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FAILURE to REGISTER YOUR ATV and ENFORCEMENT
in Pennsylvania
FINES
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Failure to register your ATV or abide by the rules
can be costly:
- First offenses range from $50 to $200 plus
the cost of prosecution.
- Second offense carries a fine of $100 to $300
plus the cost of prosecution.
- Failure to register your vehicle or failure to have
liability insurance is an automatic $300 fine plus cost
of prosecution.
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LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RESPONSIBILITY ~~ All law
enforcement officers in the state, including local and state police, are
authorized to enforce the Snowmobile/ATV Law. In general:
- State Forest and State Park lands - DCNR Rangers
- State Game Lands - Wildlife Conservation Officers and Deputy WCOs
- Municipal and state roadways - municipal and state police
- Private property - municipal and state police
You must stop when signaled by a law enforcement officer. Failure to
do so could result in fines and loss of your registration.
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ATV sound level requirements:
It is unlawful to operate an ATV in this Commonwealth that
produces a sound level in excess of 99 dbA, or decibels, when
measured at 20 inches in accordance with American National Standards
Institute/Society of Automotive Engineers Recommended Practice
J 1287 (March 1982). |
Helmet requirements:
No person may operate a snowmobile or ATV without a securely
fastened helmet on the head of each individual who operates or is
a passenger on a snowmobile or ATV. The helmet shall meet the
standards and specifications as established by the Department of
Transportation for protective headgear for motorcycle riders at
67 Pa. Code Chapter 107 (relating to motorcycle helmets).
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Reference:
CHAPTER 51. SNOWMOBILE AND
ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND OPERATION
Summary of Pennsylvania's All-Terrain Vehicle
Law (Brochure ~~ Adobe pdf)
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PA ATV LAWS:
Act 68, the new PA ATV Registration Law, was passed in June 2001
and took effect on 10/23/01:
- All ATV's must be registered with DCNR (limited registration
available if operated solely on your own land)
- All ATV's must display plates and expiration stickers.
- All ATV's must be insured (except limited registration)
- Registration money goes into a fund which funds the
registration system, education & training, construction
of new trails, trail maintenance and enforcement of ATV
laws.
- Liability for negligence in the use or operation of an ATV
is attributable to the owner of the ATV.
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ATV's may be operated:
- On private property with the consent of the owner or lessor;
- *On state-owned property on clearly marked
and previously designated ATV trails;
- *On highway and streets when necessary to
cross a bridge or culvert;
- *On highways and streets during periods of
emergency when so declared by a governmental agency having
jurisdiction;
- *On highways and streets for special ATV
events of limited duration which are conducted according to
a prearranged schedule under permit from the governmental
unit having jurisdiction;
- *On streets and highways which have been
designated as "ATV Roads" by the governmental agency having
jurisdiction.
Only by persons 16 years or older
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Operation of ATV's by Youths:
- No one under 10 years of age shall operate an ATV on
state land.
- Persons 10 through 15 years of age must complete a safety
education course and posses a safety certificate before
being permitted to operate an ATV on designated trails on
state-owned lands.
- No person age 10 to their 16th birthday shall operate an
ATV except on lands of his/her parent or guardian, unless
he or she has completed a prescribed safety training course
and received an ATV safety training certificate.
An ATV may cross a street or two-lane
highway provided:
- The crossing is made at an angle of approximately 90
degrees to the direction of the highway and at a place
where no obstruction prevents a quick and safe
crossing;
- The ATV is brought to a complete stop before crossing;
- The driver yields the right-of-way to all oncoming
traffic that constitutes an immediate hazard.
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Liability Insurance
If you are using your ATV solely on land owned or leased by you,
you are not required to get liability insurance. All other riders
must carry liability insurance. Proof of that insurance must be
carried with you when you ride. There are no minimum requirements
or coverage standards established by DCNR or the Snowmobile/ATV Law
for the liability insurance. |
All-Terrain Vehicles are defined as follows: |
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Class 1 ATV ~~ A motorized off-highway vehicle, which
travels on three or more inflatable tires and has a maximum width of
50 inches and a maximum dry weight of 800 pounds.
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Class 2 ATV ~~ A motorized off-highway vehicle, which
travels on three or more inflatable tires and has a width which
exceeds 50 inches or a dry weight which exceeds 800 pounds.
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Snowmobile/ATV Advisory Committee ~~ The Snowmobile/ATV law
established a new 17-member advisory committee that advises DCNR on
matters concerning the implementation of the Snowmobile/ATV Law. A
board of directors works with committee members to establish priority
issues for the ATV and snowmobile communities. For more information
on the committee, contact Lowell Morton, chair of the committee, for
snowmobile-related questions, and Jack Clark, vice chair, for
ATV-related questions. |
Club members ~~ please submit other registration
information to be posted on the MDRA website to the
MDRA Webmaster
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