Nevada

NevadaORV Visible Identification

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

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

Recent Legislative Action

2009

SB394: Requires registration, license plates and dedicates money to enforcement, restoration and education. (6/2/09: Enacted) 

2007

SJR10: Resolution calling on federal agencies to designate ORV routes and support local law enforcement (2007: Passed by State Senate and General Assembly)

Community Voices Demand Action in Nevada

Nevadans 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.
  • "One morning when he backed out of his driveway to take his wife to work, [Louis] DeCanio alleges a group of his neighbors on ATVs surrounded his van, yelling, swearing and acting in a threatening manner.'My wife was cowering in the passenger seat,' he said. 'She is a quiet, shy person. She's afraid for me every time I go out to fix the signs they knock down every week.' He said he reported the incident to the Nye County Sheriff's Office, but nothing came of it. "Owning this home in this location was my dream," said DeCanio.” -- Gina B. Good, Pahrump Valley Times reporter, "ATV'ers terrorize my wife", Pahrump Valley Times (1/16/09)
  • "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 Managemen", USFS EIS Announcement (11/26/08)
  • "I'm an off-road vehicle user myself, but I'm a responsible off-road vehicle user, and not everyone is that way. It's not unreasonable to have a license and registration for those and have a fee for the use of them because people do a lot of work to clean up after them." --Daela Gibson, district 26 assembly candidate, "Eco-politics; Local candidates sound off on the environment", News Review (10/20/08)
  • "Land is being decimated. That land is why so many people moved to this country, to have that out their back door. Now, it's getting ruined because so many people are going out their back doors." Genny Wilson, chief of the Carson Ranger District, "Rules about to change on backcountry roads", Reno Gazette-Journal (9/29/08)
  • “It’s now this little hub for everyone who wants to have a little wild, off-road adventure. With that popularity has come some kind of things that we really don’t want.” --  Nancy Hall, a volunteer who monitors the Gold Butte area, "Red Rocks of Nevada Smudged by Less Colorful Graffiti", The New York Times (1/5/10)

  • "Before we even got to unload the quads, as they are known, we spotted a large herd of antelope in the Bilk Creek Mountains to the west of the valley. To get a better look at the animals, we decided to start a hike towards them. They were at least a mile or more away. However, we were out flanked by a group of hunters led by three quads moving towards the animals. The very same thing happened on Darrin's second antelope hunt on the opening day 10 years ago. Off-highway vehicles can be very helpful when used correctly, but destructive to the habitat and a pain in the butt to responsible hunters when not." -- Dave Rice, Fishing and Hunting Columnist, "Outdoors: ATVs can be a hunter's friend, if used responsibly", Reno Gazette-Journal (8/29/08)
  • "Citizens are tired of the noise, dust and possible hazard," -- Abel Ortiz, Lyon County Sheriff’s Office Acting-Lieutenant, "LCSO team to monitor roads in wake of ATV complaints", Reno Gazette-Journal, (5/12/10)
  • “We never touched him. We are not violent people, we are professional people. We're just sick and tired of these ATV-ers coming up to our area.” -- Leroy Rupert, land owner, "Couple sentenced in ATV ambush", The Record-Courier (4/9/10)
  • "With such great land masses and so few enforcement officers, it does not take a large group of individuals disobeying federal land and local laws to cause a problem. We have seen pristine areas disturbed by (off-highway vehicle) riders for the thrill of an exciting ride. It's a growing burden with a growing number of reckless drivers." -- Frank Adams, Executive Director of Nevada Sheriffs' and Chiefs' Association, Testifying before United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (6/5/08)
  • "Enforcement is a major issue. If there's no enforcement, those maps really aren't worth the paper they are printed on. The Forest Service doesn't have anywhere near the staffing they need. They're going to need to increase their staffing and put money into enforcement as well as outreach and education. It will require substantial funding increases. -- Stan Vanvelsor, ORV Coordinator for the Wilderness Society, Reno Gazette-Journal (11/5/07)
  • "With the population increasing and the level of maturity dropping, I feel it is time for the community to do something about these riders. There’s no excuse to use the roadways as raceways.” -- Roberta Rothwell, property owner, "Community member asks for action on ATV regulations", Silver Pinyon Journal (6/16/10)
  • "The explosion of reckless riding in our area over the past decade is damaging our way of life and creating a backlash against responsible motorized users." -- Brent Eldridge, Chairman of the White Pine County Commission, Las Vegas Review-Journal (3/17/08)

Recent ORV-Related Media Coverage   



Bill proposes creation of Clark County Off-Highway Recreation Park

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Written by Las Vegas Review Journal   
Tuesday, September 20, 2011

A proposed Clark County Off-Highway Recreation Park came one step closer to becoming a reality Aug. 2 with a bill introduced by Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev.

The "short" title of Senate Bill 1475 is the Nellis Dunes National Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Act of 2011. As a congressman, Heller introduced the Nellis Dunes National Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Act of 2009 (H.R. 765), which didn't become a law before the end of the congressional session. The new Senate bill continues the process.

As written, the bill would carve 1,000 acres out of the 10,000-acre Nellis Dunes Recreation Area, currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and hand it over to Clark County to create an off-road park. The newly created recreation area would become the largest park in the county.

Read more... [Bill proposes creation of Clark County Off-Highway Recreation Park]
 

Law on registration of off-road vehicles moving forward

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Written by Las Vegas Sun   
Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Cy Ryan

A 2009 law requiring the registration and titling of thousands of off-road vehicles is moving again after being stalled.

“It’s going to be a money raiser,” said Sen. Dean Rhoads, R-Elko, who has worked to promote the law.

Read more... [Law on registration of off-road vehicles moving forward]
 

Letter: Wild horses part of the beauty of Cold Creek

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Written by Las Vegas Review-Journal   
Thursday, February 03, 2011

In response to the Jan. 27 letter, "Horse problem":

My wife and I have lived full time in Cold Creek for the past 13 years, and we still do. I think I can correctly speak for most of my neighbors that there is no overpopulation of horses here in Cold Creek. May I also add, these horses are not destroying our wilderness. If there is any blame to be cast about destroying our desert beauty, let's look at the ATVs and dirt bikes that tear up our desert trails every weekend.

Read more... [Letter: Wild horses part of the beauty of Cold Creek]
 

BLM study reveals high levels of arsenic in dust at Nellis Dunes

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Written by Las Vegas Review-Journal   
Friday, January 28, 2011

Keith Rogers

Dust blown by wind and kicked up by off-road vehicles and motorcycles at Nellis Dunes Recreation Area contains high levels of naturally occurring arsenic and has the presence of an asbestos-like mineral, according to a study released Thursday by the Bureau of Land Management.

A BLM spokeswoman said the 10,000-acre recreation area will remain open while a health risk assessment is completed over the next three years, but advisory signs will posted at the recreation area with more information available at the bureau's Southern Nevada District Office website: www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo.html.

Read more... [BLM study reveals high levels of arsenic in dust at Nellis Dunes]
 

Red Rocks of Nevada Smudged by Less Colorful Graffiti

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Written by New York Times   
Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Jennifer Medina

The jagged pink mountains here glitter, rare instances of natural beauty in a desolate landscape known more for its gleaming casinos. For years, hikers and rock climbers have flocked to Red Rock Canyon for the easily accessible climbs. History seekers come to look at the patch of land where Indian tribes roamed as far back as the 10th century.

Now graffiti vandals have found the place, too.

Read more... [Red Rocks of Nevada Smudged by Less Colorful Graffiti]
 

Lawsuit claims off-road vehicles will harm species

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Written by Las Vegas Review-Journal   
Thursday, October 21, 2010

Keith Rogers

A conservation group sued the U.S. Forest Service on Wednesday over the agency's decision to allow off-highway vehicles in sensitive forest lands along the Nevada-California border where federally protected bighorn sheep and Lahontan cutthroat trout live.

"We cannot allow the Forest Service to ignore its responsibilities to protect rare and imperiled species and their habitats," Rob Mrowka, the Center for Biological Diversity's Nevada-based ecologist, said in a press release. "The streams, meadows, lambing and nesting areas, and other places without roads are critical for the conservation of these species."

Read more... [Lawsuit claims off-road vehicles will harm species]
 

Column: Off-road vehicle nuisance riders create problems, county leaders pay us a visit

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Written by Reno Gazette-Journal   
Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Betty Retzer

You won't want to miss the Stagecoach Advisory Board meeting tonight (Wednesday, Sept. 1). In the Stagecoach Community Center there was standing room only for the August meeting, and the agenda was as full as the center.

In addition, Jeff Page, interim county manager, introduced most of his staff and each person told a little about his job with the county.

Read more... [Column: Off-road vehicle nuisance riders create problems, county leaders pay us a visit]
 

In Nev., 'Vegas to Reno' race gets green flag

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Written by Land Letter   
Thursday, August 19, 2010

April Reese

Bureau of Land Management officials in Nevada said this week that a 534-mile off-highway vehicle (OHV) race scheduled for this weekend will proceed as planned despite a fatal crash during a similar race on agency lands in California last Saturday that left eight people dead.

The accident, at BLM's Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Area in Southern California, occurred when a truck driver lost control of his vehicle and careened into a crowd alongside the race course. Video of the accident shows drivers were violating the 15-mile-per-hour speed limit near spectators, which had been a condition of BLM's permit for the race (E&ENews PM, Aug. 16).

Read more... [In Nev., 'Vegas to Reno' race gets green flag]
 

Community members must work together regarding OHV noise, dust

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Written by Dayton Courier   
Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Keith Trout

Lyon County Sheriff's Lt. Rob Hall reported to those present at the Dayton Regional Advisory Council meeting that the department is actively working on bringing members of the community together on the issue of off road vehicle noise and fugitive dust.

Resident Stacy Patterson said she attended the meeting specifically because of an article on the subject in the Dayton Courier: "I know there's a lot of angry citizens --I grew up here and we stayed here --and we don't want to loose the privilege of riding (off road vehicles). Is there a way to work together as a community to work on this issue and keep our riding freedom?"

Read more... [Community members must work together regarding OHV noise, dust]
 

Community member asks for action on ATV regulations

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Written by Silver Pinyon Journal   
Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Dee Holzel

WINNEMUCCA — A Grass Valley resident went before the Humboldt County Commission on Monday (June 14) to express concern over ATV use in the outlying areas and to ask the commissioners to take action.

The Humboldt County DA’s Office is researching the actions that may be taken by the commissioners and the item will appear on later agendas. Roberta Rothwell reviewed some of the activities that have taken place in her neighborhood, which include an instance where young girls raced each down the road, taking their hands off the steering to wave their arms in the air as they went, while their parents cheered nearby.

Read more... [Community member asks for action on ATV regulations]
 
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State by State Momentum

Community Voices

“As a rancher who leases public lands for cattle, I’ve seen my share of cut fences and rangeland damaged by ORV use. I’ve also experienced ORV trespass onto my private lands. But I’ve had no way to identify the culprits when reporting trespass or illegal ORV use to local law enforcement. Congress should require that ORVs used on public lands have visible identification plates or decals. Doing so would remove the anonymity enjoyed by ORV riders who are bent on breaking the rules.”

- Ambers Thornburgh, second-generation rancher from Oregon who grazes cattle on his private land and adjacent lands leased from the Bureau of Land Management