ATV / UTV registration
ATV / UTV registration in Texas: the agency, the required documents, and the exact steps, sourced from Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (OHV decal); Texas DMV/county tax office issues an optional title.
Who to contact
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (OHV decal); Texas DMV/county tax office issues an optional title
Visit the official Texas pageStep by step
No motor-vehicle registration is required for an ATV/OHV (TxDOT ATV registration was eliminated under HB3849)
To ride at OHV-legal public venues / TPWD-grant lands, buy a Texas OHV decal from TPWD (online or via the TPWD Service Center) and mount it before riding
Optional: obtain a Texas title for the ATV/OHV at the county tax assessor-collector office
What to bring
Fees & renewal
Fees
Texas OHV decal: $16.00, valid Sept 1 - Aug 31 (not prorated)
Renewal
Renews OHV decal renewed annually (fiscal year Sept 1-Aug 31); no vehicle registration renewal exists.
Good to know
Texas no longer REGISTERS ATVs/OHVs (old TxDOT program discontinued under HB3849). What remains is a TPWD OHV decal ($16, Sept 1-Aug 31) required only to ride at OHV-legal public venues/TPWD-grant lands, plus an OPTIONAL county title. Verified via direct WebFetch 2026-09-02.
More for Texas
General guidance
ATV and UTV registration is the most inconsistent category on this site: some states make it mandatory, some make it voluntary, and some route it through wildlife or natural-resources agencies rather than the DMV. Pick your state below for the real rule.
Some states require every ATV/UTV to be registered before it is operated anywhere, including private land. Others only require registration for use on public or state-managed trails, and a few make registration optional. The state guide below states which applies, sourced from the agency’s own page.
Because off-road vehicles are frequently regulated for trail and land use, many states register ATVs/UTVs through a department of natural resources, wildlife agency, or state parks division rather than the motor vehicle department. Check the agency named in your state guide.
Some states require a separate trail-use permit or sticker on top of registration to ride designated public trails. The state guide below notes this where the agency documents it.
Common questions
Not as a mandatory requirement — Texas's own page for this vehicle type describes it as optional or not required. See the notes above for the specifics from Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (OHV decal); Texas DMV/county tax office issues an optional title.
Texas lists a OHV decal renewed annually (fiscal year Sept 1-Aug 31); no vehicle registration renewal exists renewal cadence for this vehicle type.
It depends on the state. Some states require registration for any ATV regardless of where it is ridden; others only require it for public or state-trail use, and a few leave it entirely voluntary. Check the state guide below for the sourced rule.
It varies — some states use the DMV, others use a department of natural resources, wildlife agency, or parks division. The exact agency and its link are on your state’s guide page.