LAWS & RULES: ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE( ATV) 11 that landowner’ s or lessee’ s property through agreements with the State or an ATV club to address environmental, public safety or management concerns, including by limiting the type, size and weight of ATVs permitted on the landowner’ s or lessee’ s property. A person operating an ATV, including an oversized ATV, on designated state-approved ATV trails shall adhere to limitations imposed by a landowner or lessee and the State on that part of the designated state-approved ATV trail on the landowner’ s or lessee’ s property in accordance with this subsection. Written permission of the landowner or lessee is required for use of an ATV on cropland or pastureland or in an orchard. As used in this subsection,“ cropland” means acreage in tillage rotation, land being cropped and land in bush fruits and“ pastureland” means acreage devoted to the production of forage plants used for animal production. For purposes of this subsection,“ oversized ATV” has the same meaning as defined in section 13155, subsection 5-B. Nothing in this subsection may be construed to limit or expand a landowner’ s or lessee’ s property rights.
2. Stop and identify requirement. Persons operating ATVs upon the land of another shall stop and identify themselves upon the request of the landowner or the landowner’ s duly authorized representative.
3. Operating ATV upon controlled access highway. The following provisions govern the operation of ATVs on controlled access highways.
A. A person may not operate an ATV upon a controlled access highway or within the right-of-way limits of a controlled access highway, except that:
( 1) A person on a properly registered ATV may cross controlled access highways by use of bridges over or roads under those highways or by use of roads crossing controlled access highways at grade;
( 2) The Commissioner of Transportation may issue special permits for designated crossings of controlled access highways.
( 3) A person on a properly registered ATV may operate the ATV within the right-of-way limits of a controlled access highway on a trail segment approved by the Commissioner of Transportation or the board of directors of the Maine Turnpike Authority, as applicable.
At the request of the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the Commissioner of Transportation or the board of directors of the Maine Turnpike Authority, as applicable, may permit construction of an ATV trail within the right-of-way of a controlled access highway under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation or the Maine Turnpike Authority being constructed on or after January 1, 2016 when there is an ability to provide for the continuity of a state-owned or state controlled network of ATV trails. Funds for the construction of an ATV trail under this paragraph may not be provided from the Highway Fund.
4. Unlawfully operating ATV on snowmobile trail. A person may not operate any 4-wheel-drive vehicle, dune buggy, all-terrain vehicle, motorcycle or any other motor vehicle, other than a snowmobile and appurtenant equipment, on snowmobile trails that are financed in whole or in part with funds from the Snowmobile Trail Fund, unless that use has been authorized by the landowner or the landowner’ s agent, or unless the use is necessitated by an emergency involving safety of persons or property.
Exception: ATV’ s with tracks, registered as snowmobiles can be operated on a snowmobile trail.
5. Repealed
5-A. Operating a motor vehicle on an ATV trail. A person may not operate a motor vehicle as defined in Title 29-A, section 101, subsection 42 on a designated ATV trail that is not on a gravel road system unless authorized by the landowner or landowner’ s agent, or in an emergency involving the safety of a person or property.
6. Operating ATV on public way. Except as provided in this subsection, a person may not operate an ATV, other than an ATV registered with the Secretary of State under Title 29-A, on any portion of a public way maintained or used for the operation of conventional motor vehicles or on the sidewalks of any public way.
A. A properly registered ATV may be operated on a public way only the distance necessary, but in no case to exceed 500 yards, on the extreme right of the traveled way for the purpose of crossing, as directly as possible, a public way, bridge, overpass, underpass, sidewalk or culvert as long as that operation can be made safely and does not interfere with traffic approaching from either direction on the public way.
B. Repealed.
C. An ATV may be operated on any portion of a public way when the public way has been closed in accordance with Title 23, section 2953.
D. An ATV may be operated on a public way that is not maintained or used for the operation of conventional motor vehicles, except that operation on the left side of the way is prohibited during the hours from sunset to sunrise.
E. An ATV may be operated on streets and public ways during a period of emergency when the emergency has been so declared by a police agency having jurisdiction and when travel by conventional motor vehicles is not practicable.
F. An ATV may be operated on streets and public ways in special events of limited duration conducted according to a prearranged schedule under a permit from the governmental unit having jurisdiction.
G. An ATV may be operated on a public way on the extreme right of the traveled way by a law enforcement officer for the sole purpose of traveling between the place where the ATV is usually stored and an area to be patrolled by the law enforcement officer.
H. Notwithstanding paragraphs A to G, an ATV may be operated on the extreme right of a public way, or as directed by the appropriate governmental unit within the public way, of a municipality or an unorganized or unincorporated township if the appropriate governmental unit has designated the public way as an ATV-access route. An ATV must travel in the same direction as motor vehicle traffic on a public way designated as an ATV access route. A public way designated by an appropriate governmental unit as an ATV-access route must be posted conspicuously at regular intervals by that governmental unit with highly visible signs designating the ATV-access route.
Before designating a public way as an ATV-access route, the appropriate governmental unit shall make appropriate determinations that ATV travel on the extreme right of the public way, or as directed by the appropriate governmental unit within the public way may be conducted safely and will not interfere with vehicular traffic on the public way. For purposes of this paragraph,“ appropriate governmental unit” means the Department of Transportation, county commissioners or municipal officers within their respective jurisdictions. The jurisdiction of each appropriate governmental unit over public ways pursuant to this paragraph is the same as its jurisdiction over the passage of
2024-25 STATE OF MAINE SUMMARY OF LAWS & RULES ATV & SNOWMOBILE