Arizona Dirt Bike Laws: OHV Decal, Equipment, and Where to Ride

Arizona dirt bike laws require every off-highway vehicle ridden on public or state trust land to carry a valid Arizona OHV decal, meet a set of equipment standards, and be operated by a rider who follows age, sobriety, and route restrictions. The rules apply the same whether you’re on a desert trail outside Phoenix or a forest route near Flagstaff, and the penalties range from civil fines for equipment slips to a class 2 misdemeanor for careless or impaired riding.

The OHV Decal Every Rider Needs

Any off-highway vehicle designed primarily for unimproved terrain and weighing 2,500 pounds or less unladen must display a valid Arizona OHV decal before operating on public or state trust land.¹ The decal costs $25 per year and is available through the Motor Vehicle Division or the Arizona Game and Fish Department.² It’s valid for one year from the date of issuance, and it goes in the upper left corner of the bike so law enforcement can see it. You’ll need a VIN and proof of ownership to apply.

One trap for out-of-state riders: Arizona no longer accepts OHV decals issued by other states. Non-residents have to buy an Arizona non-resident OHV decal before riding on public land here.³

Since January 2025, at least one owner listed on the registration must complete a free basic educational course from Arizona Game and Fish before buying or renewing a decal. The requirement runs through June 1, 2027.⁴

A boundary worth knowing: none of this applies on private land with the owner’s permission, or on tribal land with the tribal government’s permission. Decal, equipment, and operation rules under Article 20 only kick in once you leave those properties for public trails or state trust land.⁵

Equipment Your Bike Must Have

Every dirt bike ridden off-road on public land in Arizona has to meet the equipment standards in ARS 28-1179:

A braking system adequate to stop and hold the vehicle under normal conditions.⁶
A muffler or noise-reduction device keeping sound below 96 decibels.
A USDA-approved spark arrestor in constant operation, meant to reduce wildfire risk in Arizona’s arid climate.
Headlights and taillights meeting or exceeding manufacturer guidelines, required from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise.

Arizona State Parks adds that an OHV needs a brake light and at least one red rear reflector if the taillight doesn’t reflect on its own.⁷ The muffler and spark arrestor rules are waived on a closed course such as a sanctioned race track. Brakes and lighting rules apply everywhere.

Helmet and Eye Protection

Riders and passengers under 18 must wear a properly fitted, securely fastened DOT-approved helmet.⁸ Riders 18 and older are not required by state law to wear one, though Arizona Game and Fish strongly recommends it.⁷

Eye protection is mandatory for every rider regardless of age. That means protective glasses, goggles, or a transparent face shield approved by the director of the Arizona Department of Transportation. The one exception is a bike with a protective windshield, which most dirt bikes don’t have.⁸

Age and Driver’s License Rules

Arizona doesn’t set a blanket minimum age for riding off-road, but riders under 12 face real limits. A child under 12 may only operate an OHV on roads, trails, routes, or areas officially designated as open by a federal agency, the state, or a local government.⁹ Riding off designated routes, on closed trails, or in a way that damages wildlife habitat, riparian areas, or natural resources is specifically prohibited for that age group. Arizona Game and Fish recommends supervising all children under 16 and matching each child to an age-appropriate bike.⁴

No driver’s license is needed when you ride exclusively on routes designated for OHV use. Arizona requires a valid license to operate any motor vehicle on a highway, but the statute specifically excludes designated OHV routes from the definition of “highway.”¹⁰ The moment you ride onto a maintained public road, you need one. That transition is where riders get cited most often, because trails and paved connectors run into each other and officers watch those crossing points.

Where You Can Legally Ride

State trust land requires a separate recreational permit from the Arizona State Land Department, on top of your OHV decal. Individual permits cost $15 per year and family permits (two adults and children under 18) cost $20 per year.¹¹ Both documents have to be current for you to ride there legally.

On federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, routes are designated as open, closed, or restricted, and you have to stay on the ones marked open. Cross-country travel off established trails is prohibited to protect native vegetation, soil crusts, and wildlife habitat.

Designated wilderness areas are entirely off-limits to motorized vehicles under the Wilderness Act. Arizona has dozens of them inside national forests and BLM land, and boundaries aren’t always obvious from the trail. Check the managing agency’s maps before you head out, because riding into a wilderness area can bring a federal citation.

Impaired and Careless Operation

ARS 28-1174 makes it illegal to operate an off-highway vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, and this rule is separate from the standard DUI statute that applies on highways.⁹ The same statute prohibits careless operation that endangers people or property, and any riding that damages riparian areas, wildlife habitat, cultural resources, roads, trails, fences, water sources, or other facilities. OHVs are also subject to Arizona’s open container law, so you cannot possess an open container of alcohol while operating one on any public highway or right-of-way.

A violation of these operation rules is a class 2 misdemeanor, which under Arizona sentencing can carry up to four months in jail and a fine. Equipment and decal violations are handled as civil traffic matters under ARS 28-1181, meaning fines rather than criminal charges in most cases, though repeated violations can escalate. Rangers and local deputies patrol popular riding areas and issue citations on the spot for missing decals, equipment problems, or riding on closed trails.

Riding on the Street

If you want to take your dirt bike on public roads, you’ll need to convert it to meet highway equipment standards and register it as a motor vehicle. When you pay for a resident OHV decal, you can request motor vehicle registration at the same time, as long as the bike meets all highway equipment requirements.¹

Under ARS 28-964, every motorcycle and ATV on the road needs a rearview mirror, a seat and footrests for the operator, and seat and footrests for any passenger.⁸ Arizona Game and Fish adds a brake light, headlights and taillights visible from 500 feet, at least one red rear reflector, and a securely fastened license plate.³

You’ll also need liability insurance. Arizona’s minimum coverage is 25/50/15: $25,000 for one person’s bodily injury, $50,000 for bodily injury to two or more people in a single accident, and $15,000 for property damage.¹² The policy has to be an Arizona policy tied to an Arizona registration, and the bike must be garaged in the state.³ Once you’re registered and insured, the bike is treated like any other vehicle on the road: traffic signals, right-of-way, and posted speed limits all apply.

1
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-1177 – Off-Highway Vehicle User Fee; Indicia; Registration; State Trust Land Recreational Permit; Exception
2
Arizona Department of Transportation. Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) and Boating Registration
3
Arizona Game & Fish Department. OHV Decals
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Arizona Game & Fish Department. Get Keys to OHV for Holidays? A Few Reminders
5
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes – Title 28 – Section 28-1172
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Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-1179 – Off-Highway Vehicle Equipment Requirements; Rule Making; Exception
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Arizona State Parks. OHV Laws and Regulations
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Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-964 – Motorcycles; All-Terrain Vehicles; Motor Driven Cycles; Equipment; Exception; Citations; Civil Penalty; Community Restitution
9
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-1174 – Operation Restrictions; Violation; Classification; Citation
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Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-3151 – Driver License Requirement; Definition
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Arizona State Land Department. Applications & Permits
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Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions. Automobile Insurance