#502 – DISPLAY OF OFF-HIGHWAY USE PERMITS

a. When owners or operators of vehicles identified in C.R.S. 33-14.5-112 are required to obtain and display off-highway use permits, such permits shall be displayed as follows:

1. Off-highway use permits shall be permanently affixed to the extreme lower right-hand corner of the windshield of the vehicle in a position where the permit may be observed and identified.

2. Any vehicle without a windshield shall be treated as a special case and the operator of such vehicle shall have on his person or in the vehicle the off-highway use permit and shall, upon demand of any peace officer authorized to enforce this law, produce the off-highway use permit for inspection.

#503 – SAFETY EQUIPMENT

a. Except as provided in section 33-14.5-109 C.R.S., no person shall operate an off-highway vehicle upon public land in this state unless the off-highway vehicle is equipped with a muffler in constant operation and properly maintained.  A muffler is a device consisting of a series of chamber or baffle plates or other mechanical design for the purpose of receiving exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine and is effective in reducing noise.

b. Except as provided in section 33-14.5-109 C.R.S., no person shall operate an off-highway vehicle upon public land in this state unless the off-highway vehicle is equipped with a spark arrestor in good working order which has been approved by the U.S. Forest Service as evidenced by the bona fide permanent marking of “qualified” or “approved” on the spark arrestor.  A spark arrestor is a device which traps or pulverizes exhaust particles as the are expelled from an internal combustion engine exhaust system and is effective in reducing exhaust sparks and protecting against exhaust spark fires.

c. No off-highway vehicle shall be operated upon public lands in this state between the hours of sunset and sunrise unless it is equipped with at least one headlamp having minimum candlepower of sufficient intensity to reveal persons or objects at a distance of at least 100 feet ahead under normal atmospheric conditions.  Such headlamp shall be aimed so that glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of operators in oncoming vehicles when operated on a straight level surface.

d. No off-highway vehicle shall be operated upon public land in this state between the hours of sunset and sunrise unless it is equipped with at least one red tail lamp having a minimum candlepower of sufficient intensity to exhibit a red light plainly visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear under normal atmospheric conditions.

e. Except as provided in section 33-14.5-109 C.R.S., no person shall operate any off-highway vehicle upon public land in this state unless the off-highway vehicle is equipped with a braking system that may be operated by hand or foot, capable of producing deceleration of 14 feet per second on level ground at a speed of 20 miles per hour.  The braking system must be adequate to control the movement of, and to stop and to hold the off-highway vehicle stationary on any grade upon which operated.

#504 – OPERATION OF OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES

a. Where the State, the United States, or any agency thereof, has designated any public street, road, or highway of this state open to off-highway vehicles or where local political subdivisions have authorized by ordinance or resolution the establishment of off-highway vehicle routes to permit the operation of off-highway vehicles on city streets or county roads pursuant to the authority granted in C.R.S. 33-14.5-108(1), or upon public land in this state, no person shall operate an off-highway vehicle while carrying any person or riding in any position that will interfere with the operation or control of an off-highway vehicle or the view of the operator.

b. Where the State, the United States, or any agency thereof, has designated any public street, road, or highway of this state open to off-highway vehicles or where local political subdivisions have authorized by ordinance or resolution the establishment of off-highway vehicle routes to permit the operation of off-highway vehicles on city streets or county roads pursuant to the authority granted in C.R.S. 33-14.5-108(1), no person under the age of ten years may operate an off-highway vehicle on such public street, road, or highway of this state or on such city street or county road.  No person ten years of age or older may operate an off-highway vehicle on such public street, road, or highway of this state or on such city street or county road unless:

1. The person has in his possession a valid driver’s license issued by the State of Colorado or another state; or

2. The person is accompanied by and under the immediate supervision of a person who has in his possession a valid driver’s license issued by the State of Colorado or another state.  The phrase “under immediate supervision” shall mean that, at a minimum, the unlicensed operator is within direct visual contact of the licensed supervisor.

Last Modified Date: 2/23/2010 4:36 PM

 New Sound Law
Effective July 1, 2010

What You Need To Know

To operate an Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) in Colorado, the following sound limits must be met:

99 dB(A) if manufactured before 1/1/1998

96 dB(A() if manufactured after   1/1/1998

OHVs will be tested using the SAE J 1287 stationary 20" pipe test.

New OHVs sold in Colorado cannot exceed the 96 dB(A) sound standard (unless an OHV is designed for and used in a closed-course competition facility).

OHVs designed for and used in closed-course competition facilities may require modifications for sound and spark arrestor standards when operated outside of a closed-circuit course.