ORV Sticker Required?

**cheesejeeper** · April 29th, 2008, 09:52 PM

I was talking to some guys who were trail riding in their Jeeps in West Branch. They came off a trail in the Ogemaw Hills area and were stopped by a CO who asked if they had ORV stickers on their vehicles. They did not all have them. The officer told them if they were coming back out on the trail the next day he would site them for the violation. One of the trailriders told the officer that you only needed the ORV sticker if you were in one of the designated areas such as Silver Lake or St. Helens Scramble Area. That it wasn't required if you were on the ORV Route System and were driving an SOS licensed vehicle. The CO corrected him and stated that it used to be that way but not anymore. The ORV sticker is now required any time you are on the Route System with an SOS licensed vehicle.

Did I miss something? Has this law changed? Was the CO mistaken?

Cheesejeeper

cc · April 29th, 2008, 10:35 PM

CO is mistaken. You need one for St. Helens motorsports, silver lake, and the mounds.

SOS plate and insurance = good to go on all other legal two tracks.

**mitrail400ex** · April 29th, 2008, 11:05 PM

"Vehicles that are licensed under the Motor Vehicle Code as street vehicles require an ORV license only when they are being used as an ORV. A “street-licensed” ORV does not need an ORV license to use forest roads, but it will need an ORV license if it is used on designated trails or in areas designated for cross-country use."

"Note: An ORV license is not required for street-licensed vehicles used on the frozen surface of public waters or designated ORV routes."

http://www.offroad-ed.com/mi/handbook/registration.htm

Basically, if you're on a ROUTE, you don't need an ORV sticker. If you're on a TRAIL or in a SCRAMBLE AREA, you do. (All-caps words are DNR nomenclature.)

**bigdaddy** · April 30th, 2008, 01:40 AM

So how much is being caught without an ORV sticker in the wrong place go for these days? I know in Michigan it's only 16$ a year. Not a big price to pay to be safe.

**Trail_Fanatic** · April 30th, 2008, 07:17 AM

From: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(ohs....aspx?page=get

Section 324.81102

linkable

printable

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT (EXCERPT)
Act 451 of 1994

324.81102 Vehicles exempt from licensure provisions.

Sec. 81102.
(1) A vehicle registered under the code or a vehicle registered under part 801 is exempt from the licensure provisions of this part, unless the vehicle is operated as an ORV off highways, roadways, streets, and forest roads.
(2) An ORV operated solely on private property by the owner of the property, a family member of the owner, or an invited guest of the owner is exempt from the licensure provisions of this part.

History: Add. 1995, Act 58, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1995
Popular Name: Act 451
Popular Name: NREPA
Popular Name: Off-Road Vehicle Act
Popular Name: ORV

© 2007 Legislative Council, State of Michigan

Basically, if it qualifies as a Forest Road on State Lands*, you don't need a sticker.
If you need 4WD on State Lands* (interpreted as "operating as an ORV") then you need a sticker.

*4WD use on State land is only allowed in scramble areas and on orv Routes. The Feds have no such requirement - 4WD use is allowed on level 2 forest roads without a sticker.

**kb8ymf** · April 30th, 2008, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by cheesejeeper

I was talking to some guys who were trail riding in their Jeeps in West Branch. They came off a trail in the Ogemaw Hills area and were stopped by a CO who asked if they had ORV stickers on their vehicles. They did not all have them. The officer told them if they were coming back out on the trail the next day he would site them for the violation. One of the trailriders told the officer that you only needed the ORV sticker if you were in one of the designated areas such as Silver Lake or St. Helens Scramble Area. That it wasn't required if you were on the ORV Route System and were driving an SOS licensed vehicle. The CO corrected him and stated that it used to be that way but not anymore. The ORV sticker is now required any time you are on the Route System with an SOS licensed vehicle.

Did I miss something? Has this law changed? Was the CO mistaken?

Cheesejeeper

Letters should be written to the ORV Advisory Board to educate them to the discrepancies the users face in the woods. They believe everything is just rosy. It's won't be untill we get them to recognize there are as many interpetation as their are officers.
Did anyone happen to get their name or badge number?
Letter should also go to the District headquarters.
Trail Fanatic should be able to help direct you to the correct office.
jim-kb8ymf

**phittie1100** · April 30th, 2008, 07:37 PM

It was a similar incident near Rose City a few years back that brought me here to GLFWDA looking for answers.

I have run into several people lately that have said this is how the DNR is interpreting the ORV statute. Just heresay of course, don't know what "level" of the DNR is making this policy shift, and nothing official, but this does not appear to be an isolated incident.

**Trail_Fanatic** · April 30th, 2008, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by kb8ymf

Letters should be written to the ORV Advisory Board to educate them to the discrepancies the users face in the woods. They believe everything is just rosy. It's won't be until we get them to recognize there are as many interpretation as their are officers.
Did anyone happen to get their name or badge number?
Letter should also go to the District headquarters.
Trail Fanatic should be able to help direct you to the correct office.
jim-kb8ymf

Spot on Jim.

Terry,
Can you get the information together?

I'd be more than willing to bring it up at the AB meeting.

Before that, a call to Steve K. asking him (as the ORV representative of FMFM) to clarify the issue with LED might also give us an idea how deep this real or perceived 'shift' in policy runs within the Department.

Maybe a conversation with the LED local to the area might be informative too.

**Trail_Fanatic** · April 30th, 2008, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by phittie1100

It was a similar incident near Rose City a few years back that brought me here to GLFWDA looking for answers.

I have run into several people lately that have said this is how the DNR is interpreting the ORV statute. Just heresay of course, don't know what "level" of the DNR is making this policy shift, and nothing official, but this does not appear to be an isolated incident.

I hear of people having trouble from time to time too.
Unfortunately they never seem to get the information needed to really do much about it.

We should investigate this and make sure it gets cleared up so users, LED, and MCL are all in sync.

**cheesejeeper** · April 30th, 2008, 10:00 PM

Terry,
Can you get the information together?

I'd be more than willing to bring it up at the AB meeting.

Before that, a call to Steve K. asking him (as the ORV representative of FMFM) to clarify the issue with LED might also give us an idea how deep this real or perceived 'shift' in policy runs within the Department.

Maybe a conversation with the LED local to the area might be informative too.[/QUOTE]

I will try to gather the info but I don't think anyone had the presence of mind to get a name or badge number.

Cheesejeeper