---
title: O.C.G.A. § 40-7-4. Operating restrictions; ‘‘perennial stream’’ defined.
collection: code
id: 40-7-4
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 40-7-4 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-7-4
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-7-4.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-7-4/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t40-ch6-16-(v29)-2018-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=97c394d6_0#page=460
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-7.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-7-3.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-7-5.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC / OFF-ROAD VEHICLES
---

# O.C.G.A. § 40-7-4. Operating restrictions; ‘‘perennial stream’’ defined.

Any person operating an off-road vehicle under any of the following conditions shall be deemed to be in violation of this chapter and subject to the penalties provided in Code Section 40-7-6:

(1) Without operative brakes or without mufflers or other silencing equipment;

(2) On any private property without the express written permission of the owner of the property or his or her agent; or

(3) Within any perennial stream, except when directly crossing such stream. As used in this paragraph, the term ‘‘perennial stream’’ means a stream:

(A) That under normal circumstances has water flowing year round;

(B) That has the channel located below the ground-water table most of the year;

(C) For which ground water is the primary source of water; and

(D) For which runoff from rainfall is a supplemental source of water flow.

## History

Ga. L. 1976, p. 330, § 4; Ga. L. 1994, p. 97, § 40; Ga. L. 2010, p. 98, § 1-2/HB 207.