California

ORV Visible Identification

California requires visible identification on ORVs. Learn more about the requirements. 

View our report to learn more about the 37 states that do require visible identification. Learn how California ranks compared to other states on visible identification requirements.

Recent Legislative Action

2009

AB134: Toughens restrictions on supervision of child riders under age 14 (Passed House and Senate)

2008

SB1228: Requires riders under 16 on public lands to be supervised by adult with safety certification (7/2/08: Passed Senate, sent to House)

2007

SB742: Increased registration fees, increased penalties for riding in closed areas and diverted more money from ORV fund to trail maintenance (10/12/07: Signed into law)

Community Voices Demand Action in California

Californians are increasingly voicing their concerns about a growing  contingent of reckless riders who break the law, damage public and private land, injure themselves and others, and ruin hunting, fishing and hiking experiences for the rest of us.

• "Though county sheriff's deputies monitored activities at the river, Crutchfield said officials were careful not to inflame an already tense situation." -- Julie Cart, reporter, "Utah off-Road rally revs in river", Los Angeles Times (5/11/09)

• "Off-roaders have long resisted attempts to regulate the Rubicon. Rafters and hikers reacted the same way when permits were required for the Grand Canyon and other wilderness areas. But let's face it, folks, this is California, with 37 million people. If we want to leave our landmarks for future generations, we have to manage them for the benefit of all." -- The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board, "No more delays on rules for the Rubicon," The Sacramento Bee (2/9/09)

• "Sooner or later, you can only warn people so much. Then you have to have some enforcement and make it a little painful for people to come up here" to ride. -- Sgt. Richard Wood, Kern County Sheriff's Department Tehachapi substation, "No more warnings for illegal off-roaders", The Bakersfield Californian (1/24/09)

• "Get off the trails before some one gets killed." -- Jeri Sust, a Newcastle resident whose 4-year-old horse, Toby, had to be destroyed after he was spooked by illegal dirt bike riders. The horse bolted, threw Sust and severely injured its leg during flight, "Grieving horse owner wants illegal use stopped", El Dorado Hills Telegraph (1/10/09)

• “If I see someone screwing around up here I’ll usually chew them out. Hey I work hard to keep my forest open, to train my kids not to do what you guys do. I don’t want to stop riding in town or in the forests because of you idiots. I’ve told all our guys if you see somebody doin’ something stupid, give them the what for because you have to police yourselves.” -- Dusty Strickland, President, Timberland Dirt Devils ATV Club, "North Country Trail damaged by ATV and horse riders", Bemidji Pioneer (9/2/10)

• "I am one of the lucky ones, because I survived a horrific incident while lying on the beach, reading a book. In March of 2003, I was run over by a 13- year-old child who lost control while riding an ATV. He had no prior experience, yet his parents rented the ATV and sent him off with very little training. After the initial impact, I was trapped under the burning engine before the child was finally able to rock the vehicle off me…I certainly don't have all the answers, but it's time we come up with some safe and workable solutions to this deadly problem, hopefully before someone else's son, daughter, family member, or friend is killed or permanently injured." Cambria Grant, Goleta Resident - Letter to the Editor, New Times (12/17/08)

• "Simply enforcing the existing rules, with stiff fines as the hammer, might just do it." -- Bakersfield Californian Editorial Board, "Enforce current rules for desert off-road racing", Bakersfield Californian (8/19/10)

• "The Murrieta Police Department has two specially equipped KTM off-road motorcycles used for the enforcement of ongoing violations of off-road vehicles trespassing on private property...The purpose of the program is to preserve the peace in the outlying areas of Murrieta, and protect the rights of property owners against off-road vehicles utilizing and or damaging their private property." -- "Off-Road Enforcement Detail Renders Aide to Injured Child", City of Murrieta Press Release (11/30/08)

• "We need to take back our communities during the holidays by reporting ORV abuse and by working with the local law enforcement." -- Phil Klansky, author of Op-ed, "Op-Ed: Report off-road abuse every time", Hi-Desert Star (11/29/08)

• "Unmanaged OHV use has resulted in unplanned roads and trails, erosion, watershed and habitat degradation, and impacts to cultural resource sites...The Bridgeport Ranger District recently completed an inventory of unauthorized routes on NFS lands and identified approximately 800 miles of unauthorized routes." -- "Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest; California and Nevada; Bridgeport Ranger District Travel Management", USFS EIS Announcement (11/26/08)

• "Most of the reported crimes are minor. But problems such as noise, alcohol abuse and vandalism discourage law-abiding Californians from enjoying their state parks. That's why it's essential that lawmakers, parks advocates and user groups take steps to crack down on problems, particularly in the most crime-ridden parks. These tend to be beaches, off-road vehicle areas and state park lakes that allow watercraft." -- Sacramento Bee Editorial Board, "Editorial: It's the Wild West in our state parks", Sacramento Bee (7/28/10)

• "Road closures are not really the issue; it's behavior." -- Ken DeCamp, Op-Ed author, "OHV riders cause real, long-lasting damage", Record Searchlight (11/9/08)

• "You can't go in the back yard from all the dust, and it's noisy. It's deafening when they rev up their engines, and dust goes into the house. We can't open our doors." -- Benjamin Cabuella, Vallejo property owner, "Off-roaders stir up dirt, problems", Vallejo Times Herald (11/7/08)

• "As the county has cut back on law enforcement, the effects are readily visible. East of Discovery Park on a recent weekday, a trio of men could be seen illegally riding their all- terrain vehicles near the foot and bike path." -- Sacramento Bee Editorial Board, "Is parkway beloved, or a burden?", Sacramento Bee (9/2/10)

• "As long as people stay on existing trails, then it's OK... You can drive cars and motorcycles on the roads, but you can't take vehicles into the desert -- and people ignore it pretty regularly." -- Mickey Quillman, BLM chief of resources, "Two ways of life collide in Wonder Valley", Los Angeles Times (1/5/10)

• "As a resident and property owner in these areas, I have lost track of the times that I have had close calls with quad riders coming around blind curves at very high rates of speed and almost crashing into my truck or Jeep… Also, many riders do not respect posted private property…Maybe if the considerate responsible riders will lean on the rest, you might be able to slow the loss of riding areas." -- J. Davis, Clipper Mills. LtE, "Rude off-roaders tarnish reputations", Appeal-Democrat (10/20/08)

• "We believe off-roaders deserve legal access to public land designated for that purpose — as long as they recreate safely and prudently." -- San Luis Obispo Tribune Editorial Board, "Public health must trump recreation", San Luis Obispo Tribune (7/28/10)

• “I’m not an OHVer, autos on the beach are an eyesore to me and, yeah, I’m more the hiker/sailer type than the motorboat/jet ski type... It’s not my lake...It belongs to all of us and we have to find a way to play nice and share.” -- Lois Henry, "Isabella Lake access trimmed", Bakersfield Californian (1/26/10)

• "We understand the Marines need to train, but OHV users need to have areas to recreate as well." -- Jerry Graybow, president of the American Motorcycle Association's District 37, "Marines eye 400,000 acres for training expansion at Twentynine Palms", The Press-Enterprise (8/18/08)

• "I have run into these guys myself. They have cussed me out and kicked up dirt in my face." -- Ray Pessa, president of Friends of Giant Rock, "Two ways of life collide in Wonder Valley", Los Angeles Times (1/5/10)

• "As the legislator who represents many popular off-road-vehicle sites and a father, I am extremely concerned with the increasing number of injuries to children who are driving ATVs. I will continue to work on this important issue." -- Abel Maldonado, State Senator of Santa Maria and sponsor of SB1228, "Bill that aimed to improve safety for youngsters at Oceano Dunes fails to muster state support", The Tribune (8/14/08)

• "Maybe BLM stepping up some more enforcement on it and if you're a part of a race team and you're too close to the track, then maybe some penalties for the racers." -- Tommy Craft, professional off-roader, "Local Off-Roaders React To BLM Investigation", KGTV-TV (8/22/10)

• "The folks were brazen enough to leave orange cones indicating they were taking off-road racing quite passionately. It's disgusting, and I'm pissed off." -- Phil Ginsburg, general manager of the Recreation and Park Department, "Vandals damage Golden Gate Park golf course", San Francisco Chronicle (10/7/10)

• "We have reached a point of desperation as we witness our rural communities taken over by off-roaders who have no respect for our private property rights. Many of our calls for help are ignored because there is insufficient funding and support for law enforcement who are often overwhelmed by the problem. In our communities, ORV trespass and nuisance is a major complaint to law enforcement both local and federal." -- Victoria Fuller, Private Property Owner of Joshua Tree, Speaking Before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Public Lands (3/13/08)

• [Retired ranger Ed Patrovsky said a single ranger might patrol a million acres or monitor a race alone.] "There were times I worked alone, and with so much going on, it was easy to be overwhelmed," said Patrovsky, who retired about five years ago from the Ridgecrest field office. "I don't know how it was for the ranger who worked this particular event, but one person for a 50-mile race course is just ridiculous. If you're the only person working, it's easy to feel vulnerable." -- Ed Patrovsky, retired ranger, "1 ranger patrolled deadly Calif race", Associated Press (8/25/10)

• "I find that the Oceano Dunes are a great place to roam and mob around with off-highway vehicles. But to tell you the truth, I like to breathe a lot more than doing such recreational activities. Studies have shown that the high levels of dust being blown are polluting the Oceano residents’ air. It is considered a serious health hazard by the Air Pollution Control District. An easy solution to this is limiting the number of users each weekend or simply closing the Dunes down for good." -- Parker Patterson, rider, "Letter: Stop the Pollution", San Luis Obispo Tribune (4/19/10)

• “Operating a motor vehicle on the National Forest carries a greater responsibility than driving in other areas. This is because the operator must know not only the applicable traffic laws, but they need to show a concern for the environment as well. Misuse of motor vehicles can lead to closures of routes and trails that are currently open." -- Forest Service Patrol Captain Gary Barnett, "Men get fines, probation for illegal off-roading", Tahoe Daily Tribune (3/5/10)

• “If you want peace and quiet to reign in our neighborhoods call your supervisor and demand that Ordinance 3793 remain unchanged. If you want to return to the days of orv lawlessness in our neighborhoods don’t say a word — let the supervisors cut the guts out of the law. The ordinance is up for discussion soon. Act now!” -- DS Wenzel, property owner, "Your view: Another vote for piece and quiet", The Desert Trail (1/27/10)

• "A lot of these off-road races, they're turning into Glamis. Glamis became an absolute out-of-control mess. What you're seeing now is the same thing. They go out to party." -- Fred Recupido, rider, "Off-road enthusiasts focus on safety changes, not criticism", The Press-Enterprise (8/23/10)

• "Off-road-vehicle use has often drawn complaints from residents about noise, dust and trespassing... We need to have some kind of enforcement tool." -- Gary Penrod, "San Bernardino County officials keep law restricting off-roading", The Press-Enterprise (8/22/07)

Recent ORV-Related Media Coverage