Off-Road CO 2026: How to Make Your UTV, ATV, or Dirt Bike Street Legal

You just bought a brand-new UTV, dirt bike, or ATV. It’s sitting in your garage, gleaming, smelling like race gas and fresh rubber. You’ve got the keys in your hand and a piece of paper the dealer handed you called the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO) or off-road CO.

You walk into your local DMV, slap that CO on the counter, and ask for a license plate. The clerk looks at the paper, points to four tiny words stamped on the back—“FOR OFF-ROAD USE ONLY”—and laughs you out of the building.

Welcome to the bureaucratic nightmare of off-road vehicle registration.

Most riders don’t realize that the piece of paper you get when you buy a new rig isn’t a title—it’s a birth certificate. And depending on what state you live in, turning that birth certificate into a license plate can be harder than explaining cryptocurrency to your grandmother.

At Zero Tax Tags, we specialize in cutting through the red tape. We take that “Off-Road” CO and turn it into a street-legal title and tag, legally and efficiently. Here is everything you need to know about the difference between off-road and street COs, the California sticker nightmare, and how to get your rig on the road.

↑ Back to contents

The CO Lowdown: Off-Road vs. Street CO Differences

The Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO/CO) is the document that transfers ownership from the manufacturer to the dealer, and then to you. It contains the DNA of your vehicle: the VIN, the engine number, the horsepower, and the vehicle class.

The Street Legal CO

If you buy a Honda Civic or a Harley Davidson, the CO comes with a 17-digit VIN that is registered in the NHTSA database as a “motor vehicle.” It certifies that the vehicle meets all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and EPA emissions regulations for highway use. When the DMV scans this, their computer says, “Green light. Give this man a plate.”

The Off-Road CO

If you buy a Polaris RZR, a Yamaha YZ450F, or a Can-Am Maverick, the CO looks similar, but it carries a “poison pill.” Somewhere on that document, the manufacturer has printed a disclaimer stating the vehicle is not manufactured for use on public highways.

Why? Because it lacks:

• DOT Safety Equipment: Airbags, crumple zones, specific glass, etc.
• EPA Highway Emissions Certification: It may meet off-road emissions standards, but not the stricter highway standards.

When a standard DMV sees an off-road CO, they will only issue you an OHV Title (or just a registration sticker in some states). They will explicitly deny you a license plate.

↑ Back to contents

The California Nightmare: Red vs. Green Stickers

If you are trying to transfer a CO in California, you are playing a completely different game. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has the strictest emissions standards on the planet.

When you take your dirt bike or ATV CO to the California DMV, they check the VIN against the CARB database. This determines the color of the sticker you get, which dictates when and where you can ride.

The Green Sticker

What it means: Your vehicle meets California’s off-highway emissions standards.

The Privilege: You can ride year-round in all designated OHV areas.

The Catch: These bikes are usually choked down, heavier, and slower than their race-bred counterparts.

The Red Sticker

What it means: Your vehicle does not meet emissions standards. These are your high-performance, two-stroke, or closed-course competition bikes.

The Restriction: You are banned from riding in many state recreational areas during “peak season” (usually summer months when ozone levels are high). You effectively own a seasonal vehicle.

The “No Sticker” (2022+ Rules)

As of 2022, California stopped issuing Red Stickers for new model years. If you buy a 2022+ competition bike (like a pure motocross bike), you cannot register it for public trail use at all. It is relegated to private property and closed-course motocross tracks only.

Real Scenario: A buyer in Sacramento purchases a new 2024 KTM two-stroke. He takes the CO to the DMV expecting a sticker. The DMV tells him the VIN indicates “competition only” and refuses to issue even an OHV sticker. He now owns a $10,000 bike he can’t legally ride on public land.

Don’t let California park your ride. We have solutions that bypass the CARB sticker drama entirely.

↑ Back to contents

State OHV Registration vs. Street Registration

There is a massive difference between “registering” your vehicle and getting it “street legal.”

OHV Registration

• What you get: A sticker for your fork or bumper.
• Where you can go: Designated OHV parks and trails only.
• The Limitation: You cannot drive on the road to get gas. You cannot connect two trails via a county road. You definitely cannot drive to work.

Street Registration (Plates)

• What you get: A metal license plate and a title that says “Motorcycle” or “Quadricycle.”
• Where you can go: Public roads, highways (depending on the vehicle), and drive-thrus.
• The Freedom: You unlock the ability to traverse different trail systems without loading the bike back onto a trailer.

Transferring a CO for OHV registration is usually easy (unless you’re in CA). Transferring a CO for Street Registration requires a specialized process.

↑ Back to contents

How to Make an Off-Road CO Street Legal

So, you have the “off-road CO.” How do you get the plate?

The Hard Way (Your Home State)

In states like Colorado, Texas, or New York, you might try to convert it. This usually involves:

1. Installing a street legal kit (turn signals, horn, mirrors, light).
2. Taking the vehicle to the State Police for a physical inspection.
3. Filling out an “Affidavit of Conversion.”
4. Praying the clerk doesn’t see the EPA emissions label that says “Off-Road.”

In many states, this path is now closed. They will see the CO, see the VIN, and deny you instantly.

The Smart Way (Out-of-State Registration)

This is where Zero Tax Tags comes in. We utilize states like Montana and South Dakota that have more freedom-loving laws regarding off-road vehicles.

These states allow you to take an off-road CO and register the vehicle as street legal, provided you meet basic equipment requirements (lights, mirror, horn).

• We handle the paperwork.
• We deal with the DMV.
• We send you the license plate, registration, and title.

You don’t need to live in Montana to register your vehicle there. You just need the right setup (which we provide).

↑ Back to contents

EPA/DOT Compliance Issues

This is the elephant in the room. Why do local DMVs hate UTVs?

The EPA: The Environmental Protection Agency classifies vehicles based on emissions. Off-road vehicles can pollute more than street cars.

The DOT: The Department of Transportation requires crash testing and safety features.

When you try to transfer a CO in a strict state, the computer system often flags the VIN as non-compliant with EPA/DOT highway standards. Even if you put blinkers on it, the engine is technically not certified for the highway.

However, states like Montana have reciprocity laws and specific vehicle categories (like “Quadricycle”) that allow these vehicles to be plated despite their federal classification. By registering through us, you are leveraging state sovereignty laws that permit these vehicles on the road.

↑ Back to contents

The Montana LLC for OHVs: The Golden Loophole

You’ve probably heard of the “Montana LLC.” It’s not a myth; it’s a legitimate legal structure used by savvy vehicle owners for decades.

How it Works

1. We form an LLC (Limited Liability Company) in Montana. You are the owner of this company.
2. Your vehicle is sold to the LLC. You transfer the CO from your name to your LLC.
3. The LLC registers the vehicle. Since the LLC is a resident of Montana, the vehicle is registered in Montana.
4. You get the plates. Since you own the LLC, you legally possess and operate the vehicle.

The Benefits

• Zero Sales Tax: Montana has 0% sales tax on vehicles. If you bought a $30,000 Polaris RZR, you just saved roughly $2,000 to $3,000 in taxes.
• Permanent Plates: For older vehicles, Montana offers permanent registration. Pay once, never pay again.
• Street Legal Status: Montana will issue a street-legal title and plate for UTVs, dirt bikes, and ATVs that other states would ban.

↑ Back to contents

Trail Permits vs. License Plates

Why bother with the plate if you only ride trails?

Reciprocity.

Most states have “reciprocity” with other states regarding vehicle registration. If your vehicle is street legal in Montana, it is generally allowed to be driven on roads in other states (subject to local laws regarding highway speeds and equipment).

However, Trail Permits rarely have reciprocity.

• If you have a Colorado OHV sticker, it doesn’t mean you can ride trails in Utah or Wyoming. You often have to buy a new permit for every state you visit.
• If you have a Montana License Plate, you are a street-legal vehicle. You can often access public lands and roads without buying extra permits (though you should always check specific park rules).

A license plate turns your toy into a vehicle. A trail permit keeps it a toy.

↑ Back to contents

Common Dealer Mistakes with OHV COs

Dealers are great at selling machines, but they are often terrible at paperwork—especially when selling across state lines.

Real Scenario: The 49-State UTV in a CARB State

The Situation: A buyer in California finds a great deal on a UTV in Nevada. The Nevada dealer sells him a “49-State Legal” vehicle.

The Problem: The dealer hands over the CO. The buyer goes to the CA DMV. The DMV sees the emissions code on the CO is not CARB compliant.

The Result: The buyer cannot register the vehicle in California at all. Not even for a Red Sticker. The dealer already cashed the check and shrugs.

The Fix: The buyer calls Zero Tax Tags. We register the vehicle in Montana. The vehicle gets a license plate. The buyer can now drive his UTV.

Real Scenario: Buyer Wants Plates on an Off-Road CO

The Situation: A buyer purchases a Honda CRF450RL (which is street legal) but the dealer accidentally gives him the CO for a CRF450R (the race version).

The Problem: The dealer ticked the wrong box or handed over the wrong paper. The standard DMV sees “Off-Road Use Only.”

The Result: Registration denied.

The Fix: We can often correct these issues through title recovery services or simply register it through a friendly state that doesn’t care about the clerical error.

See how we help with other MCO/CO transfer issues:

• How to Transfer a Certificate of Origin (Step-by-Step Legal Guide 2026)
• Dealer Never Titled It 2026: What to Do When You’re Stuck With an MCO
• Out-of-State Purchase Using CO 2026: The Cross-Border Paperwork Minefield

↑ Back to contents

Conclusion: Freedom is a Choice

The Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin shouldn’t be a death sentence for your street-legal dreams. It’s just a piece of paper. The problem isn’t the bike; the problem is the jurisdiction where you are trying to register it.

You have a choice. You can fight with your local DMV, get inspected, get rejected, and end up with a vehicle you can only ride three months out of the year. Or, you can outsource the headache to us.

At Zero Tax Tags, we believe you should be able to ride your rig where you want, when you want. We handle the LLC formation, the CO transfer, and the DMV registration. You just wait for the FedEx truck to drop off your plates.

Ready to ride? Let’s get that rig plated.