As ORV riding grows, so do the incidents of illegal ORV use. These individuals aren’t taking personal responsibility for their actions and are breaking the law. They damage private property and public land, injure themselves and others, and ruin other recreational activities the rest of us enjoy. Left unaddressed, their actions threaten access for all to public lands and drive up the cost of business for those who make a living off the land.
Readily visible ORV identification, such as a license plate, would help responsible riders to police themselves and educate other riders. It would also help private property owners identify trespassing riders and provide law enforcement with a much-needed resource to bring illegal riders to justice, while avoiding dangerous pursuits.
In Nevada, all off-road vehicles must display a license plate and a current ORV decal. Street legal ORVs may register as a motor vehicle and must display a motor vehicle decal in addition to the ORV decal.
Off-highway vehicles are permitted to operate on public roadways that have been designated as open for OHV use by local authorities. Cities and counties wishing to designate any portion of a roadway under their jurisdiction as permissible for the operation of OHVs must first receive approval from the Department of Transportation. Once an OHV is operating on an approved highway, it may not be operated on the highway for more than two miles and must only be used to reach a private or public area that is open for OHV use.
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.
"Many of these individuals damage our terrain such as using pristine meadows as mud tracks, riding on the desert crest for an offroad experience, chasing our native animals - deer and elk throughout the countryside. We feel that these individuals do this in a veil of anonymity and thereby encouraging a visible vehicle identification program will help us identify and prosecute these individuals and reduce the problems that we have." -Former Executive Director Frank Adams
"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.” -Reporter Gina B. Good
"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." -USDA Forest Service
"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." -Assembly Candidate Daela Gibson
"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." -Ranger District Chief Genny Wilson
“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.” -Land Owner Leroy Rupert
"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
"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. -Wilderness Society ORV Coordinator Stan Vanvelsor
"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.” -Property Owner Roberta Rothwell
"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." -Chairman Brent Eldridge
Mesquite Police is reminding residents that Nevada law requires owners of off-highway vehicles (OHV), including dirt bikes, to register and title their vehicles.
All OHVs manufactured in 1976 or after must be registered and have the registration decal property displayed in order to be legally operated, said Jeffrey Smith, MPD public information officer. The Nevada Commission on Off-Highway Vehicles, said OHVs include, but are not limited to all-terrain vehicles, all-terrain motorcycles, dune buggies, snowmobiles and “any motor vehicle used on public lands for the purpose of recreation.”
“Nevada’s statute requires OHVs purchased prior to July 1, 2012 must be registered by July 1, 2013. Titles are optional for these vehicles,” Smith said. “OHVs purchased after July 1, 2012 must be registered and titled within 30 days of purchase.”
Registration applications are accepted and decals are issued by mail only. For additional resources and information about the registration and operation of OHVs in Nevada, visit the official website of the Nevada Commission on Off-Highway Vehicles at www.nvohv.com; or call (775) 684-4381, Smith said. You can also download the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) inspection form off of the website listed above.
Mesquite’s local ordinance (6-7-1 to 6-7-7) related to the operation of OHVs on public roads is based on the state’s new registration requirements. All current state and local regulations and restrictions pertaining to OHV operation remain in effect, regardless of whether or not an OHV is registered.
A new program in the state of Nevada to register off-highway vehicles (OHV) went into effect on July 1 this year. All OHVs newer than 1976 should be registered and display a registration decal in order to be operated legally in the state of Nevada.
OHVs purchased after July 1 must be registered immediately. But OHVs purchased prior to July 1 will have until July 1, 2013 to get registered.
Registration costs $20 per year. At least 70% of the revenues from OHV registration will be used towards developing trails in the state for OHV use.
Partners in Conservation Administrator Elise McAllister of Moapa has been part of the process to set up the new law from the beginning. In 2004 McAllister attended a workshop focused on how to help federal agencies plan trails. This is where the idea of a registration system came to be.
“There was a lot of support from [OHV] users and groups, who already had to buy temporary permits to operate in other states,” McAllister explained.
With a Nevada registration, users will be permitted to operate in other states having a registration program.
Until this year, Nevada was the only western state that didn’t have a registration program, McAllister said.
“The registration program will make it easier to track and find stolen OHVs,” she said. “Until now, police had no way to verify that an OHV was actually stolen.”
The Nevada Legislature started in 2007 with a “foot-in-the-door” bill involving a voluntary decal program. In 2009, more language was added to the bill, and towns could designate OHV friendly roads. In Lincoln and Clark county, all unpaved roads are OHV friendly, provided the OHV is registered. In Mesquite, all side roads are OHV friendly. In 2011 the legislature passed the final bill, requiring a yearly registration.
Arizona has a similar law, which has been in effect for five years. In that state, compliance has been voluntary. The first year there was 10% compliance with the law. In its fifth year, compliance has reached 50%. Nevada’s law is designed with a similar structure.
There is currently no enforcement infrastructure in place for authorities to check compliance until a user has been stopped. Nevada police agencies have the ability to ticket for non-compliance, however, they won’t be going door to door checking for registration. But those that comply will find that registration is a benefit to them, McAllister said. In addition to improved trails and facilities, registration also deters theft and encourages tourism in the state.
The registration program is overseen by the Nevada Commission on Off-Road Vehicles, an 11 member panel appointed by the Governor. They represent a variety of different interests, including OHV owners and users, wildlife management, and the association of counties, among others.
In addition, the Commission will allocate grants for trail improvements, mapping, and education. McAllister expects the Commission to be ready to distribute the first grants next summer.
More information about registration can be found at http://nvohv.com/.
Local law enforcement and government officials want to remind Nevada drivers that all off-highway vehicles (OHVs) need to be registered.
OHVs include dirt bikes, all-terrain-vehicles, dune-buggies, snowmobiles, and “any motor vehicle used on public lands for the purpose of recreation.”
This new law went into effect on July 1st of this year but separate rules apply depending on when vehicles are purchased. Any OHVs purchased before July 1, 2012 must be registered by July 1, 2013, and titles are optional. However, vehicles purchased on or after July 1, 2012 must have titles and be registered within 30 days of purchase.
Whether you call them ATVs or OHVs, those small vehicles designed for off-road travel can scramble over hills at high speeds, making them hard to catch.
Who is chasing them? The tax man!
Starting next week, OHV purchasers will need to register their vehicles with the state, for a small fee. The kicker is that those who buy out-of-state anytime after today will need to show proof of having paid Nevada sales tax.
Off-highway vehicles are ubiquitous in Nevada, from dune buggies on Sand Mountain to hunters retrieving their kills.
Come July 1, Nevada residents who want to buy an off-highway vehicle, such as an all-terrain vehicle or snowmobile, will have to register it within 30 days after purchase. Residents who already own OHVs will have to register them with the Department of Motor Vehicles by July 1, 2013.
OHVs purchased out of state after July 1, 2012, will have to show that Nevada sales tax has been paid on them before they can be titled and registered, according to the Department of Motor Vehicle’s website.
Nevada will now require off-roaders to register and title their toys. State lawmakers say we've failed to capitalize on a sport that has some serious traction.
They believe the new rules not only protect taxpayers and as News 3’s Mackenzie Warren explains, will give the industry a jump-start.
It’s the “wild, wild west”—where ATVers know Nevada for its wide open desert trails. And until now, we were the only western state that didn't make riders register or title their toys. Beginning July 1st it'll cost $20 to register your 4-wheeler. Paul Jackson, who chairs the "Commission on Off-highway Vehicles,” says it's a small price to protect taxpayers.
The sun is shining, the sky is blue and you have an ATV gassed up and ready for a ride. The land surrounding Mesquite is full of hills, washes, and trails to nowhere and everywhere. You can’t wait to head out and explore. As you grab a drink and some snacks and put on your helmet to head out, it’s very important that you consider where you’re heading and how safe the area is.
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.
“During the past decade, I have personally had six out of seven elk hunts ruined by the careless intrusions of ATV operators. This epidemic has forced me to abandon one prime hunting area after another, only to encounter the same situation elsewhere. The shameful part of this picture is that the overwhelming majority of these ATV’ers are young and healthy, not decrepit or physically challenged. Maybe these riders would be more respectful of other people's outdoor experience if they knew we could ID them."
- Bill Sustrich, Colorado Backcountry Hunters and Anglers
ORV Visible Identification
