Off-roading / Safety & gear

Safety and gear.

These rules apply when you ride on public OHV land or a beach. On your own private land they're recommendations, not law - but still smart.

Short answer

Helmet and eye protection are required

On public OHV land, a beach, or a road where OHV use is legal, every person who operates, rides, or is carried on an OHV must wear a DOT-approved helmet and eye protection (goggles or safety glasses), plus a seat belt if the machine came with one. Exception: a machine with four wheels, bench or bucket seats with seat belts, and a factory roll bar or cage (most side-by-sides) is exempt from the helmet and eye-protection requirement - buckling the seat belt is what the law requires there (Transportation Code Sec. 551A.072). Skipping the required gear is a Class C misdemeanor.

Texas catch: On your own private land these are recommendations, not law - but a helmet and eye protection are always smart.

Official source: Transportation Code Ch. 551A (OHV safety & age rules)

The safety course

The ATV safety certificate

To operate any OHV (ATV, side-by-side, or UTV) on public land or a beach, you must do one of these:

Hold a safety certificate earned through a TDLR-approved hands-on course, such as the ATV RiderCourse.
Be taking the course right then, under a certified instructor.
Be under the direct supervision of an adult who holds a safety certificate.

The program is run by the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation (TDLR), which took it over from DPS in 2020. A certificate from another state counts too.

By law, riders under 14 must be under direct adult supervision. The safety course is not required at private OHV parks - only on public land and beaches. Many private parks ask for a signed waiver instead.

What your machine needs (on public land)

Working brakes.
A headlight and taillight - used from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, and any time visibility is low.
An effective muffler - no cutouts, bypasses, or modified exhaust.
A U.S. Forest Service-qualified spark arrester (a part that keeps the engine from throwing sparks and starting fires) - it can't be removed or modified.
The TPWD OHV decal, mounted on the machine.

Kids & machine size

Texas law only requires that riders under 14 be under direct adult supervision. Beyond that, parks and safety groups use age guidelines to match a rider to the right size machine. These are recommendations, not statute, and parks may set their own:

Ages 6-11: engines under 70cc.
Ages 12-15: 70cc to 90cc.
Age 16 and up: over 90cc.

TPWD publishes these guidelines; some parks use slightly different ages. Putting a young child on an adult-size machine is unsafe and is not allowed at public riding areas. Match the machine to the rider and follow the park's rules.

Operating rules

No reckless or careless riding that endangers people or property.
No passengers unless the machine was built by the maker to carry one (no 'riding double' on a single-rider ATV).
Obey posted speed limits at parks (often 15 mph on access roads).
Drinking and riding: a DWI on an OHV carries the same penalties as in a car.

Keep going

The basics & decal

The decal, titling, and the OHV plate.

Get set up ->

Where you can ride

Public venues, private parks, forests.

Find a place ->

Riding on roads

Usually no - here are the exceptions.

Road rules ->

Off-road hub

Back to the main guide.

Open the hub ->

Official sources

Safety and equipment rules come from the Texas Transportation Code and TPWD; the ATV safety course is run by TDLR using the ATV Safety Institute's RiderCourse.

Data vintage:: Built on the 2025-2026 decal year
Last reviewed:: July 10, 2026

Transportation Code Ch. 551A (OHV safety & age rules)
TPWD Responsible Use of OHVs
TDLR ATV Safety / instructor info - The state ATV safety-course program
ATV Safety Institute (ATV RiderCourse)

Before you act: Engine-size age guidelines are safety recommendations, not statute, and parks may set stricter rules. The official pages are the final word. How to use Texas Porch carefully.

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