Boone County considers allowing UTVs on roads

Published 5:00 am Saturday, October 17, 2026

Judge Mitchell Archer presided over a public hearing on Tuesday to discuss the allowance of UTVs on certain roads in Boone County. Last year, the state legislature passed Arkansas Act 922, granting county judges authority to issue executive orders allowing UTVs on public roads. Many counties have taken advantage of this act and it appears Boone County may be next.

As part of that process, Archer held a public hearing to address concerns and gauge public interest. Archer said he had consulted the Sheriff’s Office and the Harrison Police Department and found them supportive of allowing UTVs on public roads. He said they believe in treating the matter with a common-sense approach. He added that he’s received no pushback from anyone.

Asked whether designated roads would be marked with signs, the Judge said there was no provision for adding signs identifying UTV-drivable roads.

“It seems to me that this codified what people were doing anyway,” an attendee suggested. Anyone who has traveled some of the backroads of the county is likely to agree with this observation. It has been a common means of travel around the Ozarks for decades. It was also suggested that this legislation was passed to make UTV tourism more accessible.

Act 922 requires a UTV operator on a public road to have a valid driver’s license, comply with applicable license restrictions, register the UTV, display a registration decal on the driver’s side roll bar, maintain and carry insurance, and follow the rules of the road.

The UTV itself must be 80 inches wide or less, travel on at least four low-pressure tires, have a steering wheel, have non-straddle seating, have rollover protection and be designed for traveling over unimproved terrain. Additionally, the UTV needs two headlamps, rear-facing turn signals, at least one brake light, and seat belts. Act 922 specifically excludes ATVs, golf carts, riding lawnmowers and tractors from the definition of UTV.

The act prohibits the designation of roads for UTV use if they have a speed limit exceeding 55 MPH, are divided four-lane highways, or are located in state parks.

After receiving generally favorable public feedback, Judge Archer indicated that an executive order allowing UTV use on certain roads is likely to be forthcoming.