2023 Iowa Code › Title VIII - TRANSPORTATION › Chapter 321I - ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES › Section 321I.10 - Operation on roadways, highways, and trails.

321I.10 Operation on roadways, highways, and trails.
1. A person shall not operate an all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle upon roadways or highways except as provided in section 321.234A and this section.
2. A registered all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle may be operated on an undivided two-lane primary highway that is not part of the interstate road system over the most direct and accessible route between any of the following locations:
a. An all-terrain vehicle park or trail.
b. A secondary road on which such vehicles are authorized to operate under subsection 3.
c. A city street on which such vehicles are authorized to operate under subsection 4.
d. The vehicle operator’s residence.
3. a. A registered all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle may be operated on any of the following secondary roads:
(1) An unpaved secondary road.
(2) A paved, undivided two-lane secondary road over the most direct and accessible route between any of the following locations:
(a) An all-terrain vehicle park or trail.
(b) Another secondary road on which such vehicles are authorized to operate under this paragraph.
(c) A city street on which such vehicles are authorized to operate under subsection 4.
(d) The vehicle operator’s residence.
(3) A paved, undivided secondary road or segment thereof, if authorized by the county board of supervisors. The board shall evaluate the traffic conditions on all such secondary roads under its jurisdiction and designate roadways on which all-terrain vehicles or off-road utility vehicles may be operated without unduly interfering with or constituting an undue hazard to conventional motor vehicle traffic. In designating such roadways, the board may authorize all-terrain vehicles and off-road utility vehicles to stop at service stations or convenience stores along a designated roadway.
b. Notwithstanding paragraph “a”, a county may prohibit the operation of all-terrain vehicles and off-road utility vehicles on a secondary road or segment thereof under its jurisdiction as follows:
(1) When the secondary road or segment thereof is closed to motor vehicle traffic pursuant to section 306.41.
(2) When the secondary road or segment thereof is designated as a detour route pursuant to section 306.41.
(3) For any other secondary road or segment thereof, for no more than seven consecutive days and no more than thirty days in a calendar year when the prohibited days are established by ordinance.
4. A city may regulate the operation of registered all-terrain vehicles and off-road utility vehicles and may designate streets under the jurisdiction of the city within its corporate limits, and two-lane primary and secondary road extensions in the city, which may be used for the operation of such vehicles. In designating such streets, the city may authorize all-terrain vehicles and off-road utility vehicles to stop at service stations or convenience stores along a designated street. However, a city shall not charge a fee to operate a registered all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle within the city.
5. All-terrain vehicles shall not be operated on snowmobile trails except where designated by the controlling authority and the primary snowmobile trail sponsor.
6. An all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle may make a direct crossing of a highway that is not part of the interstate road system provided all of the following occur:
a. The crossing is made at an angle of approximately ninety degrees to the direction of the highway and at a place where no obstruction prevents a quick and safe crossing.
b. The all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle is brought to a complete stop before crossing the shoulder or main traveled way of the highway.
c. The driver yields the right-of-way to all oncoming traffic which constitutes an immediate hazard.
d. In crossing a divided highway, the crossing is made only at an intersection of such highway with another public street or highway.
e. The crossing is made from a street, roadway, or highway on which the all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle is authorized to operate to a street, roadway, or highway on which such vehicle is authorized to operate.
2004 Acts, ch 1132, §53; 2004 Acts, ch 1175, §371; 2005 Acts, ch 20, §9; 2006 Acts, ch 1030, §37; 2009 Acts, ch 179, §125; 2010 Acts, ch 1186, §10; 2017 Acts, ch 32, §2; 2022 Acts, ch 1105, §8 – 11
Referred to in §321.234A, 331.362, 805.8B(2A)(b)
For applicable scheduled fines, see §805.8B, subsection 2A, paragraph b
Section amended and editorially internally renumbered