Street Legal Utility Vehicle-Good news in Tx.

[Aktx]

I've had a strong interest in this issue for a long time. Here's a piece the Island Moon recently did on legislative changes in Tx legalizing UTV usage in some situations.

Read Texas House Bill 1548! Yes, it passed and is law.

The Island Moon Newspaper
August 12, 2019 ·
A Path to Allow Utility Vehicles to use City Streets
New state law lets city expand golf cart ordinance
By Dale Rankin

A decade ago the City of Corpus Christi passed an ordinance allowing golf carts on Island streets with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or under. Since many Islanders already owned utility vehicles there was a push to include them in the city rules so Islanders could use them to get to and from the beach. The plan hit a snag when the City Attorney told members of the Island Strategic Action Committee that anything other than golf carts as defined under state law were prohibited on public streets; the city had no jurisdiction to go around state rules.

Essentially, any vehicle that went over 19 miles per hour was prohibited. Only golf carts that had lights, a horn, and proper signage were legal under the city ordinance.

Fast forward to this week and a perfect storm of events converged to bring the issue back to the ISAC with an eye toward widening the city ordinance to allow UTVs – such as Polaris Rangers and John Deer Gators – on city streets.

The annual reshuffling of beats at the Corpus Christi Police Department recently brought some new officers to Padre Island and a recent change in policy that keeps at least three officers on Padre Island at all times has substantially upped the number of weekly vehicle stops including UTVs. More tickets are being written for UTVs on Island streets and for the first time since golf carts were made legal there was a report this week of a Polaris being impounded while driving on Whitecap Boulevard. Suddenly UTV owners were unsure of where to turn, as it turns out the answer came from Austin.

The Texas Legislature in its 2019 session passed Texas House Bill 1548, which takes effect September 1 and allows cities to widen the rules to include UTVs on city streets. The bill throws the decision on the matter to the Corpus Christi City Council. The bill also provides a path for UTV owners to license their vehicles through the state and drive them on city streets under the current ordinance. With those changes in mind Corpus Christi Police addressed the ISAC this week to seek guidance on whether to amend the City Code to allow for ATVs on Island streets. ISAC members were receptive and said it will be included on next week’s agenda, if approved it could go to the Corpus Christi City Council and be in place shortly after the new state law takes effect on September 1.

[yfarmcsy]

This took effect last September. TxDOT did not formulate regulations on titling until 12/19, the actual regulations to issue plates and a supply of plates came out to local offices on 3/1/20. While Port A and Corpus have regulations to allow this I can find no similar actions in Rockport or Aransas Pass to authorize the use on city streets. Anyone know more?

[CopanoCruisin]

Just curious of any update on this??????..... cC

[RandyM]

My friends who have a place in Boliver told me you can now get a state license plate for $14 per year for at least golf carts.

[RandyM]

But you may have a problem with city ordinances. In Seabrook TX, you are required to have a police officer come to your house and inspect your golf cart for $50 the first year. Only golf carts allowed on city streets due to the other ATV/UTV can go faster than 20-25 MPH.