The Vehicles That are Banned from Arizona State Roads

In the rural area where I live, it's not uncommon to see people traveling on a wide variety of transportation. I've picked my kids up from school and seen people arrive on all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles, and even horses.

Even though people who live outside Arizona might imagine we all ride horses here, I know the creative choices aren't typical. Next to our rural roads, we have a fairly well-traveled trail of dirt that follows the roadway, so using one of these modes of transportation is a little more practical than in downtown Phoenix or Tucson.

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Arizona: These Modes of Transportation Are Not Allowed on Major Roadways

In rural areas, there are trails and other ways to get around, but you won't get away with driving certain vehicles on major roads in our state.

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In Arizona, certain vehicles can't register with the DMV, and that means they're also prohibited on public roads. Safety concerns and environmental regulations are two of the reasons vehicles on this list are not allowed on roads. But in some cases, the intended use is a showstopper.

Vehicles You're Not Allowed to Drive on Roads in Arizona

• Farm Tractors: These are designed for agricultural use and are not meant for highway travel.
• Road Rollers & Road Machinery: This includes power sweepers and other construction equipment. They're allowed to be used on highways temporarily while a road is being improved or repaired, but you can't drive them on the roads otherwise.

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• Mining Equipment: Motorized or nonmotorized equipment used primarily for mining operations cannot be operated as a vehicle on the road.
• Golf Carts: You can drive your golf cart to the golf course in some places, but you're not allowed to take it on the highway or on regular roads.

• Off-Road Vehicles & ATVs: In Arizona, you can only operate most off-road vehicles and ATVs on dirt roads in unincorporated areas. You're not allowed to drive them on paved public roads.
• Wheeled Equipment: How weird would it be to see someone driving their forklift to the grocery store? They're not allowed on Arizona roads, and neither are portable cement mixers, tar pots, or other construction-related machinery.

Why ATVs and Other Vehicles Are Prohibited on Arizona Roads

There are a lot of reasons these vehicles are prohibited from Arizona roads and can't be registered with the MVD.

They're just not designed to be operated safely on public roads because they lack necessary safety features, or serve specialized purposes, and they don't align with standard vehicle regulations.

If you're not sure if your special vehicle can be registered at the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division, check out Arizona's vehicle registration laws.

Sources: Arizona Revised Statutes