All off-highway vehicles must be registered, either as street legal with license plate and registration or as strictly off road, with a California off-highway vehicle sticker. Anza Valley Outlook/Diane Sieker photo
For many, living in the country means wide open spaces and the freedom to roam. It has been a long-standing tradition in many areas to jump on a dirt bike, all-terrain vehicle or other off-road vehicle and go for a ride. But in unincorporated Riverside County, it is important for riders to know the rules regarding off-road play.An off-highway vehicle, or OHV, is defined by Riverside County as a motor vehicle designed to travel over any terrain, meaning a machine capable of cross-country travel “without benefit of a road or trail, on natural terrain.” It includes motorcycles, quads, ATVs, side-by-sides, buggies and three-wheelers, plus four-wheel drive vehicles, Jeeps, trucks, SUVs, etc. OHVs must be registered, either as street legal with a California license plate and registration
