Can you Legally Drive a Lawn Mower on the Road in Missouri?

I was sitting on my porch the other day noticing all my neighbors are out mowing on their riding lawnmowers. I've never had one, but that got me thinking can you legally drive one on the road?

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I see it all the time. People riding their mowers to and from the gas station, but I didn't pay much attention to if they can legally do that or not. They can.  According to the Missouri law (which went into effect in 1996),

Riding lawn mower is considered a motor vehicle under section. Stonger ex rel. Stonger v. Riggs, 85 S.W.3d 703 (Mo.App.W.D.).

If you own a riding mower you can legally drive it on side roads only. There are pretty strict laws on where riding mowers can be ridden.

People can drive their lawn mowers if they are not in town streets, highways, or areas with high traffics. Lawn mowers are not permitted to be on the highway. Lawn mower owners must remember that a lawn mower cannot reach the specific speed set by the public roads.

For some reason, I had it in my head that you could just drive a truck or car to the gas station, fill up a gas can, and bring it back to your home for your mower. More often though I am seeing people ride their mowers to and from the gas station, which is not illegal, you just have to know where to ride the mower.

I see this a lot in small towns throughout the Tri-States and a few times in Quincy (which is also legal in Illinois to do just not on major roads and highways). Just be aware you're going to see more mowers out with the warmer weather and fast-growing lawns.