Rules for off-road vehicles

Off-road vehicle (ORV) use is regulated to ensure public safety and promote a peaceful co-existence between ORV enthusiasts and other land users. Drivers who do not respect the traffic rules may be fined.

See the Types of off-road vehicles page to find out which vehicles are considered ORVs within the meaning of the Act respecting off-highway vehicles.

To drive an ORV on a trail, road, public land or private land belonging to a municipality, one of the following conditions must be met:

• Be 16 or 17 years of age and hold a driver’s licence and a training certificate issued by the Fédération québécoise des clubs quads, the Fédération des clubs de motoneigistes du Québec or the Fédération québécoise des motos hors route.
• Be 16 years of age or older and hold an authorization or a driver’s licence issued outside Québec, accepted or recognized as being of equivalent value.

Licences 

To drive an ORV, you need one of the following licences:

• driver’s licence of any class (e.g., a Class 8 licence to drive a farm tractor or a moped licence, provided the driver is at least 16 years old)
• learner’s or probationary licence
• driver’s licence issued by another province

Visit the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) website to find out how to obtain a driver’s licence.

At all times, ORV drivers and passengers must wear appropriate protective clothing, footwear and equipment to ensure their safety and that of others.

As a driver, you must be wearing shoes or boots that enable you to easily control the vehicle’s pedals. In addition, you and your passenger must wear a helmet with a visor. If there is no visor, you must wear safety goggles in addition to your helmet. Your passenger is not required to wear eye protection (visor or goggles) if riding in an enclosed trailer or sled.

To find out more about approved helmets offering good protection, visit the SAAQ website.

Wearing a helmet is not mandatory if your speed does not exceed 30 km/h during trapping activities involving frequent stops.

Your ORV must be in good operating condition.

As the owner, you need to make sure that your vehicle and equipment are in good working order. As the driver, you should refrain from driving a vehicle that you know, or should know, to be in poor condition.

ORVs must also have specific features to be compliant. Visit the Mandatory equipment for off-road vehicles page for more information.

While operating an ORV, you must also:

• Keep the white headlight(s) on the front of the vehicle and the red taillights ON.
• Respect speed limits.
• Keep a safe distance between your vehicle and the one in front.
• Respect the rules against holding on to, standing on or climbing on to a moving ORV.
• Adapt your driving to prevailing conditions and take extra care when driving at night, even off the trail.
• Take extra care on bends and when overtaking another vehicle.
• Respect road signs.

Other rules apply in other places. See the Off-road vehicle riding areas page for more details.

Anyone impaired by drugs or alcohol is not allowed to operate an ORV or maintenance vehicle. This rule also applies to any passenger in an ORV, sled or trailer.

The “zero alcohol” rule for young drivers, as well as measures to suspend and revoke licences, apply.

In the event of an offence, police officers can immediately suspend your driver’s licence and ticket you with a fine of $300. You may be placed under arrest, and criminal charges may be laid against you. These offences are recorded in your driving record.

The maximum speed allowed for snowmobiles is 70 km/h. For ORVs, it’s 50 km/h. Fines for speeding are progressive. Here are a few examples:

• $90 for speeding more than 20 km/h over the speed limit

• $255 for speeding more than 45 km/h over the speed limit

• $590 for speeding more than 80 km/h over the speed limit

• $660 for speeding more than 90 km/h over the speed limit

You must obey the traffic rules at all times, not only on the trails, but everywhere else. Fines vary according to the offence.

Fines of at least $150

If you are a passenger in an ORV or on a trailer or sled pulled by an ORV and you have consumed alcoholic beverages, you may be fined at least $150.

Fines of at least $250

You may be fined at least $250 if:

• you own an ORV and do not have liability insurance covering bodily injury or property damage caused by the vehicle
• you are driving an ORV on a trail between midnight and 6 a.m.
• you are a passenger on an ORV and are not wearing a helmet
• as the owner of an ORV, you have not made sure that your vehicle and equipment are in good working orde
• you are driving a vehicle that you know, or should know, to be in poor condition

Fines of at least $350

You may be fined at least $350 if you drive an ORV in the following situations:

• failure to wear a helmet
• illegally driving an ORV on a public road
• driving on private property without the permission of the owner or tenant

Fines of at least $450

You may be fined at least $450 if:

• you consumed alcohol or drugs before driving an ORV
• as the owner, you have allowed or tolerated a person aged 16 or 17 to drive your ORV without being of the required age or without the required training certificate
• as the owner, you have allowed or tolerated a minor to drive your ORV without being authorized by a parent or legal guardian

Demerit points may be added to your driving record if you commit an offence while driving an ORV on a public road or in another location where the Highway Safety Code (HSC) applies.

Your driver’s licence could be revoked if you accumulate too many demerit points on your driving record.

For more information, visit the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) website.

All ORV owners must have at least $1,000,000 in liability insurance.

To rent an off-road vehicle, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old.

• Hold a valid driver’s licence.

• Have received the minimum training provided by the renter to understand the vehicle’s operation and the minimum safety rules to be observed when driving it.