Allamakee County Corner
by Deb Winke
Allamakee County Recorder
The renewal period for all Snowmobiles, ATV, ORV and ORM started September 1. Off-highway vehicles (OHV), which includes all of the above, should be renewed every year prior to December 31 to avoid a penalty. The fee for a current OHV is $17.75. If the OHV is not current, a $5.00 penalty applies. All Off-highway vehicles must display a current registration decal if operating on trails, public land or ice and have the registration certificate on board.
All renewals are done by the County Recorder’s Office. Renewals can be done by mail by returning the notice that has been sent out, or with a current registration certificate with payment to the Allamakee County Recorders Office. A $1.00 additional fee is charged for postage if done by mail. Registration can also be done over the counter from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday with the same information.
All recreational vehicle registrations, titles and liens, including boats, are processes on a statewide electronic system called Recreational Vehicle and Vessel Registration System or RVVRS. RVVRS renewals are only done in County Recorder’s Offices or online with the DNR. This statewide system was implemented in 2012. RVVRS provides a centralized and standardized database, which can be accessed electronically throughout the state, and makes sharing information amongst counties efficient. All newly owned machines must be registered through the County Recorder’s Office in the owner’s county of residence.
All snowmobiles, resident or non-resident, operating on public land, public ice or designated snowmobile trails are required to display a valid DNR user permit. The user permit decal must be affixed to the machine to be legal. All user permits can be purchased starting September 1 each year and are valid for the remainder of the year plus the entire following calendar year. DNR user permits may be obtained at any license vendor or County Recorder Office that sells hunting and fishing privileges. The cost is $17.75.
A nonresident must register their vehicle in their state to operate a snowmobile in Iowa. If their state does not require registration they only need to display a current user permit.
A snowmobile that was manufactured before 1984 can purchase a one-time lifetime antique snowmobile registration for a fee of $26.75. Registering their snowmobile as an antique snowmobile exempts the owner from an annual registration fee, but a current DNR user permit is required if it is operated on public land, public ice and/or designated snowmobile trails.
As of July 1, 2014, there is no longer a provision in Iowa law that provides for a Farm Registration for Off Highway Vehicles. The vehicles that had been registered as a Farm Registration before July 1 will still be in effect. If a vehicle is considered to be exempt from registration and sales tax due to farm use, the customer has two choices: they can choose to register with the DNR paying the regular amount of $17.75 and receive current decals, which expire December 31 of each year or to not register the vehicle at all. We would encourage all farm use machines to at least register and title their machine the first time to establish ownership.
A person shall not operate an all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle upon roadways or highways except for agricultural purposes and the operation is between sunrise and sunset. An all-terrain vehicle that is owned by the owner of land adjacent to a highway, other than an interstate road, may be operated by the owner of the all-terrain vehicle, or by a member of the owner’s family, on the portion of the highway right-of-way that is between the shoulder of the roadway, or at least five feet from the edge of the roadway, and the owner’s property line. A person operating an all-terrain vehicle within the highway right-of-way under this subsection shall comply with the registration, safety, and age requirements under chapter 321I. A person operating an all-terrain vehicle on a highway shall have a valid driver’s license and the vehicle shall be operated at speeds of thirty-five miles per hour or less.
