ATV Use Illegal in Elkins

Correction: The original post erroneously stated that ATV use is prohibited on city streets AND private property inside Elkins. The law only forbids ATV use on city streets. The below has been updated to correct the error.

City of Elkins is receiving complaints from residents about increased use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) inside city limits.

Remember: It is illegal to ride ATVs on Elkins streets and alleys.

There may be some confusion because of a recent change in state code. As enacted by the West Virginia legislature earlier this year, it is now legal to ride registered, inspected, “street-legal” ATVs (1) on certain state rights-of-way outside of city limits and (2) in cities that have incorporated these changes into their own laws. Elkins has not changed its laws forbidding ATV use inside city limits, so riding them on public streets remains illegal here.

Please be courteous to your neighbors and respect the law: Do not ride ATVs inside city limits. 

If you call police to report riders breaking this law in your neighborhood, remember that officers cannot issue a citation based on your report alone. Clear video or photographic evidence will make it easier for officers to take action, however.