Arkansas Counties Open Roads to UTVs; Fayetteville Business Issues Equipment Checklist
As more Arkansas counties consider opening public roads to utility task vehicles (UTVs, also called side-by-sides), a UTV accessories and service business in Fayetteville issued a checklist on the evening of October 22 reminding owners that they may ride only on roads their city or county has formally opened, and only when their vehicles meet the equipment standards.
The legal basis is Arkansas Act 922 of 2025, which took effect in August 2025 and authorizes city councils to open city streets by ordinance and county judges to open county roads by order. Newton County Judge Warren Campbell ordered the county's unincorporated-area public roads opened in December 2025. Boone County Judge Mitchell Archer held a public hearing on the question on October 13 and said afterward he would likely sign an opening order.
Vehicle requirements under the act include a width of no more than 80 inches, a steering wheel, non-straddle seating and rollover protection, at least two headlights, rear turn signals, at least one brake light and seat belts. Vehicles must be state-registered with the decal placed on the driver-side roll bar, insured to the minimum standard for private passenger cars with proof of insurance carried in the vehicle, and operated by a licensed driver. Roads posted above 55 mph, divided four-lane highways and state park roads remain off limits, and ATVs and golf carts are not covered by the law.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：John Deere XUV865M 多功能地形车（UTV）。摄影：JDDeutschland，CC BY-SA 4.0（Wikimedia Commons）。Photo: A John Deere XUV865M utility task vehicle (UTV). Photo by JDDeutschland, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
