# ORV sticker placement



## grouly925

I know that you are supposed to put your orv sticker on the rear of the machine, but I built a rack that prevents you from being able to see the back for ice fishing purposes. That rack also comes on and off as the seasons change. I decided to put the orv sticker on the front of my quad in plain view directly above the headlight. What are my chances of being stopped for this and would the issue a citation or let me go with a warning? Snowmobile stickers are mandated to be in this position, so why is it so different for orv's?


----------



## WALLEYE MIKE

I put mine on the back of the fender.


----------



## malainse

You should be fine, DNR is looking for the guy that does NOT have a sticker. But, as you said under the letter of the law it should be on the back of the quad...

As for sleds, most times the back is covered with snow and it would not be visible.. Thus it is on the front.


----------



## Burnmtndog

I was checked a few years ago on Black lake while ice fishing. I had placed the ORV sticker below my front headlight and was told by the CO the correct placement was the rear of the quad and could be cited for the infraction. Later that evening I removed the sticker with a hair dryer and placed it on the rear, zero problems.

The law states the sticker needs to be on the rear of the machine...


----------



## grouly925

I completely understand the law, but if I were to put it on my rear fender or anywhere on the back it would be completely covered by plywood and square tubing. You can't see a single piece of my rear fenders beyond the seat. I could put it on the fender, but then i would have to take all that stuff off to show the CO that I have one? What would a ticket like that cost me anyways? My thoughts would be it should be better to have them on the front of snowmobiles and quads. That way, as one pulls up to you, you can see the sticker, vs having to let it drive past you.


----------



## boehr

The law is the way it is suppose to be. One officer might say nothing and another might give you a ticket. Just like any other law it is up to the officer if they decide to give you a ticket for violation of a law. As for the fine, again that would be up to the judge of whatever county you were in.

An alternative, make a plate that you can bolt onto the rear of the box you made or the fender when the box is off you can change the plate. Kind of like a license plate to a car, that way you don't have to worry and you are in compliance with the law.


----------



## JWICKLUND

I agree with Boehr. I may stop a ORV if I don't see it in the usual space (rear of machine) but as long as they have it, they are good to go.


----------



## grouly925

Thanks for the replies. That is a good idea boehr, except then I would have to explain why my orv sticker was removable and then, essentially, transferable to a different vehicle.


----------



## boehr

grouly925 said:


> Thanks for the replies. That is a good idea boehr, except then I would have to explain why my orv sticker was removable and then, essentially, transferable to a different vehicle.


If you used my suggestion _"make a plate that you can bolt"_ there is no issue of removable as it would follow the law as you can see below. Of course putting the decal on the front would not even come close to following the law but of course you do whatever you think is right.

The law is;

R 257.1691 Placement of ORV decal.
Rule 1. The registration decal for an off-road recreation vehicle shall be permanently attached to the vehicle and shall be visibly displayed in the following manner:
(a) For a 2-wheel vehicle, it shall be centered on the exposed surface of the rear fender.
(b) For a 3- or 4-wheel multitrack or multiwheeled vehicle, it shall be attached and visible on a flat metal surface, bumper, *or plate permanently attached* to the rear of the vehicle.
(c) For an amphibious machine, or for a ground effect air-cushioned vehicle, it shall be centered on the rear thereof.


----------



## grouly925

I was not aware of the law that stated it could be affixed to a plate so thank you for that response. It was not my understanding that bolting would be considered permanent.


----------



## boehr

grouly925 said:


> I was not aware of the law that stated it could be affixed to a plate so thank you for that response. It was not my understanding that bolting would be considered permanent.


Would you consider the engine permanent? Guess how that is attached?

Same reasoning as a pemanent tree stand being actually nailed or bolted into a tree making it defined as a permanent tree stand.

If it was on a plate and just hanging from the tubing or seat by a rope then that would not be permanent.


----------



## grouly925

I guess we've kinda beaten that to death. I understand the law better now, but still have my own opinion of the deal. You know what they say about opinions though. Thanks boehr, I love a good power struggle any day. 

PS- only death is permanent


----------



## trailwart

here is my experience with my orv sticker on the rear of my machine. i had always placed it in the rear on top of back fender. my machine is a race quad and at times i am way back on the fender in my riding position. my butt, from being in contact with the sticker, removed all the lettering from it. got stopped on a trail ride and checked by co, i got a ticket for no orv sticker. the background was correct color, just not readable as the ink was wore off. the ticket did get thrown out eventually. since then, i now place them on the front of my tank, close to my stearing stem. there is nothing to contact it to rub the ink off, and its in plain sight for the co to see when stopped. been stopped many times and checked for sparky and orv, never had an issue with a co giving me crap about placement. now the law is the law, plain and simple that its supposed to be mounted in rear. what it comes down to is if you want to take the gamble on a placement violation. every co i have ran into has been very pleasant to deal with(there just doing there job) except 1 individual that was a real stickler. when we get stopped, its just normal routine(we know the procedure) of getting checked for sparkys and stickers. the attitude you will present to the co will usually determine how they go about the encounter. we always have them so they go on there way to the next guys.


----------



## DVRunyon

grouly925 said:


> I know that you are supposed to put your orv sticker on the rear of the machine, but I built a rack that prevents you from being able to see the back for ice fishing purposes. That rack also comes on and off as the seasons change. I decided to put the orv sticker on the front of my quad in plain view directly above the headlight. What are my chances of being stopped for this and would the issue a citation or let me go with a warning? Snowmobile stickers are mandated to be in this position, so why is it so different for orv's?


I have the 2-wheel-drive Rokon MotorTractor with no back fender or bumper or other flat surface behind the gas tank, and my tool-mounting brackets back there get covered with all kinds of gear that make an ORV sticker invisible. So I put my stickers on the cover of the vertical chain that drives the front wheel on the left side of the vehicle. Nothing touches it there to wear it down, it stays pretty clean in that spot, and any law enforcement officer who stops me--once he sees my sticker--is way more interested in the groovy engineering of my machine than in the obviously intelligent location of the sticker.


----------



## sparky18181

boehr said:


> The law is the way it is suppose to be. One officer might say nothing and another might give you a ticket. Just like any other law it is up to the officer if they decide to give you a ticket for violation of a law. As for the fine, again that would be up to the judge of whatever county you were in.
> 
> An alternative, make a plate that you can bolt onto the rear of the box you made or the fender when the box is off you can change the plate. Kind of like a license plate to a car, that way you don't have to worry and you are in compliance with the law.


I believe you woukd still technically be in violation. Must be permanently attached to the machine Reason being is they don’t want a “plate” with stickers attached being used for multiple machines.


----------



## Luv2hunteup

boehr was a CO when he wrote his response more than a dozen years ago. I still trust his option.


----------



## sparky18181

And as he said one might not write you a violation and another may.


----------



## DVRunyon

sparky18181 said:


> I believe you woukd still technically be in violation. Must be permanently attached to the machine Reason being is they don’t want a “plate” with stickers attached being used for multiple machines.


Well, the chain cover is as permanently attached to the machine as is the gas tank, and it's the closest thing I have to a front fender or bumper, so I don't have any other options.


----------



## sparky18181

DVRunyon said:


> Well, the chain cover is as permanently attached to the machine as is the gas tank, and it's the closest thing I have to a front fender or bumper, so I don't have any other options.


Make a plate and permanently attach it to the back of the machine. I guess the debate will be what constitutes permanently attached


----------



## DirtySteve

sparky18181 said:


> Make a plate and permanently attach it to the back of the machine. I guess the debate will be what constitutes permanently attached


I think I could make a good argument in court that anything requiring tools to disassemble is a permanent attachment.


----------

