What Is an ATV?
The Wisconsin rules and regulations related to off-highway vehicles (OHVs) change frequently and may be different from year to year. To stay current, always review the most recent version of the Wisconsin Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations pamphlet. The most current edition can be found by searching for Off-Highway Vehicle Regulations pamphlet on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website.
According to Wisconsin law, an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) is a commercially designed and manufactured engine-driven device that:
- Has a dry weight of 900 pounds or less and…
- Is 50 inches in width or less and…
- Is equipped with a seat designed to be straddled by the operator and…
- Is designed to travel on three or more low-pressure tires or non-pneumatic tires.
A low-pressure tire is a tire that:
- Has a minimum width of six inches and…
- Is designed to be inflated with an operating pressure not to exceed 20 pounds per square inch as recommended by the manufacturer.
This definition includes a small ATV—an ATV that has four wheels and that has either an engine certified by the manufacturer at not more than 130 cubic centimeters or an equivalent power unit.