What's Up With Legal Off-road
Riding In Oregon ?
Last updated
July 13, 2010
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You are visitor
since Sept 8, 2001
Trailsmen MC Inc. usually has stickers for sale
at events.
The Glenwood Store and the Lees
Camp store no longer sells ATV stickers
ORV stickers are no longer
available from DMV. Try your local cycle dealer.
**the following
information is directly from the Oregon State Parks and Recreation website**
http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/ATV/Permits.shtml
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| ATV Permit Information |
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| You must display an ATV permit if
you are operating your ATV on public land (and even
then, the land must be specifically designated for ATV
use). The ATV Permit Fee is $10.00 (Most permit
agents charge an extra .50), and it is valid for two
years. |
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| Out of state ATV Permits |
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An ATV/OHV operating permit that is
issued in another state shall be honored in the State of
Oregon if the issusing state also honors an Oregon ATV
operating permit. The ATV must have a resident state
ATV/OHV operating permit or a State of Oregon ATV
operating permit to operate the ATV on designated ATV
areas. A State of Oregon ATV operating permit may be
issued for all terrain vehicles owned by a resident of
another state that does not have a permitting program.
For a list of states that have reciprocity with
Oregon, please visit the
Reciprocity Information Page.
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| Class I Permits |
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(ATVs, 3 Wheelers)
| Operators with a suspended or revoked
drivers license may not operate any class ATV |
| New seatbelt law affecting certain
Class I vehicles provided with seatbelts by
manufacturer *
Senate Bill 579 was signed into
law by the Governor that requires youth
under 16 to wear restraints beginning
January 1, 2010.
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Defined:
Operator requirements:
- All youth under age 16 must hold a valid ATV
Safety Education Card.
- All youth under age 16 operating a Class I or
Class III ATV on public lands must be supervised by
an adult who is at least 18 years old and holds a
valid
ATV Safety Education Card and can provide
immediate assistance and direction to the children.
- Youth and any passengers under age 18 must wear
a DOT approved helmet with the chin strap fastened.
- All youth under age 16 must meet Rider
Fit rules.
* An example of a Class I vehicle in which seatbelts
are provided by the manufacturer is the Polaris
Ranger Razr 170 youth-model side-by-side
which falls into Class I by being less than 800
pounds and less than 50 inches wide.
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| Class II Permits |
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(4x4s, Side x Sides)
| Operators with a suspended or revoked
drivers license may not operate any class ATV |
| New helmet laws affecting
unregistered Class II vehicles:
Senate Bill 583 was signed into law
by the Governor that requires youth under 18 to
wear DOT approved helmets unless vehicle
is registered and has a roof or a roll bar
beginning January 1, 2010 |
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New seatbelt laws affecting all Class II
vehicles:
Senate Bill 579 was
signed into law by the Governor that requires
youth under 16 to wear restraints beginning
January 1, 2010. |
Defined:
- Weighs more than a Class I all-terrain vehicle
Operator requirements:
- A valid drivers license.
- Begining January 1, 2010, youth under 18 must
wear a DOT approved helmet with the chin strap
fastened.
- Meet the safety
equipment standards for off road vehicles.
- Check with law enforcement officials in the area
you wish to ride for any special requirements.
- Uninsured Class II off-road vehicles should
contact Department
of Motor Vehicles for more information.
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| Class III Permits |
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(Motorcycles)
| Operators with a suspended or revoked
drivers license may not operate any class ATV |
Defined:
Operator requirements:
- Must be at least 7 years of age
- All youth under age 16 must hold a valid
ATV Safety Education Card.
- All youth under age 16 operating a Class I or
Class III ATV on public lands must be supervised by
an adult who is at least 18 years old and holds a
valid
ATV Safety Education Card and can provide
immediate assistance and direction to the children.
- Youth and any passengers under age 18 must wear
a DOT approved helmet with the chin strap fastened.
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| Snowmobiles |
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OPRD does not issue snowmobile
registrations, snowmobile permits, or sno-park permits.
All snowmobile registrations and permits are issued
through DMV. Please contact the Driver
and Motor Vehicle Services. Their phone number is
(503) 945-5000.
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***The following
information is directly from the Oregon State Parks and Recreation website***
http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/ATV/safety.shtml
| ATV Safety & Training |
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| New ATV safety website! |
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Check out our new ATV safety website to
learn about the 2009 changes to riding on public lands.
www.rideATVoregon.org
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| ATV Safety Instruction |
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There are two types of training available to Class I and Class
III operators, on-line and hands-on.
On-line Mandatory Safety Training The Oregon
Parks and Recreation Department ATV Safety Education Course is
now online. This course provides safety tips for riding in
Oregon's dunes, desert and forests as well as training on trail
etiquette, riding ethics and environmental concerns.
The ATV Safety Education Course is the only way to receive the
new ATV Safety Education Card (or Operator Permit) that is
required for youth 15 and under and their adult supervisors. The
ATV Safety Education Course will be phased in for all ages by
2014. Both the ATV Safety Education Course and the ATV Safety
Education Card are free and never expire.
Click here for Online Safety Training.
Also located on the above website you will find the phase-in
schedule. Because this training material covers material not
presented in hands-on training courses, previous ASI or MSF
Operator Permit holders will also need to take this course.
Hands-on
Beginning January 1, 2012, Hands-on training will also be
required for youth 15 and under. As we approach this deadline
training may be hard to find. Avoid the rush and get
trained now!
Those who have already received hands-on training via ASI or MSF
have already met this requirement and will be issued a new ATV
Safety Education Card with their training endorsement in 2012.
Click here to find hands-on training.
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By Tom Niemela
No doubt you've heard that same question within the last
few months, if you ride in Oregon, or you've wondered it yourself. Earlier in 1995, a few
laws were added and changed that affect Off-Highway Vehicle use in the state. After those
changes, the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles sent out a letter to all registered
owners of Class III (motorcycles) vehicles to inform them of the changes.
That's when the problems started. Absolutely no one
understood what the letter said and most people read it completely different than what it
was supposed to say. Even the DMV wasn't quite sure what it said. Dealers were claiming
that you don't need a title with your new bike and that you didn't have to buy an ORV tag.
Rumors of large fines for tagless OHVs were running rampant. So I called the DMV Customer
Support line at (503)945-5000 and talked to a friendly lady that really didn't understand
what the issues and questions where. Then I made a few last-ditch, inquiring calls to some
of our legal watch dogs, namely, Bob Greenstreet in Bend and Arnold Ryland in Coos Bay.
Many thanks to them for helping to clear, or at least understand, the problems.
OK, here's the poop. After September 8, 1995 you must buy
the new Class III ATV sticker to be legal anywhere on public lands in the state of Oregon.
Short and sweet. The fine will be $65 minimum (rumors of $165 Max) and the cost of a new
sticker is $7 per bike every two years. The permit must be put on the left-front fork
tube. Supposedly, the police are supposed to be sympathetic with the confusion and not
enforce too much until after the first of next year.
Titles for your off-highway motorcycle are optional. Bikes
without titles will be able to buy (and must have) the new stickers. If you have a titled
and registered street machine (dual sport) and NEVER ride in the dirt, you do not need the
sticker. But if you ride your dual sport bike off-road, you must have one. Basically, this
means that the bikes without titles in the past that couldn't get an ATV sticker, now can
and must have one. I highly recommend that you continue to title your bikes. If you don't,
please let me know what your address is, since I can always use a new bike. I think you
get the point.
The intent of this new law was to allow older, untitled
motorcycles and dual sport bikes to purchase Class III off-highway stickers, where they
couldn't in the past. If we can get an additional 20,000 motorcycles registered, we can
generate an additional $1,000,000 in two years. Presently, we are only generating $300,000
in fuel tax transfers annually for motorcycle projects that are badly needed. Many
untitled and dual sport bikes use our riding areas and couldn't donate to the fund in the
past.
Still confused? Join the club (in fact, join a motorcycle
club anyway!) For therapy in the meantime , I suggest you take two aspirin, go down
to your friendly motorcycle dealer , buy your Class III sticker and go for a ride.
Tom
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