What States Is Lane Splitting Legal? Splitting vs. Filtering by State
Contents
Last reviewed: October 18, 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice. Lane-splitting rules are set by each state and several are changing; check your state's current vehicle code before you ride.
If you ride, you have probably wondered whether you can slip past a line of stopped cars. The answer depends heavily on which state you're in, and on whether the traffic beside you is moving or stopped.
Short answer: If you're asking what states lane splitting is legal in, the answer is one: California is the only state whose law defines and permits true lane splitting, between moving or stopped vehicles. Utah, Montana, Arizona, Colorado and Minnesota allow narrower lane filtering under strict speed and road conditions. Most other states either prohibit riding between lanes outright (for example Washington, Florida, Texas and Michigan) or do not authorize it. Our state guides near the end of this page go deeper, state by state.
Splitting vs. filtering
Most confusion, and many tickets, come from mixing these up:
- Lane splitting is riding between rows of traffic that is moving.
- Lane filtering is moving between vehicles that are stopped or crawling, usually to reach the front at a light, with a hard speed cap.
Only California allows the first without a statutory speed limit. The others listed below allow filtering only.
States that allow it, verified against the statute
| State | What is allowed | Conditions in the law | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Lane splitting | Two-wheeled motorcycle between rows of stopped or moving vehicles, on divided or undivided roads. No statutory speed cap; the CHP may publish educational guidelines. | Cal. Veh. Code § 21658.1 |
| Utah | Lane filtering only | Road or off-ramp with 2+ lanes in the same direction; speed limit 45 mph or less (or an off-ramp); not on an on-ramp; the vehicle being passed is stopped; motorcycle at 15 mph or less; movement made safely. Set to be repealed July 1, 2027 unless extended. | Utah Code § 41-6a-704(6); § 63I-1-241 |
| Montana | Lane filtering only | Two-wheeled motorcycle passing a vehicle that is stopped or moving at 10 mph or less; lanes wide enough to pass safely; motorcycle not above 20 mph. | Mont. Code Ann. § 61-8-392 |
| Arizona | Lane filtering only | Two-wheeled motorcycle passing a vehicle that is stopped; road with 2+ lanes in the same direction and a speed limit not over 45 mph; motorcycle at 15 mph or less; movement made safely. Riding between lanes otherwise is reckless driving. | A.R.S. § 28-903(F); § 28-693(B) |
| Colorado | Lane filtering only | Two-wheeled motorcycle; traffic stopped; lanes wide enough; motorcycle at 15 mph or less; not on the right shoulder or in opposing lanes. In effect from August 7, 2024; set to be repealed September 1, 2027. | SB24-079 (Colorado General Assembly) |
| Minnesota | Splitting and filtering, with caps | Passing within the same lane allowed only at 25 mph or less and no more than 15 mph faster than traffic. Not in roundabouts, school zones, single-lane work zones or queued freeway on-ramps. In effect from July 1, 2025. | Minn. Stat. § 169.974, subd. 5(f)–(h) |
California stands apart. Every other state on this list requires the traffic beside you to be stopped or crawling, or caps your own speed at 15 to 25 mph.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- Minnesota: lane splitting and filtering became legal on July 1, 2025. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety describes splitting as passing slow-moving traffic at no more than 25 mph and no more than 15 mph over the speed of traffic, and filtering as moving through stopped traffic at no more than 15 mph.
- Arizona: filtering is still legal, but the penalty for getting it wrong is now heavier. Under A.R.S. § 28-693(B), a rider who passes in the same lane or rides between lanes outside the § 28-903(F) conditions "is guilty of reckless driving," a class 2 misdemeanor that can also lead to a licence suspension.
- Utah and Colorado: both filtering laws carry sunset dates (Utah July 1, 2027; Colorado September 1, 2027). Unless lawmakers extend them, filtering will become illegal again in those states.
- Bills that did not pass: Michigan's SB 365 (introduced June 2025) remained in the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; Virginia's SB 435 (2026) passed the Senate but stalled in a House subcommittee; and Rhode Island's filtering bills were held for further study.
States that prohibit it
Many states have an express ban, and others reach the same result through general lane and passing rules. States we have checked:
- Washington: RCW 46.61.608(3) bans riding "between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles." On-duty police officers are excepted. A 2025 bill to allow shoulder use in slow highway traffic (HB 1367) died in committee. See is lane splitting legal in Washington?
- Michigan: MCL 257.660(5) says a motorcycle operator may not pass between lines of traffic. See our full guide: is lane splitting legal in Michigan?
- Florida: Fla. Stat. § 316.209(3) uses the same wording as Washington. A violation is a noncriminal moving violation. See is lane splitting legal in Florida?
- Texas: Transportation Code § 545.0605 bars riding between lanes of traffic moving in the same direction and passing in the same lane. A 2025 filtering bill (HB 2957) did not pass. See is lane splitting legal in Texas?
- Illinois: 625 ILCS 5/11-703(c) bars a 2-wheeled vehicle from passing on the right unless an unobstructed lane is available. See is lane splitting legal in Illinois?
- Missouri: no statute names lane splitting, but the single-lane rule (RSMo 304.015) and passing rules (RSMo 304.016) prohibit it, and 2024 and 2025 filtering bills died in committee. See is lane splitting legal in Missouri?
States not in the table have not been verified by us. Hawaii is often reported as allowing riders to use the shoulder in limited conditions; we have not confirmed its current statute and will not print a rule we have not read. If your state is not listed, assume riding between lanes is not permitted until you have checked your own vehicle code.
Riding safely where it is legal
Even where filtering is allowed, the law puts the judgment on you:
- Stay within the speed caps. Exceeding them takes you outside the legal exception.
- Filter only between stopped or crawling traffic unless you are in California.
- Watch for doors, lane changes and turning vehicles, and avoid filtering next to large trucks and buses.
- Never filter on the shoulder or into oncoming lanes unless your state's law expressly allows it (Colorado's expressly forbids both).
If you are hurt in a crash, how you were riding can affect fault and compensation. Our guides on choosing a motorcycle injury lawyer and whether you can legally block an intersection cover related questions.
State guides
Detailed, statute-by-statute guides for individual states:
- Is lane splitting legal in California? Yes: the only state that defines and allows lane splitting.
- Is lane filtering legal in Utah? Filtering only, past stopped traffic, until the July 1, 2027 sunset.
- Is lane splitting legal in Texas? No: expressly banned by § 545.0605.
- Is lane splitting legal in Florida? No: banned by § 316.209.
- Is lane splitting legal in Washington? No: banned by RCW 46.61.608.
- Is lane splitting legal in Illinois? No: restricted by 625 ILCS 5/11-703(c).
- Is lane splitting legal in Missouri? No: prohibited by the general lane and passing rules.
- Is lane splitting legal in Michigan? No: banned by MCL 257.660(5).
Which state allows full lane splitting?
California. Vehicle Code § 21658.1 defines lane splitting as riding a two-wheeled motorcycle between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane, and lets the California Highway Patrol issue safety guidelines. It sets no statutory speed cap.
What is the difference between lane splitting and lane filtering?
Lane splitting usually means riding between lanes of moving traffic. Lane filtering means moving between vehicles that are stopped or nearly stopped, typically at 15 to 20 mph or less. Most states that allow anything allow only filtering.
Is lane splitting legal in Arizona?
No. Arizona allows only filtering past stopped vehicles on roads with a speed limit of 45 mph or less, at 15 mph or less (A.R.S. § 28-903(F)). Riding between lanes outside those conditions is now treated as reckless driving under A.R.S. § 28-693(B), a class 2 misdemeanor.
Did any state legalize lane filtering in 2025 or 2026?
Minnesota's law took effect on July 1, 2025. Bills in Michigan (SB 365 of 2025), Virginia (SB 435 of 2026) and Rhode Island did not become law as of October 2026. Utah's and Colorado's filtering laws are set to expire in 2027 unless their legislatures extend them.
What happens if I split lanes in a state that doesn't allow it?
You can be ticketed for the moving violation, and riding illegally can be used against you if there is a crash. Fault and insurance rules vary by state, so speak to a lawyer if you have been hurt.
Sources
- Cal. Veh. Code § 21658.1 (California Legislative Information)
- Cal. Veh. Code § 21658.1 (FindLaw copy, current as of January 1, 2026)
- Utah Code § 41-6a-704 (Utah Legislature)
- Utah Code § 63I-1-241, repeal dates (Utah Legislature)
- Mont. Code Ann. § 61-8-392 (Montana Legislature)
- A.R.S. § 28-903 (Arizona Legislature)
- A.R.S. § 28-693 (Arizona Legislature)
- Colorado SB24-079, Motorcycle Lane Filtering & Passing (Colorado General Assembly)
- Minn. Stat. § 169.974 (Minnesota Revisor of Statutes)
- Minnesota DPS news release: lane splitting and filtering to begin in Minnesota
- RCW 46.61.608 (Washington Legislature)
- MCL 257.660 (Michigan Legislature)
- Michigan SB 365 of 2025 (Michigan Legislature)
About Farrukh Shahzad
Farrukh Shahzad is the founder and researcher behind TodayinTrend. He is not a lawyer and does not give legal advice — he reads the statutes, court rules and official data, then explains what they actually say in plain English.
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