As of Jan. 1 2023, the Utah Off-Highway Vehicle Education Course is now required by all off-highway vehicle operators. Castle Country Radio was able to sit down with Off-Highway Vehicle Program Manager, Chase Pili to get all the details.
It was not only the State of Utah that brought this new requirement to light but other groups as well. “It was not only the state, it was the OHV community that really wanted to get ahead of problems that we were facing within the OHV use in Utah. So a few advocates, and stakeholders, and community members from the OHV groups got a hold of some representatives and they pushed this bill forward,” said Pili. Completion of this “once-in-a-lifetime” course is required in order for individuals to operate an off-highway vehicle or street legal off-highway vehicle in Utah.
The course is made available as of Jan. 1 2023 and will be enforced beginning Feb. 1 2023. Operators under the age of 18 shall possess a youth OHV education certificate in order to operate an OHV on public land, road or trail and this course is $35.00. “Then over 18 would be that new course that we just developed this last year. That would be a free online course, very much mirroring the concept of that Antler Gathering Course that our sister agency Division of Wildlife Resources puts on. The difference on this is its is a once-in-a-lifetime course, it takes roughly 15-30 minutes,” said Pili. Once completed you can download a certificate digitally to your phone or print a certificate to keep inside your off-highway vehicle.
The types of OHV that are required to take the course are as follows:
Type I ATV
Type II UTAH or Side-by-side
Type III OHV
Off-highway motorcycles (OHM)
All street legal off-highway vehicles
The purpose for the course is to bring awareness to operators to Utah’s OHV laws and rules, increase rider safety, promote respectful, sustainable and on-trail OHV operations and promote respect for communities affected by OHV operations.
Individuals can learn more about the required Utah Off-Highway Vehicle Education Course by visiting ohv.utah.gov or call (801)538-RIDE (7433).