Minimum Age to Ride an ATV by State

Engine-size limits by age

A handful of states cap engine displacement by rider age — typically 70cc for the youngest tier, 90cc for the next. Below: every state with such a tier codified.

Kentucky (KY)

Up to age 11

engine ≤ 70cc

Up to age 15

engine ≤ 90cc

New Hampshire (NH)

Up to age 11

engine ≤ 95cc

New Jersey (NJ)

Up to age 15

engine ≤ 90cc

North Carolina (NC)

Up to age 11

engine ≤ 70cc

Up to age 15

engine ≤ 90cc

Texas (TX)

Up to age 11

engine ≤ 70cc

Up to age 15

engine ≤ 90cc

Virginia (VA)

Up to age 11

engine ≤ 70cc

Up to age 15

engine ≤ 90cc

Common questions

Minimum age to ride an ATV — frequently asked

Short answers to the questions parents and riders ask most about age, supervision, and engine-size rules. Each state’s exact citation is in the matrix above.

• What is the minimum age to ride an ATV?+

  There is no single federal minimum — each state sets its own threshold. Unsupervised public-land operation generally falls between ages 10 and 16 across the 50 states, and many states define a separate, lower supervised-minor age that lets a child ride on public OHV land if an adult is present. A handful of states (notably Alabama, Alaska, and Mississippi) do not codify any minimum operating age in statute, leaving the call to the parent. The matrix above lists each state's exact unsupervised threshold, supervised-minor age, and the operative code citation.
• Can a child ride an ATV under parental supervision in any state?+

  Most states allow a minor to operate an ATV at a younger age if an accompanying adult is present, but the supervision requirement varies — some states require visual contact, others require the adult to be within a stated distance, and a few require the adult to be on a separate machine. The minimum supervised-minor age and the specific supervision standard appear in each state's per-state detail row.
• Do states require a safety course for young riders?+

  Roughly half of the 50 states require a state-approved ATV safety course for minor operators on public land — typically the ASI ATV RiderCourse or a DNR-administered equivalent. A smaller subset require the same course for any operator born after a cutoff year. The matrix flags every state with a safety-course requirement and links to the operative rule.
• Are engine-size limits tied to a rider's age?+

  Several states cap engine displacement by rider age — typically 70cc for the youngest tier and 90cc for the next, occasionally a 110cc upper tier for older minors. The engine-size limits block above lists every state that codifies such a tier; states without a tier do not statutorily restrict engine size by age (though parents and dealers are still expected to apply judgment).
• Do the age and supervision rules apply on private land?+

  Many states write the minimum-age and safety-course requirements specifically into the public-land OHV statute, with an explicit private-land carveout that exempts a landowner's family riding on the owner's own property. The carveout is not universal — a few states apply the same age rule everywhere. The per-state note flags whether a private-land carveout applies in that state.
• Does the state minimum age also apply to UTVs and side-by-sides?+

  Most state OHV codes treat UTVs / side-by-sides under the same age, supervision, and safety-course rules as ATVs because both fall inside the state's umbrella OHV definition. A small number of states draw a distinction — for example, a higher minimum age for a UTV operator with a passenger, or a separate seat-belt-and-roll-cage requirement that interacts with passenger age. The per-state notes call out any state that splits the two.

Per-state notes & sources

Alabama(AL)

State statute does not set a minimum operating age. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Alaska(AK)

State statute does not set a minimum operating age.

Sources:[1][2]

Arizona(AZ)

State statute does not set a minimum operating age. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators.

Sources:[1][2]

Arkansas(AR)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 12. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

California(CA)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 18. Minors as young as 14 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators.

Sources:[1][2]

Colorado(CO)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 10 may ride with direct adult supervision.

Sources:[1][2]

Connecticut(CT)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 12 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2][3]

Delaware(DE)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 12.

Sources:[1][2][3]

Florida(FL)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Georgia(GA)

State statute does not set a minimum operating age. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Hawaii(HI)

State statute does not set a minimum operating age.

Sources:[1][2]

Idaho(ID)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators.

Sources:[1][2]

Illinois(IL)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Indiana(IN)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 14.

Sources:[1][2]

Iowa(IA)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 18. Minors as young as 12 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators.

Sources:[1][2]

Kansas(KS)

State statute does not set a minimum operating age. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2][3]

Kentucky(KY)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 6 may ride with direct adult supervision. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use. Engine-size tiers — ≤ age 11: max 70cc; ≤ age 15: max 90cc.

Sources:[1][2]

Louisiana(LA)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 17. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Maine(ME)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 10 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Maryland(MD)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 12 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators.

Sources:[1][2]

Massachusetts(MA)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 14.

Sources:[1][2]

Michigan(MI)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 10 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Minnesota(MN)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 12 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators.

Sources:[1][2]

Mississippi(MS)

State statute does not set a minimum operating age. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Missouri(MO)

State statute does not set a minimum operating age. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Montana(MT)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 12 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Nebraska(NE)

State statute does not set a minimum operating age. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2][3]

Nevada(NV)

State statute does not set a minimum operating age. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

New Hampshire(NH)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 18. Minors as young as 12 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use. Engine-size tiers — ≤ age 11: max 95cc.

Sources:[1][2]

New Jersey(NJ)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 14. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Engine-size tiers — ≤ age 15: max 90cc.

Sources:[1][2]

New Mexico(NM)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 18. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators.

Sources:[1][2]

New York(NY)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 14 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

North Carolina(NC)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 8 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use. Engine-size tiers — ≤ age 11: max 70cc; ≤ age 15: max 90cc.

Sources:[1][2]

North Dakota(ND)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 12 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Ohio(OH)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Oklahoma(OK)

State statute does not set a minimum operating age. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Oregon(OR)

State statute does not set a minimum operating age. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Pennsylvania(PA)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 8 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Rhode Island(RI)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 18. Minors as young as 12 may ride with direct adult supervision. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2][3]

South Carolina(SC)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

South Dakota(SD)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 14. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Tennessee(TN)

State statute does not set a minimum operating age. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Texas(TX)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use. Engine-size tiers — ≤ age 11: max 70cc; ≤ age 15: max 90cc.

Sources:[1][2]

Utah(UT)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 8 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Vermont(VT)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 18. Minors as young as 12 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Virginia(VA)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use. Engine-size tiers — ≤ age 11: max 70cc; ≤ age 15: max 90cc.

Sources:[1][2]

Washington(WA)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 13 may ride with direct adult supervision. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

West Virginia(WV)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 18. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Wisconsin(WI)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 12 may ride with direct adult supervision. A state-approved safety course is required for minor operators. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]

Wyoming(WY)

Minimum age to operate unsupervised on public land: 16. Minors as young as 10 may ride with direct adult supervision. Private-property use is treated more permissively than public-land use.

Sources:[1][2]