Alberta OHV rules before you ride public land or town streets

Most OHV tickets come from things riders didn't know applied to them: no plate, a missing spark arrestor, a teenager riding alone, or a quick run down the ditch to the trailhead. Here's what Alberta and two of our northern towns actually require.

The provincial checklist for public land

The Government of Alberta's motorized recreation page lists what every OHV needs off-road:

Requirement	What it means in practice
Registration and insurance	Carry proof. Out-of-province riders follow their home rules, but Alberta's apply once they've been here more than 30 days in a row.
Licence plate	Attached where it can be seen.
Head and tail lights	Working. Alberta also asks you to ride with the headlight on.
Muffler and spark arrestor	No changes that make the machine louder.
Helmet	Must meet one of the approved standards on public land, Crown land and road rights-of-way.
Young riders	An adult must closely supervise anyone under 14. Follow the manufacturer's minimum age and passenger limits too.

Helmet exemptions are narrower than people think

Alberta's helmet law page lists the exemptions:

• your own property, or private property with the owner's permission
• First Nations reserve or Métis Settlement land
• exempt farm and ranch work
• Sikh riders who wear a turban
• vehicles with factory rollover protection and seat belts that are unmodified and being worn

If your side-by-side's roll cage has been modified, or you aren't buckled in, the exemption doesn't apply.

Roads and ditches

An OHV can't use a highway, road or ditch unless the province has given written permission or a municipal bylaw allows it. The only provincial order lets four-wheel ATVs use three-digit highways in daylight for farming or emergencies. Everything else comes down to the local bylaw.

Water, wetlands and leased land

• Keep wheels out of streams, lakes and wetlands, and off their beds and shores, unless you're on a designated crossing.
• Stay off private and leased land unless you have permission. Contact the leaseholder first.
• According to Know before you go, cutlines are not necessarily approved trails, and you should steer clear of pipelines.

High Level town rules (Bylaw 943-13)

• Season. No OHVs in town from April 1 to November 15. From November 16 to March 31, no riding between 10 pm and 7 am.
• Who can ride. A valid driver's licence or learner's permit is required on highways, and no one under 14 may operate an OHV in a public place.
• Speed. 20 km/h in alleys and 30 km/h on highways.
• Gear. Insurance, registration and a CSA-approved helmet are required. Anything you tow needs a hitch that keeps it tracking behind you.

Read the full Bylaw 943-13.

Whitecourt town rules (Traffic Bylaw 1573)

• Season. December 1 to March 31, between 7 am and 10 pm.
• Speed and route. Up to 20 km/h. Take the most direct route from where you store the machine to a designated trail.
• Off limits. Highway 43, Highway 32, Dahl Drive and Festival Park.
• Paperwork and gear. Carry registration and insurance. Drivers and passengers wear helmets, and riders under 14 need adult instruction.

Read the Town of Whitecourt OHV sheet, which also points to the town's OHV map.

Grande Prairie County, Mackenzie County and other municipalities have their own bylaws. We list where to find them on Where to ride in northern Alberta. If you're riding a road allowance outside town, call the county first.

The legal text

The rules above summarize the Traffic Safety Act, the Off-highway Vehicle Regulation and the town bylaws. If you need the exact wording, go to the source.