Senate Bill 218 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Keith KelleySenator

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Motor vehicles; off-road vehicles, operation requirements for use on public roads, provided

Summary

SB218 would authorize certain off-road vehicles to operate on select unincorporated county roads in Alabama, subject to registration, licensing, insurance, and safety requirements, with liability protections for counties.

What This Bill Does

The bill allows off-road vehicles to use public county roads that are not in municipalities and have a maximum speed of 45 mph, provided they meet equipment, insurance, and licensing rules. It requires vehicle certification by dealers, local registration and a tag, and a driver license for the operator (age 16+). It includes exemptions for private property, agricultural use, and certain governmental purposes, and treats violations as traffic infractions. It also provides liability protections for county engineers and officials and assigns data collection responsibilities to ALEA, with an effective date of January 1, 2027.

Who It Affects

• Off-road vehicle owners and operators who want to drive on certain unincorporated county roads and must obtain certification, register the vehicle, carry insurance, and follow license and safety requirements.
• County governments, county engineers, and county officials/employees who would have limited liability for injuries or damages arising from use of off-road vehicles on such roads and who are responsible for administering registration, tagging, and road safety rules set by the bill.

Key Provisions

• Authorizes operation of off-road vehicles on eligible public county roads (unincorporated areas; 45 mph max; not on interstates or municipalities).
• Requires certification of the vehicle’s safety equipment by an off-road vehicle dealer; owner can obtain a tag after presenting certification and paying fees; tag indicates restricted use.
• Requires minimum liability insurance equal to private passenger vehicle requirements; tax/registration fees mirror those for private cars and are distributed the same way.
• Operator requirements: at least 16 years old and holding a valid driver license from Alabama or another state; must follow traffic laws applicable to private motor vehicles.
• Equipment standards: brakes, proper lighting, horn, seat belts, roll bar, spark arrestor, muffler, windshield, and roadworthy tires as part of the certification.
• Exemptions: operation on private property with landowner consent; agricultural purposes; wildlife management, law enforcement, emergency services, or other official government use.
• Penalties: operating an off-road vehicle on public roads as described is a traffic infraction.
• Liability protections: county engineers, governing bodies, and their officials/employees are not liable for injuries or damages arising from using these vehicles; counties are not required to alter road construction to accommodate these vehicles.
• Crossing provisions: allowed to cross certain noncounty roads or state highways at specific angles and conditions (90-degree crossing, complete stop, yield to oncoming traffic, illuminated lights).
• Department of Revenue rulemaking: DoR to adopt rules and create the off-road vehicle certification form.
• Enforcement and data collection: ALEA to collect crash data involving off-road vehicles for the first 24 months and report to the Joint Transportation Committee before the 2029 legislative session.
• Effective date: January 1, 2027.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 12, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Motor Vehicles & Traffic