a grant through the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) for paving on Red Dog Road, High Street, Palmer Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets, and South Eighth Street. The total award from OPWC is $249,999. Paving is anticipated to begin Spring 2025.
• The Jacksonville Public Service Department was awarded $9,316 for an H2Ohio grant through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to purchase leak detection equipment.
• The Village of Jacksonville was awarded $14,280 for new slip resistant flooring, a floor scrubbing machine and a backpack vacuum for the Municipal Building through the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation Safety Intervention Grant.
• The Village was awarded $750,000 for a Neighborhood Revitalization Grant (NRG) and an additional $100,000 in Community Development Block Grant County Allocation funding through the Ohio Department of Development and Athens County Commissioners. Residents may recall completing an income survey or a project survey for the NRG in May 2024. This project will include sidewalks on Sixth and Palmer Streets, storm drain repairs and improvements, a new park restroom facility, a new park shelter house, concrete trails in the park, padding around park playground equipment, paving, curb and drainage improvements on Sixth Street and North Seventh Street, and an additional park fountain.
• The Jacksonville Public Service Department was awarded a $1,000 PEP+ Grant for safety equipment for the department.

The Village has multiple additional applications currently underway and will update this post as awards are announced