Bill Text: NH HB174 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Increasing the maximum weight of a utility terrain vehicle to 3,500 pounds unladen dry weight.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 9-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-08 - Public Hearing: 01/15/2025 11:00 am Legislative Office Building 305 [HB174 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2025-HB174-Introduced.html
HB 174 - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-0154
11/08
HOUSE BILL 174
AN ACT increasing the maximum weight of a utility terrain vehicle to 3,500 pounds unladen dry weight.
SPONSORS: Rep. Ouellet, Coos 3; Rep. Cole, Hills. 26; Rep. A. Davis, Coos 2; Rep. Dunn, Rock. 16; Rep. Durkin, Coos 1; Rep. Lascelles, Hills. 14; Rep. Michael. Murphy, Coos 6; Rep. Korzen, Coos 7
COMMITTEE: Resources, Recreation and Development
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ANALYSIS
This bill changes the weight maximum of a utility terrain vehicle, and thus the weight of an OHRV, from 2,000 pounds unladen dry weight to 3,500 pounds unladen dry weight.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-0154
11/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT increasing the maximum weight of a utility terrain vehicle to 3,500 pounds unladen dry weight.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Utility Terrain Vehicle; Maximum Weight. Amend RSA 215-A:1, XXIV to read as follows:
XXIV. "Utility terrain vehicle" means any mechanically propelled vehicle which is designed or adapted for travel over surfaces other than maintained roads with one or more tires or tracks equipped with a rollover protection system and/or safety belts, having capacity for passengers or other payloads, not in excess of [2,000] 3,500 pounds unladen dry weight, and not to exceed 65 inches in overall width, excluding side mirrors. For purposes of this chapter, "utility terrain vehicle" shall include but not be limited to side-by-side, ROV, gator, buggy, and OHV and abbreviated as UTV, and all vehicles within this definition shall be classified as off highway recreational vehicles.
2 OHRV Weight On Certain Trails. Amend the introductory language of RSA 215-A:43, IV to read as follows:
IV. No person shall operate an OHRV wider than 50 inches or over 1000 pounds on any state-owned trails, except that no person shall operate an OHRV wider than 65 inches or over [2,000] 3,500 pounds unladen dry weight on:
3 OHRV Weight; Jericho Mountain State Park. Amend RSA 215-A:43, VII(c) to read as follows:
(c) A person may operate an OHRV within Jericho Mountain state park which weighs up to [2,000] 3,500 pounds unladen dry weight and is no wider than 65 inches on specifically designated trails within Jericho Mountain state park, provided that, in addition, the bureau of trails may permit operation of wider or heavier 4-wheel drive motor vehicles, as referenced in the Jericho Mountain state park master development plan, registered as OHRVs, at specific times and on specific trails.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2026.
