New Ohio ATV laws

[ohiosam]

http://www.atvsource.com/articles/articles/2008/052308_anatomy_of_law.htm

Some highlights

The legislation if passed into law would:


Raise the registration fee from $8.75 for a three-year sticker to $35 for a three-year sticker. Ten dollars per year for each registration will go into the trail fund. It is expected that the fee increase will generate $500,000 a year for the trail fund. Now it is generating only $80,000 a year.
Call for a license plate to be put on ATVs. “A license plate is more visible than a small sticker,” explained Mesarchik. “This is for the trespassing issue. Law enforcement and the Farm Bureau can read a license plate from a distance, and that will more efficiently fight against trespassing and illegal riding.”
Include mandatory registration. Only farmers who qualify with a current agriculture tax exemption will be allowed not to get the registration. The mandatory registration is expected to put more money into the trails fund.
Include mandatory youth safety training. “There will be no new safety training,” explained Mesarchik. “Instead, youth must take an ATV Safety Institute Rider Course, a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Dirt bike Safety Course, or an International Snowmobile Manufacturers’ Association Safety Course.
Create a regulatory board of riders to determine how the trail money will be spent.


On thing I can't find is that Ohio Farm Bureau is reporting that the bill includes tougher ATV trespassing penalties including 3 strikes and your out, mean the ATV could be confiscated on the third violation.

[antiqucycle]

There is a major big league problem with the legislation. ATv's were not titled until 1997. so if no mco exists, you cannot get a title for an older one, No title No license plate.

next problem, you own property but are not a farmer, your kids or you will not be allowed to ride on your own property or your neighbors without a plate.

next up, mandatory liablity insurance.

next Obama will require you to buy carbon credits from Al Gore.

Next. Your golf cart will need a title, plate and liability insurance since it is an off road vehicle. then we can continue on to mobility carts and wheel chairs with motors riding around county fairs.

[coonskinner]

i hope they make the numbers real big and bright and easy to see...:D

[Deehntr56]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for the State!!

[coonskinner]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for the State!!oh boy i thought everybuddy hated the dreaded trespasser...i do...:mischeif:

[deerhunt45]

The reciprocity with other states is a big plus for all ATVers. While I don't own one nor regularly use one, I don't have anything against them per se but I think if you can own one then you can afford the license plate and respect property owners rights, public land laws, street laws etc.
A few bad actors always ruin the play...:(

[antiqucycle]

Probably 70% of the ATV's in Ohio do not have titiles because they are older than 1997. plus all the ones that have changed hands since 1998 that failed to get a new title. yes its money grab for the state, the insurance companies are seeing big dollar signs too. And the politicians can brag about more land to ride, land that will be off limits to hunting.

Golf carts are UTV's so tax them too.

[Fishin 2]

There is a major big league problem with the legislation. ATv's were not titled until 1997. so if no mco exists, you cannot get a title for an older one, No title No license plate.

next problem, you own property but are not a farmer, your kids or you will not be allowed to ride on your own property or your neighbors without a plate.

next up, mandatory liablity insurance.

next Obama will require you to buy carbon credits from Al Gore.

Next. Your golf cart will need a title, plate and liability insurance since it is an off road vehicle. then we can continue on to mobility carts and wheel chairs with motors riding around county fairs.

You most certainly can get a title for an older atv. As a matter of fact, you will need a title to get an orv sticker to be able to ride on any state owned property or trails. Michigan requires you to have a orv sticker from your home state to get there's. I have an lder ( 89 ) that was recently titled. Just had to take it to an inspection station with bill of sale or certificate of origin, officer will verify vin no, then you sign an affidavit, get title, get orv sticker, your good to go. Thing is, gonna cost ya, it's all a money game !:D Mike

[hickslawns]

I am 33 and have been riding since I was 7. I have seen a serious decrease in available riding areas. Often times this ends up with groups of us going out of state for a long weekend of riding our dirt bikes. While nobody likes to spend more money, let's look at this fiscally. $35 for 3 years? Less than $12/year to ride your ORV on public ground? If this opens up more trails, or helps to maintain the existing ones or improve them I will spend more money. Better trails equals more riders equals more revenue for the state and the communities surrounding off-road areas. I have read statistics on this from multiple sources. We are talking about millions of dollars into these small towns surrounding riding areas each year. I think I can fork out $12 a year for a sticker.

[Wildman18]

antiqucycle (http://www.ohiosportsman.com/forum/member.php?u=5998) Exactly right.

There are places to ride an hour from most every one in the state. Go ride! Will there be more riding places maybe a few. Remember you still have to pay $45 for a year pass. Where does that money go.

Manitory titles nonsense. It's all about the all mighty dollar. MONEY MONEY MONEY!!!

There is nothing wrong with the way it is. If it's not broken don't fix it. If you want to ride state land buy a sticker and ride. You still have to have a title to ride there. License plate no problem.

All this is is a way to make money for the state. I like to ride Wayne I also don't like to feel like I am being policed all day. The gov. likes to get into to much, I for one am a posed to it.

The trails are just fine they are maintained very well. Don't think for a moment that they are going to add a bunch of trail all around the state. You would be foolish to think that. It will add more rangers. Quads came out with the four stroke craze and a popularity boom. Now they see money.Next step will be picking on the smaller riding areas with new regulations forcing them to close shop.

Yes you can get a title but it will cost a little. That is why I haven't gotten one for my '88 250r or my '94 Banshee Both I have owned and raced for 14 to 15 years.





Do you like the police on the roads giving revenue enhancement. No, I would assume that is the way it will be on the trails. Next thing you know they will be giving reckless riding tickets. speeding tickets on the trails!!!!!!

[ErictheBarbarian]

They've got garbage similar to this in New York. When I first got here I thought it was absurd, all four wheelers here have to have a license plate. Mandatory safety classes always seem like more of a deterrent that any real benefit to anyone.

Don't be fooled by the more money for trails bs. They recently made it illegal here for all trail riding of 4 wheelers in state forests. This is just another way for you to give away your money.

Kinda like how gasoline is taxed for use on the road, but good luck finding tax exempt gas for your 4 wheeler.

This is something we need to be writing our representatives about.

[ohiosam]

Kinda like how gasoline is taxed for use on the road, but good luck finding tax exempt gas for your 4 wheeler.


There is no such thing as off road gas like there is off road diesel. All gas has the road tax added. Keep the receipts for the gas you buy to use off road in your ATV, lawn mower, etc. then you can take a credit for the taxes paid on your income taxes.

["J"]

I've got a 97 model with no title just a bill of sale. Tried a few years back and the county and the state told me two different versions of what needed done so I just dropped it. May have to try again. How much did the process cost to title it????

[antiqucycle]

Titles and license plates.

If you buy a 4 wheeler or motorcycle without a title, your chances of getting one are very slim. The legal way to do it, is the go thru the process of filing based on the abandoned vehicle section of the Ohio Revised Code. You run the serial number hoping to not find the previous owner who had a title by sending a registered letter. then you can petition common pleas court for a court order to force the DMV to issue a new title. but,,,,, first problem, when you run the numbers and it turns up stolen, kiss it goodbye and possible legal headaches, Second, the vehicle has to be worth less than $2500 and you must pay the county that amount when you get title. like your buying it a second time. Now if you run a legit repair shop, and prove the owner abandoned it by refusing to pay for repairs, so you put a storage charge on it daily.
Same thing if you are a towing company and the owner never comes for it, you can eliminate the possible $2500 charge or decrease it with your cost of the storage.

The only other ways require knowing somebody that will bend the laws. Its Ohio, and it does happen in a lot of cases.
getting the MCO will get you a title. a bill of sale is worthless piece of paper.

When you sell a titled vehicle and do not provide the title, you are breaking the revised code. This whole law about titles is to force people to pay the sales tax each and every time the vehicle changes owners.

As for using an internet title service, your wasting your money, the clerk of courts is required to confiscate any paperwork and they certainly recognize names like Broadway Title.

There are tons of old motorcycles out there that were bought for racing or strictly off road and never ever had a title, so there is no way to get a title and plates.
Its even more clear cut on ATV's before titles. In my opinion, if there is no stolen report, the state should be forced to issue a title but they want that tax money.

[antiqucycle]

Well they passed the piece of garbage, and guess what. only the owner of a property is allowed to ride without a $35 license plate. If you have permission to ride somewhere and no plate, forget it. and the language on the money for trails was changed to say for LAW Enforcement and land purchase. You will never see the land purchases.
And this law includes motorcycles. so if you have an old bike or atv without a title, you might as well haul it to a scrapyard.

[Fishin 2]

I recently titled an '89 yamaha. I took my bill of sale along with the machine to local DMV, They came outside, verified the serial no, went inside and took my paperwork over to title office, got title made, then went back to DMV, got recreation sticker. All in all, was around 100.00. They charge ya on the original cost you paid for the machine, mine was 100.00:D, then was 35.00 for a recreation sticker, good for 3 yrs, just like a snowmobile. Just a money game. I wonder if this tag deal will void my sticker, if so, I want a 2 year refund ot they can apply the difference to the tag. Mike

[ohioflatlander]

What if I just got my $8 sticker last fall. Do I have to go back and get the $35 one now?

[WRS77]

Well hey if the UTV has a license plate that means I can start driving it to work and back. This here rhino will make a heck of a grocery getter to. I'll get my money's worth one way or another....

[Fishin 2]

Just called my local DMV, she said no license plate required. As long as ya have a title and a recreation sticker, your good to go. Thanks, Mike

[Fishin 2]

Years ago, you could make a atv,or a 4 wheeler legal on the road, all you needed was a horn, mirror and a set of bicycle turn signals.:yikes: Not sure anymore. Alot of cities are letting a select few types of vehicles run the roads, including a few golf carts, converted of course. Personally, If it meets the requirements for the road, let em drive it, saves alot on gas, just not on a high speed limit access. If your considering running the road with your plaything, better off calling your local cops or the DMV in your area and ask !!! Mike

[antiqucycle]

I was in Germany last summer and saw more street legal ATv's than I ever dreamed of seeing. they are perfect for narrow streets in walled cities 1000 years old, and I would guess its a lot easier to find parking space. Yes they did have street tread tires.
Did not see any running the autobahns.

[six-point]

Any news on this?

I recently rode in Maine. Registration there is $69/year....BUT they have 1200 of well groomed trails. There are no other fees, but most are club members and volunteer time on trail maintenance.

Excluding the Wayne, Ohio has what...20 miles of worn out trails?