[KeviNH]

New Hampshire just passed two new 2014 bills on UTVs, SB 230 & SB 231, with these I am unclear on the streetabiliity of a UTV like the Brutus?

Overall the new law is promising, appear to permit OHRV operation on roads with a speed limit of 40 or less as long as you have standard safety equipment and a reflective triangle.

I don't have a farm or commercial operation, but I do have two places I would want to operate and snowblow, about 2 miles apart, connected by 30MPH roads.

 

[KeviNH]

New Hampshire "Street Legal" UTV laws examined.

The 2014 New Hampshire bills (SB230 and 231) make numerous changes, including creating the category of "utility terrain vehicle" in RSA 215-A:1 as a class of “off highway recreational vehicle” OHRV. It's tough to see exactly where Brutus or a Bobcat 3650 fits, given the size, weight, and payload capacity.

RSA 215-A:1 Definition Added; Utility Terrain Vehicle:
XXIII. “Utility terrain vehicle” means any mechanically propelled vehicle which is designed or adapted for travel over surfaces other than maintained roads with one or more tires or tracks equipped with a rollover protection system and/or safety belts, having capacity for passengers or other payloads, not in excess of 1,700 pounds net vehicle weight, and not to exceed 62 inches in overall width, excluding side mirrors. For purposes of this chapter, “utility terrain vehicle” shall include but not be limited to side-by-side, ROV, gator, buggy, and OHV and abbreviated as UTV, and all vehicles within this definition shall be classified as off highway recreational vehicles.​

The Brutus does not appear to meet New Hampshire's UTV definition, being 64 inches wide and exceeding 1,700 pounds with a full tank of fuel ( dry weight 1643 lb, plus 10gal of diesel adds 70lbs). So what is it under the law?

SB231 is more involved, adds and deletes several sections.

Amend RSA 259 by inserting after section 2 the following new section:
259:2-a Agricultural/Industrial Utility Vehicle. “Agricultural/industrial utility vehicle” shall mean a vehicle, including an off highway recreational vehicle, with 4 or 6 wheels, an internal combustion engine or electric motor, or both, but excluding a tractor, equipped in accordance with the provisions of RSA 261:41-a, III, that is capable of carrying not more than 6 occupants, has a load capacity of 1,500 pounds or less, and is in use for farming, agricultural, or light industrial uses, and is limited to ways or portions of ways where such vehicles are allowed and having posted speed limits of 40 miles per hour or less, within a 10 mile radius from an entrance to land used by the farm or a 2 mile radius from the entrance to the light industrial complex or construction site, and subject to any other special conditions established by the government authority controlling the way.


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With a payload capacity of 1,750 lbs, Brutus also does not meet the above specs. The requirement to be "equipped in accordance with the provisions of RSA 261:41-a, III" is covered below, but also calls out to RSA 215-A:14.



Okay, so maybe we are a tractor?

RSA 259:108 Tractor. “Tractor” shall mean:
[I.] any self-propelled vehicle designed or used for agricultural purposes or as a traveling power plant or for drawing other vehicles, but having no provision for carrying a load other than attached implements such as snowplows, tool boxes, or bucket loaders, but shall not include [off-highway recreational vehicles not designed and equipped for highway use.
II. Any low-speed utility vehicle. “Low-speed utility vehicle” shall mean any vehicle with 4 wheels, an internal combustion or electric motor, or both, a load capacity of 1,500 pounds or less, and high-pressure tires, that is capable of carrying not more than 2 occupants plus the load, is capable of speeds 30 miles per hour or less on level ground, and is used for agricultural or light industrial use] vehicles used for recreational purposes or agricultural/industrial utility vehicles as defined in RSA 259:2-a.
​

Okay, so does Brutus count as a "Tractor" in NH, or does the dump bed disqualify Brutus and Bobcat 3650?





Maybe it doesn't matter if there's no inspection required?

282:4 New Section; Registration, Equipment, and Inspection of Vehicles; Exemption for Utility Vehicles. Amend RSA 261 by inserting after section 41 the following new section:
​

261:41-a Registration, Equipment, and Inspection of Vehicles; Exemption for Utility Vehicles.
I. An agricultural/industrial utility vehicle, as defined in RSA�259:2-a, if operated upon a way shall be registered as provided in RSA 261:141, III(dd).
II. Any agricultural/industrial utility vehicle, as defined in RSA 259:2-a, shall be exempt from inspection under RSA 266:1, but shall be subject to inspection by a law enforcement officer at any time when being operated on a way. Any person operating such a vehicle on a way shall hold a valid driver’s license.
III. When operated on a way for purposes other than crossing the way for trail access, any agricultural/industrial utility vehicle, as defined in RSA 259:2-a, shall be equipped in accordance with the provisions of RSA 215-A:14 and in addition shall be equipped with at least one red reflex reflector on the left rear if operated during the hours of darkness; an interior or exterior mirror; a vehicle identification number that conforms to federal requirements; seatbelts installed at each designated seating position if originally so equipped; an intact windshield if originally so equipped; and tires inflated to cold inflation pressure not more than the maximum permissible pressure molded on the sidewall. Such vehicle shall also be equipped with a slow moving vehicle emblem to the rear and may be equipped in addition with an amber flashing or rotating light.
IV. A motorcycle, trail bike, or agricultural/industrial utility vehicle that meets all the requirements of an off highway recreational vehicle in RSA 215-A:1, VI shall be used as an off highway recreational vehicle only when it has a valid OHRV registration issued under the provisions of RSA 215-A:21.
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Okay, so that's easy enough-- I need to register, and Brutus already complies with RSA 215-A:14 (headlights, taillights, muffler, brakes), so I just need to install an interior rear-view mirror and the slow moving vehicle emblem, and finally get around to installing my amber strobes.

Special Rules for Utility Vehicles 265:160 [Low-Speed] Utility Vehicles; Operation on Ways Restricted. No person shall operate a [low-speed] utility vehicle, [as defined in RSA 259:108, II] including an agricultural/industrial utility vehicle as defined in RSA 259:2-a, or an off highway recreational vehicle as defined in RSA 259:69, except on a way where the posted speed limit is [35] 40 miles per hour or less, and the route or crossing being used is open to such vehicles and at such times and under any other special operating conditions established by the government authority having control of the way. Any person operating or in actual physical control of such a vehicle upon a way shall hold a valid driver’s license. [No person shall operate such vehicle more than 25 miles from the registrant’s residence or place of business.]


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Cool! If I plan my route carefully and leave really early, I could commute to work >

 

[KeviNH]

Register UTV as construction equipment in New Hampshire?

(Tried to edit my previous post, but editor just comes up blank?)

Looking at RSA 261:64 there is a $25 registration option. if my Bobcat 3650 qualfiies as "construction equipment, as defined under RSA 259:42" (e.g. bucket loaders, snow loaders, rooters, scarifiers and construction tractors).

 

[GhostRider]

In TN speed limit of 40 or less, TN DNR sticker(one time purchase), horn, turn signals, emergency flashers, head/tail lights, brake lights, rear view mirror, windshield wipers, slow moving triangle and seat belts make you street legal. Our officers fudge that up to 45 mph, just don't hold up traffic.