Arizona legalizes motorcycle lane filtering, outlines restrictions

Arizona enacted Senate Bill 1273 on September 24, 2022, permitting motorcycles to filter between lanes of stopped traffic under specific conditions. Governor Doug Ducey signed the bill, which updates Arizona Revised Statutes § 28‑903. The law allows two‑wheeled motorcycles to move forward when the posted speed limit is 45 mph or less, the bike does not exceed 15 mph, there are at least two lanes traveling in the same direction, all surrounding vehicles are fully stopped, and the maneuver can be performed safely. Filtering is prohibited on freeways, on shoulders or medians, and does not apply to trikes or side‑car equipped bikes.

While lane filtering is now legal in Arizona, lane splitting—riding between moving vehicles—remains illegal in the state. Across the United States, states vary widely: some prohibit both practices, others allow filtering with similar limits, and a few permit limited lane splitting. Motorcyclists traveling between states must be aware of these differing regulations to avoid citations.