License Plates Now Required on All ATVs

by Nathan Fries

As of July 1, 2012 a new regulation was implemented that required All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) registered for public use are now required to display a license plate in addition to the side registration decals. I find displaying a second form of registration pointless and a major hassle in some situations for ATV riders. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) should decide to require either side registration stickers or a rear license plate but not both.

I would support the overturn of the recent law change because I find the second form of registration unnecessary because the DNR already requires the side registration decals to be placed in an easily visible location on both sides of the ATV. If the decals are not easily visible there enforcement action should be taken to make sure the decals are located in a highly visible location instead of requiring two forms of registration. I can understand that the DNR might want license plates to make it easier for law enforcement to identify ATVs because the rear plates have larger lettering that is easy to read at longer distances, but then they should do away with the side registration decals. If rear plates are decided to be a preferred form of identification, a better option would be to require state issued license plates that are like motorcycle license plates. These would be easy to read and only need a small year sticker to update the registration instead of removing the large side registration decals to put new ones on every other year.

The current license plates themselves are a major hassle in some cases because an individual has to go out of their way to either buy a license plate from the DNR, make them yourself, or purchase one from other vendors that are now making and selling ATV license plates. Another positive effect of  changing the law would do away with homemade license plates that are, in some cases, numbers and letters written or printed on a floppy piece of paper that are hard to read.

 Another difficulty about requiring the license plates are attaching them to the ATVs. In many cases there are not good locations to attach the plates and often require some creative bracket designs. This is especially an issue on sport ATVs where there isn’t a large cargo rack to attach the plate to. The only easy place to attach the plate to is the small bar to the rear of the ATV, but it  is directly above the tail light so you can’t hang the plate off the bar because it would block the tail light. I personally wouldn’t mind the hassle of making a special bracket if I knew it was the only form of registration, but I find it a waste of time if the same information is located on the side of my ATV.

In conclusion, having two forms of registration is unnecessary and the regulations should be revised to only require one form of registration instead of two.  This would be easier on ATV riders to only have to attach one form of registration, eliminate homemade poorly made license plates, and would make me and others more accepting of the regulations. So if you feel the same way I encourage you to support a regulation change my contacting state law makers or expressing your opinion at one of the DNR spring public hearings