Laws for Tractor Driving NJ

[Matt Behnke]

Hi,
I know that driving a tractor on the road in NJ is legal as long as you have an orange triangle in the back, as I work on a farm. However, is it still legal to drive the tractor on the road if it is not for farm-related activities? For example, can I drive my Farmall project tractor to the gas station down the street or to a car show? Or do the laws state that tractors can be driven for farm-related activities? Thanks

 

[HoosierBuddy]

In Indiana there doesn't seem to be any prohibition. Some days I get more farm equipment down my street than I do cars. Years ago I remember an old guy that lost his DL that drove his tractor to the tavern for lunch every day.

Phil

 

[EOC_Jason]

I would just check your state laws, shouldn't be too hard to do a search for the word tractor or farm equipment.

In Texas there is no restriction as long as you have the orange triangle. I think there might be a restriction on some roads past a certain speed limit, like you can't go on the freeway (and even if you could it probably wouldn't be safe). I *think* the limit for slow moving vehicles is roads that are 45 or 50, but again that can vary state to state.

We used to drive our tractor down the road to the gas station to fill it up all the time.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Didn't see anything specifically about tractors other than they are slow moving vehicles. Registered farm vehicles, which appears to apply to things that can go 35mph, can travel up to 50 miles on public highways.

http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Vehicle/slowvehicle.htm

 

[6768rogues]

In NY, unlicensed tractor driving is limited only to farm operations. I was the facilities director for a public school and a trooper stopped one of our mowing tractors going a few blocks between schools and told the driver that he was not farming, so the tractor had to be licensed. No ticket (probably because we were a governmental entity), but from that time on all our mowers and tractors that went on the road were licensed. Probably the same in your state.
I have a classic tractor that I take to an occasional show, so I put it on my classic car insurance policy. It costs $12 per year for insurance (I also have 4 classic cars on the policy). If it rolls into something, if a kid gets hurt on it, if it is stolen from my storage building, whatever, it is insured for $3500 total loss, liability $300K and my $1 million umbrella also covers it.

 

[rmack898]

It all depends on what town you live in. Down here in the southernmost part of the state I see tractors on the road all the time.

 

[Matt Behnke]

ok thank you. I am in northern nj in passaic county. So maybe I will just insure it under my classic car insurance then. Heres my second question. Do you need to have a valid drivers liscense then to drive these on the road? I know that if you are 16 you can legally drive for a farm, but I am not sure how it works for non farm related things