Where Is It Legal To Use An RC Car? Inc Hobbyists Experiences

When you have an RC car capable of speeding up and down any road that you can imagine the chance to drive, it should always be taken. However, knowing where it is legal to drive your RC car is one of the most important things to owning one, as no one wants unnecessary fines. 

As a general rule, it is always legal to drive your RC car on your private property, with specific RC car tracks also allowing you to drive the car wherever you want. Public parks and skateboard parks usually have specific rules at the entrance telling you whether RC cars are allowed. It is not legal to use an RC car at an airport and surrounding areas.

Knowing where your RC cars can drive is probably one of the most complicated things you will do, with many people not always sure where it’s ok to do so. Many suburbs and states have implemented RC car-specific laws that can make it illegal to drive, even in your front yard. 

Where Is It Legal To Use An RC Car? With Hobbyists Experiences
Two RC trucks on a path

What Are The Best Places To Drive An RC Car?

The best places to drive your RC car are usually the places where it is entirely legal to drive your RC car, as you can open the throttle without having to worry. Many people want to drive their RC car up and down the street outside the house but aren’t always sure whether or not this is allowed. 

Knowing where you can drive and play with your RC car will mean that you can have hours of fun without someone being able to complain or stop you. We recommend that you look at some of the best places to drive your RC car where you won’t have to face any trouble. 

Your Property

Because RC cars are not dangerous and are usually not easy to make dangerous, you can drive your RC car anywhere on your property. With many people that like racing dirt RC cars specifically on their own, larger fields or ranches, where the speed of the cars can be enjoyed.

The only time it may not be legal to drive your RC car on your property is if you are using a petrol engine RC car after quiet hours. Many suburbs worldwide have specific laws that regulate until which time you can have loud machines or music; the police enforce these laws. 

Quiet Roads

While driving your RC car on a public road is technically illegal because of the high speeds that some can reach, many people will not stop you. If you are not causing a nuisance or damaging property with your RC car, most police and governing entities will not enforce any laws to stop you.

However, it should be noted that we recommend not fighting with anyone that does ask you to remove your RC car or your child’s RC car from the road. Every country has different laws regulating how RC cars can be used, and if police are called to stop you, hefty fines and seizure of property may occur. 

RC Tracks

We always recommend taking your RC car to a dedicated track simply because these locations allow you to truly test the speed and capabilities of your RC car. If you have never gone, it is well worth the admissions or membership price you will usually have to pay. 

Additionally, RC tracks usually have larger open areas specifically for playing with RC cars and other RC vehicles. This means that you and a friend may well be able to have private drag races on asphalt while you can teach your children how to properly race and play with their RC cars. 

Read my article: Can A Career Be Made From Racing RC Cars?

Dirt Roads

If you have an RC car that can go off-road, we recommend finding a quiet dirt road to play in, preferably an unnamed dirt road. These roads are often not public or private property, which means that some laws regarding the vehicles on them are not entirely applicable. 

Further, there is almost no downside to using an open dirt road to play with your RC car, as they will easily be filled with mud and bumps as well. There is nothing as amazing as seeing your electric RC car jump over a small ditch directly into a puddle of mud to come out the other side full speed. 

Where Is It Illegal To Use An RC Car?

Where Is It Legal To Use An RC Car? Inc Hobbyists Experiences
My local racing track

Now that we know where it is legal to drive your RC cars, we need to look at where it is illegal, according to law. Unlike the early 2000s, many states and countries have created laws that severely limit where you can drive your RC car. 

You will have to ensure that the state you are in or your country will allow you to drive your RC car in certain places. We always recommend contacting a local race track or RC group to learn where exactly it is illegal to drive your RC car. 

Highways And Busy Roads

Many RC car enthusiasts try to be smart and say that no laws bar driving RC cars on highways or other busy roads. However, general rules of the road state that nothing obtrusive or distracting is allowed to drive on these roads, many times with power limitations on the vehicles.

This means that if you are using your RC car on a highway and someone drives over it at speed or gets shocked by it, you will be held liable. It can get much worse as these roads are busy and have fast-moving vehicles; an RC car under someone’s wheel can mean the death of themselves or someone else. 

Check out this post: Can WIFI Interfere With An RC Car?

Public Roads

Public roads, even the roads in front of your house, have laws that govern what can be on them and what cant. While pedestrians are protected, several laws limit motorized vehicles used on them, with many states and countries updating the laws to now include RC cars. 

It can be excused if you live in a quiet neighborhood and the RC car is the only thing on the road for miles. However, if you live somewhere with frequent traffic and a constant flow of pedestrians, having an RC car on the road will mean that drivers may need to choose between driving over your car or swerving into an accident. 

Private Property

While you can do whatever you want on your private property, the property owned by others is not somewhere you can do whatever you want. If someone finds your RC car on their land or has video and pictures of it, they can lay criminal charges of you for trespassing and even damage. 

RC cars and other remote-controlled vehicles have received heavy regulation with the advent of drones. It has become extremely illegal to use RC cars on the property of anyone that has forbidden it, with even a drone flying above someone else’s house becoming illegal. 

Experiences From Some Enthusiasts

So I asked ” Where is it legal to use your RC car? ” on RC Bashers & Crashers. RC Bashers & Crashers is a facebook group and their members are hardcore enthusiasts with years of experience. It’s well worth checking them out.

Here’s what some of them had to share:

Jeremy Babas

“We speedrun on a public road that dead ends into an international airport. We’ve had security and the local police stop by to check out the cars, watch some passes and of course ask a ton of questions. On this particular day the officer applauded our choice of such a secluded road and our safety practices while making passes.We asked him if what we’re doing is technically illegal (as we’ve been using this road for 5-6 years now) and while he did point out that it’s a public road and through traffic and pedestrians DO have the right or way…he said that we’re not breaking any laws and just asked us to be careful and mindful of others that use the road.”

Matthew Broardhurst

“There’s a bylaw here in Calgary that prohibits rc cars on city property. It’s never been enforced for me. Since it’s a bylaw someone needs to complain and then the city needs to send a bylaw officer to write the ticket.”

David C. Martin

“My local bmx track says insurance won’t cover anyone not on a bmx . So I can go break my leg on a bike but can’t drive my rc car around…….”

Conclusion

Your RC car can be driven up and down the road outside your house if it is a quiet road, as long as no one is complaining. However, many locations and countries have strict laws that regulate these RC cars and will mean that you can’t simply use them wherever you wish.

Being aware of the possible circumstances of where you’re planning to use your RC car, also acting in a responsible manner and being respectful of the people and vehicles that have the right to use that area. I’m sure that in most case’s, you will be just fine.

Paul Good

This awesome hobby has something for everyone, whether you like to build your RC from scratch and keep modifying till you've got it to just how you want it, to track racing. You might be out with a boat, or perfecting your skills with a plane. Are you taking some cool pics with your drone? I'm sure my site will help you on your journey.

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