When a street-legal side-by-side has been titled and registered in Montana as a Quadricycle, it is generally classified by the Montana Motor Vehicle Division as a Quadricycle, which is its own vehicle category under Montana law. It is not classified as a passenger car, truck, or motorcycle, although many traffic laws apply similarly to quadricycles as they do to other motor vehicles.
When law enforcement runs a Montana plate through NCIC, NLETS, or their state’s DMV system, the information displayed can vary depending on how the receiving state’s software imports and interprets Montana’s vehicle data. Common descriptions may include:
• Vehicle Type: QUADRICYCLE
• Body Style: QUAD
• Vehicle Class: Motor Vehicle
• Vehicle Type: Other
• Vehicle Type: Specially Classified Vehicle
In some cases, because not every state’s database contains a dedicated quadricycle classification, the vehicle may be mapped into a more generic category such as:
• Passenger Vehicle
• Other Vehicle
• Regular Vehicle
It is important to understand that when a return displays “REGULAR”, that term typically does not describe the vehicle itself. Rather, it usually refers to the registration type or plate class.
A registration status of REGULAR generally means:
• Standard registration
• Standard license plate
• Not a specialty plate
• Not a government, dealer, apportioned, disabled, antique, commercial, or temporary registration
In practical terms, a registration designation of REGULAR typically indicates that the vehicle is recognized by the issuing state as a standard, valid, street-legal motor vehicle registration, much like a passenger car, pickup truck, SUV, or motorcycle would be. It distinguishes the registration from specialty or restricted-use registrations and generally signifies that the vehicle is registered for normal roadway operation under the laws of the issuing state.
It does not mean the vehicle is classified as a car or truck. Rather, it means the vehicle possesses a standard registration type and is not operating under a temporary, dealer, off-road-only, farm-use, or other special registration classification.
The actual vehicle classification is usually found in separate fields such as:
• Vehicle Type
• Body Style
• Vehicle Class
• Make
• Model
• VIN Description
For example, a Montana-registered quadricycle could appear in one system as:
Registration Type: REGULAR
State: Montana
Make: CAN-AM
Body Style: QUAD
Vehicle Class: QUADRICYCLE
Or in another jurisdiction’s system:
Registration Type: REGULAR
Vehicle Type: OTHER
Body Style: UTILITY
Make: POLARIS
The key takeaway is that “REGULAR” is generally not a vehicle category. It is a registration designation indicating that the vehicle carries a standard, valid registration issued for normal road use by the state that registered it. The vehicle’s actual classification—such as passenger car, truck, motorcycle, or quadricycle—is typically listed elsewhere in the record.
For a Montana-registered Can-Am Maverick, Polaris RZR, Speed UTV, Kawasaki KRX, or similar vehicle titled as a quadricycle, law enforcement will typically see:
• Registered Owner: Montana LLC
• Registration State: Montana
• Vehicle Make: Manufacturer name (Can-Am, Polaris, Speed UTV, etc.)
• Registration Status: Valid
• Registration Type: REGULAR
• Vehicle Type: Quadricycle, Other, or equivalent classification depending on the receiving system
The exact wording displayed is often determined more by the software vendor and state database being used than by Montana itself. As a result, officers in Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Tennessee, or other states may see slightly different descriptions while viewing the same Montana registration record.
