This section covers everything you need to know about operating vehicles at Burning Man.
Motor Vehicles — No Driving
Driving cars and trucks on the playa has been prohibited — with few exceptions — since 1997. Participants are only allowed to drive motor vehicles to their camps and when they depart the event. Otherwise, motor vehicles should remain parked.
A Pedestrian and Bicycle City
For safety, aesthetic and cultural reasons, Black Rock City is designed for pedestrians and bicycles.
While the vast majority of people walk, bring a bicycle, or hitch the occasional ride on a Mutant Vehicle to get around the playa, a small number of participants use one of the other allowed types of powered Personal Transportation Vehicles (PTVs).
We define a PTV as a conveyance that is powered by ANY type of motor or drive system, including (but not limited to) wheeled, tracked, or hovering systems, powered by electric, gas, or other fuel, (i.e. anything that is not solely human-powered).
Over the past few years, participants have begun bringing an increasing number and variety of PTVs to the event — many that didn’t exist when we wrote the original rules. We also began receiving increasing complaints and reports of PTV-related accidents and injuries.
With a population of 80,000 people, just a small change in the number of people using PTVs at the event can have a significant impact on the look, feel. and safety of Black Rock City. Based on this, we’ve updated and clarified our rules on vehicles that are permitted at the event.
The only Mutant Vehicles allowed to enter Black Rock City are those that have received an email from the DMV inviting the vehicle to go through final inspection on the playa for a Mutant Vehicle license. For more on these see the DMV page. Any powered vehicle not on the “Allowed PTVs” list (other than the vehicle you drive to the event) may not be brought to Black Rock City. If you bring a disallowed PTV to Black Rock City, you will be required to take it off playa before you will be allowed to enter. If a disallowed PTV is found inside the city, you will be required to take it off-playa. Operating a disallowed PTV at Burning Man can result in the vehicle and/or its operator being ejected from the event. Towed, trailered, or mounted vehicles (like motorcycles or ATVs*) are not allowed at the event unless they are a Mutant or Disabled Persons Vehicle that has received an Invite Letter from the Department of Mutant Vehicles. The Gate will not allow these vehicles into the event, and you will have to take them off playa before you will be allowed into Black Rock City. Larger stand-up scooters, fat tire scooters, gas-powered bicycles, powered quadricycles, ATVS, mopeds and motorcycles are not allowed inside the Burning Man event. Below is a list of vehicle types that you are permitted to drive in Black Rock City. There may be other vehicles not specifically mentioned below. A good “rule of thumb” (but not a hard rule) for whether a PTV will be allowed is: Can I easily lift the vehicle over my head? The only Mutant Vehicles allowed to enter Black Rock City are those that have received an invitation letter from the Black Rock City DMV to go through final inspection on playa for a Mutant Vehicle license. For more on these, see the DMV Mutant Vehicle Criteria webpage. If you have a temporary or permanent physical disability, you should be able to receive an Accessibility Vehicle (SV) license from the DMV. Pre-registration is preferred whenever possible. Please go to the DMV Accessibility Vehicle webpage to find out more about vehicles and transportation for those with disabilities. These vehicles are crucial to the safety and operation of our event. *While top speeds listed for the vehicles below vary between 15 and 25 MPH, operators are expected to ALWAYS OBEY THE 5mph SPEED LIMIT IN BLACK ROCK CITY. While currently an allowed participant PTV, e-Bikes have become a BIG and growing concern in Black Rock City. e-Bikes now represent the number one area of complaint from participants in our post-event feedback process. Reports of injuries from e-Bikes abound in cities across the globe, and that now includes BRC. e-Bikes are also valuable to thieves and susceptible to damage by the harsh climate of the Black Rock Desert. The speed limit in BRC is 5 mph. We are closely monitoring e-bikes. If speeding e-bikes continue to be an issue, we may require registration with inherent costs, hold speeding users (and their camps) accountable through limits on future ticket access, limit their use to those with documented mobility issues, and/or ban them altogether. And remember, Black Rock City moves slowly and the best parts are often those random moments — you will miss BRC if you move too fast. Note that bike repair camps are not equipped to fix e-Bikes. NOTE: These guidelines were originally written before e-bike classes began to be recognized. They have been updated in 2024 to add mention of where the different e-bike classes fit in the existing policy. While the weight of these vehicles is a concern, they are currently permitted due to their relatively low top speed and low-to-the-ground profile. Wind-powered vehicles allowed in Black Rock City must have the following characteristics:Towed, Trailered or Mounted Vehicles
Note: *ATVs that have been invited as Disabled Persons Vehicles ARE allowedPersonal Transportation Vehicles NOT Allowed
Licensed Mutant Vehicles
Licensed Vehicles for People with Disabilities
Staff, Emergency and Law Enforcement Agency Vehicles
ALLOWED Participant Personal Transportation Vehicles (PTVs)
Electric-Assist Bicycles (e-Bikes)
e-Bike operators MUST respect the 5 mph speed limit everywhere in BRC.
If you are buying a new e-Bike for use in Black Rock City, Class 1 is a good place to start.
If we need regulations for e-bikes in BRC in the future, we may reassess these guidelines.Stand-up Handle Scooters (e.g., Go-Peds)
e-Wheel (unicycle-type) and OneWheel (skateboard-type)
Self-Balancing Bi-Wheel (Segway-type)
Hoverboards
Wind-Powered Vehicles
Driving Rules In Black Rock City
Anyone driving at Burning Man must adhere to all BRC driving rules.
Enforcement
Due to an increase in vehicles, population, and dust, it is imperative that all participants adhere to these rules and guidelines. If you cannot follow these rules, your vehicle may be ejected from the event, and you may be subject to a fine by law enforcement.
Policy Changes
As with any Burning Man policy, changes may occur. Any changes to BRC vehicle protocols will be communicated via appropriate methods, including the Jack Rabbit Speaks newsletter, burningman.org, and the DMV announce list before the event, or BMIR, Playa Info, and posted notices at the DMV during the event.