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Is it Illegal to Ride in the Bed of a Truck?

Updated on May 5, 2025

People sitting in a truck bed with a dog, outdoor setting, trees in the background.

Picture this—you’re out with some friends, and suddenly, one “I’m hungry” exclamation turns into resounding cheers of agreement. As the only competent driver, you march back to your truck only to recall—there are only five seats, yet you have six hungry passengers. You’re just driving down the road to a local restaurant—surely it’ll be fine for the extra passenger or two to climb into the bed, right?

Not so fast—you could be severely violating traffic laws in your state, resulting in a citation and significant fines. Depending on the state, law enforcement agencies may place zero restrictions on riding in a truck’s bed or vehemently outlaw it. Before allowing passengers to ride in the bed of your pickup truck, it’s imperative to know your local laws and regulations.

Fortunately, RealTruck has done the hard work for you. In this RealSource feature, we cover whether or not it’s legal to ride in the bed of a pickup truck by state. Stay tuned to learn your local laws.

Table of Contents:

Strictly Prohibitted

Allowed (With Restrictions)

Allowed (No Restrictions)

Shop Truck Bed Accessories

Strictly Prohibited

First, let’s cover the states that prohibit passengers from riding in a pickup truck’s bed. Failure to abide by this law may result in serious legal trouble in these states.

The three U.S. states vehemently disallowing riding in a pickup truck’s bed include New York, New Jersey, and Arkansas. Not as many as you’d assume, right?

Legal (With Restrictions)

A man and boy in camouflage gear exchanging an orange cloth next to a truck bed.

Next, let’s discuss the states that allow passengers to ride in a truck’s bed with some restrictions, such as proper restraints or age limitations.

California: Legal, so long as passengers are secured using federally-approved restraint systems and the vehicle doesn’t operate on the highway.
Colorado: Legal, so long as passengers are at least 16 years of age, seated, and the tailgate is closed.
Connecticut: Legal, so long as passengers are at least 16 years of age and secured using federally-approved restraint systems.
District of Columbia: Legal, only for on-duty employees.
Florida: Legal, so long as passengers are at least 18 years of age and seated directly on the bed floor.
Georgia: Legal, so long as passengers are 18 years of age.
Hawaii: Legal, so long as no seats remain in the cab, passengers are 12 years of age or older, passengers are seated flat on the bed floor, and all tailgates and side racks are closed.
Kansas: Legal, so long as passengers are 14 years or older.
Louisiana: Legal, so long as passengers are 12 years or older.
Maine: Legal, so long as passengers are 19 years or older.
Maryland: Legal, so long as passengers are 16 years or older.
Massachusetts: Legal, so long as passengers are 12 years or older.
Michigan: Legal, so long as passengers are 18 years or older. If underage, passengers cannot ride in the bed on highways, roads, or streets in a city, village, or township above 15 miles per hour.
Missouri: Legal, so long as passengers are 18 years of age.
Nebraska: Legal, so long as passengers are 18 years of age. Exceptions for underage individuals include participating in a parade.
Nevada: Legal on a farm or ranch, so long as passengers are 18 years of age.
New Mexico: Legal, so long as passengers are 18 years of age.
North Carolina: Legal, so long as passengers are 16 years of age. A permanent overhead restraint system must accompany passengers under 16.
Ohio: Legal, so long as passengers are 16 years of age. A compliant seatbelt must restrain passengers under 16, and speeds cannot exceed 25 MPH. Exceptions include life-threatening emergency use.
Oregon: Legal, so long as passengers are 18 years of age.
Pennsylvania: Legal, so long as passengers are 18 years of age and speeds do not exceed 35 MPH.
Rhode Island: Legal, so long as passengers are 16 years of age.
South Carolina: Legal, so long as passengers are 15 years of age.
Tennessee: Legal, so long as passengers are 6 years of age. Passengers must be 12 years of age or older to travel on an interstate.
Texas: Legal, so long as passengers are 18 years of age.
Virginia: Legal, so long as passengers are 16 years of age.
Wisconsin: Legal, so long as passengers are 16 years of age and seated directly on the bed floor.

Legal (No Restrictions)

Lastly, the following states allow riding in a truck’s bed without restrictions. While we don’t necessarily condone it, especially at high speeds, no state laws explicitly ban this behavior in the following states.

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Delaware
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Minnesota
Mississippi
Montana
New Hampshire
North Dakota
Oklahoma
South Dakota
Utah
Vermont
Washington
West Virginia
Vermont

Should You Ride in a Truck Bed?

Person sitting on the tailgate of a pickup truck, drinking water in a wooded outdoor area.

Just because something’s legal doesn’t mean it’s entirely safe. While nearly two dozen states allow passengers to ride in a truck bed without restrictions, it’s still an unsafe place to be seated in an accident.

If you choose to ride in a truck’s bed, you must be willing to accept the dangers and potential consequences of doing so. If you choose to do so, we recommend sticking to low speeds and keeping your vehicle off of interstates and highways. As always, practice safe driving habits.

Shop Truck Bed Accessories

Man reaching into a black cooler at an outdoor event with yellow tents in the background.

If you plan to allow passengers to ride in your truck’s bed where legal, do so comfortably with our truck bed accessories. Shop plush carpet bed liners from BedRug and Husky Liners, bed rails that double as grab handles, and bed steps for easy box access.