New ATV Law effective January 1st

[Dave S]

All-terrain vehicle (ATV) operators who are not Minnesota residents must possess a trail pass when driving on state or grant-in-aid trails beginning Jan. 1, when a new state law takes effect. The trail pass does not need to be displayed on the machine, but must be available for inspection when requested by an officer. The pass is required whether the machine is registered in Minnesota or another state.

Nonresidents do not need a pass if operating on a portion of an ATV trail that is owned by the person or the person’s spouse, child, or parent.

ATV operators can purchase one-year nonresident ATV trail passes ($21 new, $2.50 duplicate) through Minnesota’s Electronic License System (ELS). Nonresident passes can be purchased any of three ways:

By phone, call 888-665-4236 (1-MN-LICENSE) any time of day or night, seven days a week. All trail pass purchases can only be made by credit card. There is $3.50 convenience fee per transaction.

In person at nearly 1,800 ELS locations around the state. To find locations, visit www.dnr.state.mn.us/licenses/agents.html or call the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157 or 1-888-646-6367.

[1900_LE]

What's a "grant-in-aid-trail"?

[Dave S]

GIA or Grant-in-Aid trails are maintained by local clubs who are then reimbursed through the state trails fund.

Basically a state funded trail.

[Dave S]

I should have also stated that a portion of the gas tax as well as ATV registration dollars help support this fund.

[chasineyes]

Hey I have another "new law" question for ya...I'm trying to understand that they may have changed the wording for size atv's for youth to ride. I have interpreted it to mean that if they can touch the foot pegs and handlebars comfortably, they can ride a larger machine? Example 300 sportsman. Am I wrong? I have a 9 year old who is 5'3 and 110 who has waaaayy outgrown her 110cc.

[Dave]

Last I read, if the youth has an ATV Safety Cert (which is at age 12), they can ride any machine they "fit"; which means, space between crotch and seat when they stand on pegs/floorboards, grip the brake levers with the correct knuckles and also sit on seat and have feet flat on pegs.

[Dave S]

There should also be a distinct bend in the knees and elbows while sitting on the machine with feet on the foot pegs and gripping the handle bars.

Straight arms while sitting on the machine will only cause the operators to be pulled to the outside of the machine while cornering, increasing teh chance for a roll-over.

[huntnfish]

I just have a few questions about this new law and want to make sure I am reading it right. So even though I have my ATV licensed in MN I now have to buy a license to ride it in the state that I have it licensed in? I'm not sure that this makes any sense. I can't imagine the ATV rental places are real happy about this new law.

Either way, I thought it would be a good idea to bump this up to the top with the snow melting and more people out on their wheelers.

[Dave S]

1) ATV rental places who are based in MN would not need to purchase this "trail pass".

2) The law pertains only to non-residents.

In a sense, I don't agree with it if a person such as yourself is willing to register the machine in MN to begin with. But according to the new law, yes you would also need to purchase the trail permit even though your ATV is already registered in MN. It only becomes an issue if you intend to ride on state trails. If you don't ride state trails, there's no need for the permit.

[Chnginthhofl]

Just another hand out so you can enjoy the "free" outdoors.