Did you know Michigan has one of the largest designated motorized recreation trail systems in the country? Disbursed throughout its peninsula’s, Michigan provides over 2,400 acres of ORV use areas, over 3,300 miles of ORV routes and trails and over 6,500 miles of snowmobile trails. There are also thousands of miles of National Forest Roads and County Roads open to non-licensed vehicle travel.
These off road recreation opportunities are funded through Michigan’s ORV Program which is operated as a fee for services program, whereby users of the designated trails and roads open to them, pay for their maintenance and development by purchasing an ORV license.
The license is mandatory for anyone operating any type of ORV on any public lands in Michigan, including the frozen surfaces of publicly accessible bodies of water.
Each ORV license is $16.25. The fees collected from the sale these licenses are then legislatively protected by Michigan’s Legacy Fund. This fund is used exclusively for Michigan’s ORV program and is distributed in the following manner:
$15.00 goes into the Trail Improvement Fund which is then distributed, in the form of grants, according to the following formula:
Not less than 50% supports maintenance of the designated system.
Not less than 31.25 % helps to provide for law enforcement.
Not less than 12.5 % pays for ORV damage restoration.
Not more than 3.125 % supports the administration of the ORV program.
The last 3.125% provides additional law enforcement and designated system maintenance.
$1.00 goes into the Safety Education Fund which provides classroom style training, intended to educate ORV operators under age 16 who, in Michigan, are required to have this training. The class covers Michigan’s laws for ORV operation and includes basic safety considerations. Classes are administered through grants to government agencies such as DNR Offices, State Police and County Sheriffs.
$0.25 goes to the point-of-sale retailer, which helps compensate them for making the license available to you in their local retail location. (Most businesses will not mail a license to you as the stamp alone costs $0.42 these days.)
Michigan’s ORV licenses are valid for one year, beginning April 1st of that year through March 31st of the following year.
For example:
A license issued on January 2, 2009 is valid until March 31, 2009.
A license issued on April 1, 2009 is valid until March 31, 2010.
There are two types of ORV licenses that can be purchased. They are pre-printed and electronic terminal licenses.
Pre-printed licenses are typically made available to lower volume, smaller stores in an effort by Michigan’s DNR to make obtaining an ORV license additionally convenient. These licenses are also available through some online retailers such as Off Road Venture, where they can be added to and shipped with your order. A benefit to this type of license is that it just sticks to your vehicle better.
Electronic licenses are printed locally by the license retailer. These electronic terminals are expensive to own and operate and are usually found at higher volume license retailers such as powersport dealers, hunting & fishing stores and other local stores. A benefit to these licenses is that they are available in more places!
In either, when you purchase an ORV license, you are required to provide some form of ID. For residents of Michigan that have a Michigan ID, the system is easy to use as the retailer will simply scan your ID to collect your information. Residents, who do not have a Michigan ID, or visitors to Michigan, can obtain a Michigan Recreation ID by filling out a simple form available at the retailer.
We recommend obtaining a copy of our Guide to Michigan’s ORV Rules and Regulations for more information on all of the places this license will make your vehicle legal to drive as well as providing you with which vehicles and where vehicles are exempt from this licensing requirement.
Once you have your license it must be permanently attached to the rear of your vehicle where it is easy to see, such as on the top of a fender, in a rear window or on a rear bumper.
OVR Licenses can be purchased online at: Michigan DNR’s Online Store
Or
Added to your order at Off Road Venture’s Online Store
