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84.788 Registration.

Subdivision 1. General requirements. Unless exempted in subdivision 2, after January 1, 1994, a person may not operate and an owner may not give permission for another to operate an off-highway motorcycle on public lands or waters unless the vehicle has been registered under this section.

Subd. 2. Exemptions. Registration is not required for off-highway motorcycles:

(1) owned and used by the United States, the state, another state, or a political subdivision;

(2) registered in another state or country that have not been within this state for more than 30 consecutive days; or

(3) registered under chapter 168, when operated on forest roads to gain access to a state forest campground.

Subd. 3. Application; issuance; reports. (a) Application for registration or continued registration must be made to the commissioner or an authorized deputy registrar of motor vehicles in a form prescribed by the commissioner. The form must state the name and address of every owner of the off-highway motorcycle.

(b) A person who purchases from a retail dealer an off-highway motorcycle shall make application for registration to the dealer at the point of sale. The dealer shall issue a temporary ten-day registration permit to each purchaser who applies to the dealer for registration. The dealer shall submit the completed registration applications and fees to the deputy registrar at least once each week. No fee may be charged by a dealer to a purchaser for providing the temporary permit.

(c) Upon receipt of the application and the appropriate fee, the commissioner or deputy registrar shall issue to the applicant, or provide to the dealer, a 60-day temporary receipt and shall assign a registration number that must be affixed to the motorcycle in a manner prescribed by the commissioner. A dealer subject to paragraph (b) shall provide the registration materials and temporary receipt to the purchaser within the ten-day temporary permit period.

(d) The commissioner shall develop a registration system to register vehicles under this section. A deputy registrar of motor vehicles acting under section 168.33, is also a deputy registrar of off-highway motorcycles. The commissioner of natural resources in agreement with the commissioner of public safety may prescribe the accounting and procedural requirements necessary to ensure efficient handling of registrations and registration fees. Deputy registrars shall strictly comply with the accounting and procedural requirements.

(e) In addition to other fees prescribed by law, a filing fee of $4.50 is charged for each off-highway motorcycle registration renewal, duplicate or replacement registration card, and replacement decal and a filing fee of $7 is charged for each off-highway motorcycle registration and registration transfer issued by:

(1) a deputy registrar and must be deposited in the treasury of the jurisdiction where the deputy is appointed, or kept if the deputy is not a public official; or

(2) the commissioner and must be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the off-highway motorcycle account.

Subd. 4. Registration card; signature; replacement fee. The commissioner shall provide to the registrant a registration card that includes the registration number, the date of registration, the make and serial number of the off-highway motorcycle, the owner's name and address, and additional information the commissioner may require. The registration is not valid unless signed by at least one owner. Information concerning registrations must be kept by the commissioner. Upon a satisfactory showing that the registration card has been lost or destroyed, the commissioner shall issue a replacement registration card upon payment of a fee of $4. The fees collected from replacement registration cards must be credited to the off-highway motorcycle account.

Subd. 5. Report of transfers; fee. A person who sells or transfers ownership of an off-highway motorcycle registered under this section shall report the sale or transfer to the commissioner within 15 days of the date of transfer. An application for transfer must be executed by the registered owner and the buyer on a form prescribed by the commissioner with the owner's registration certificate, a bill of sale, and a $4 fee.

Subd. 6. Registration fees. (a) The fee for registration of an off-highway motorcycle under this section, other than those registered by a dealer or manufacturer under paragraph (b) or (c), is $30 for three years and $4 for a duplicate or transfer.

(b) The total registration fee for off-highway motorcycles owned by a dealer and operated for demonstration or testing purposes is $50 per year. Dealer registrations are not transferable.

(c) The total registration fee for off-highway motorcycles owned by a manufacturer and operated for research, testing, experimentation, or demonstration purposes is $150 per year. Manufacturer registrations are not transferable.

(d) The fees collected under this subdivision must be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the off-highway motorcycle account.

Subd. 7. Renewal. An owner of an off-highway motorcycle must renew registration in a manner prescribed by the commissioner upon payment of the appropriate registration fee in subdivision 6.

Subd. 8. Vehicles owned by state or political subdivision. A registration number must be issued without the payment of a fee for off-highway motorcycles owned by the state or political subdivision upon application.

Subd. 9. Licensing by political subdivisions. A political subdivision of this state may not require licensing or registration of off-highway motorcycles covered by sections 84.787 to 84.796.

Subd. 10. Registration by minors prohibited. A person under the age of 18 may not register an off-highway motorcycle.

HIST: 1993 c 311 art 1 s 2; 1995 c 220 s 59; 1996 c 410 s 20; 2001 c 185 s 2,3; 2003 c 128 art 1 s 23,24

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes