It's the Law!: Indiana Laws for Off-Road Vehicles

Except where noted, the laws below apply to all off-road vehicles (ORVs), which includes both all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and snowmobiles.

Registering Your ORV
IC-14-16-1-8; IC-14-16-1-9; IC-14-16-1-11; IC-14-16-1-11.5

• If you operate an ORV on public property, it must be registered. The only exception is a vehicle that is properly registered in another state and operated by a resident of that state.
• All ORVs purchased after December 31, 2003, must be registered.
• Registration is $30 for three years.
• Registration application forms are available from most dealers, most license branches, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Customer Service Center; or they can be printed from the DNR website at www.in.gov/icpr/webfile/formsdiv/00390.pdf.
• Upon approval of the application, the DNR will issue two registration decals and a Certificate of Registration containing the vehicle number.
• The pocket-sized Certificate of Registration must be carried on the vehicle and made available for inspection by law enforcement officers.
• A bill of sale will serve in lieu of the Certificate of Registration for 31 days from the purchase date.
• Registration decals must be attached to both sides of the forward half of the vehicle.
• All decals must be maintained in a legible condition, and expired decals must be removed from the vehicle.
• If your ORV is currently registered and you wish to renew, you may do so online.

Other Facts About Registration
IC-14-16-1-14; IC-14-16-1-15

• The owner of a registered vehicle must notify the DNR within 15 days if:
  • The vehicle is destroyed or abandoned or...
  • The vehicle is sold, or an interest in the vehicle is transferred wholly or in part to another person or...
  • The owner’s address changes.
• If a Certificate of Registration is lost, mutilated, or illegible, the owner of the vehicle may purchase a duplicate from the DNR for a fee.
• A person may not operate a vehicle with an altered, defaced, or obliterated vehicle number.

Buying and Selling an ORV
IC-14-16-1-14

• A person who buys a registered ORV must apply within 15 days from the date of purchase to transfer the Certificate of Registration to his or her name.
• If the application is not made within 15 days, the person may not operate the ORV until a certificate is issued.