Reviewed and updated October 12, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every fact on this page was read from the California DMV's own pages that day, and the DMV page each fact came from is linked where it appears.
How California identifies off-highway vehicles instead of registering them for the road: what counts as an OHV, the REG 343 application and the verification it needs, the green and red identification plates, the two-year cycle that ends every June 30, the $54 fee and the $27 late penalty, the vehicles exempt from identification, racing motorcycles and their transportation permit, switching a vehicle between highway registration and OHV status, planned nonoperation for an OHV, and lost plates. The road-going motorcycle rules are on the motorcycle registration guide, the license to ride one on the motorcycle license guide.
In this guide: What an off-highway vehicle is, What the DMV asks for, Green and red identification plates, The two-year cycle that ends June 30, OHV fees on the DMV schedule, Vehicles exempt from identification, Racing motorcycles, Between the road and the trail, Not riding this cycle: planned nonoperation, Lost plates, lost certificates, buying and selling, Questions about off-highway vehicles in California
What an off-highway vehicle is
Off-highway vehicles are motor vehicles used only off public roads and highways, on lands open and accessible to the public, per the DMV's off-highway vehicle registration page. All-terrain vehicles, trail bikes, racing motorcycles, electric motorcycles the DMV calls eMotos, dune buggies and snowmobiles do not require regular vehicle registration, but each must display an identification plate or placard issued by the DMV. The DMV's vehicle definitions page adds mini bikes and jeeps to the list. Vehicle Code sections 38006, 38010, 38012 and 38013 require OHVs to be identified unless they are registered for on-highway use or exempt from identification. The DMV points riders to the California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation page for the designated riding areas.
What the DMV asks for
An OHV is identified with an Application for Title or Registration (REG 343); proof of ownership, which the DMV lists as the manufacturer's certificate or statement of origin, an original or certified copy of the factory invoice to a non-California licensed dealer, out-of-state titling documents, or bills of sale that establish a complete chain of ownership to the applicant; a Verification of Vehicle (REG 31) completed by an authorized DMV employee, a peace officer, a vehicle verifier or an auto club employee; the registration fees or use tax; and a visit to a DMV office, found on the California DMV offices list. Depending on the case the DMV says the application might also need a Certificate of Non-Operation/Planned Non-Operation Certification (REG 102), an Application for Duplicate or Transfer of Title (REG 227), an Application for Replacement Plates, Stickers, and Documents (REG 156), or the ID plates themselves.
Green and red identification plates
An OHV displays a DMV-issued identification plate, and a new one is issued every two years at renewal. The color follows the manufacturing date and emissions: green plates go to new vehicles that comply with California Air Resources Board emission standards, and to snowmobiles, amphibious vehicles, dune and sand buggies, golf carts and every off-highway vehicle manufactured before 2002; red plates go to vehicles manufactured after 2003 that do not meet CARB standards. The DMV's tell: an OHV not certified to CARB standards has a 3 or a C in the eighth position of its vehicle identification number.
The two-year cycle that ends June 30
OHV identification expires on June 30 of the second calendar year following the original ID. To avoid a 50 percent late fee penalty the renewal fees must be received, or mailed and postmarked, on or before June 30, and the DMV says the fees cannot be prorated even when they are paid late. Paying the renewal brings a new ID certificate, which is the registration card, and a new ID plate.
OHV fees on the DMV schedule
The DMV's registration fees page lists the off-highway vehicle fees under Vehicle Code sections 38225 to 38225.5, 38230, 38246, 38250, 38255, 38260 and 38265 and says they are due every two years to fund the Department of Parks and Recreation's Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division, the OHV Trust Fund and the DMV's administrative costs:
| OHV fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original or renewal, $54 in total | $33 registration, $10 CHP, $7 service, $4 license |
| Penalties on a late renewal, $27 in total | $17 registration, $4 CHP, $4 service, $2 license |
| Replacement certificate | $28 |
| Replacement plate and/or sticker | $28 |
| Transfer | $28, with a $28 penalty when late |
| Repossession | $10, with a $10 penalty when late |
| Planned nonoperation, all vehicles including OHVs | $28 |
| Motorcycle Transportation Permit (REG 712), Vehicle Code section 38232 | $28 |
The rest of the schedule, including the registration fees for a vehicle that is registered for the road, is on the California DMV fees page.
Vehicles exempt from identification
The DMV lists the vehicles exempt from OHV identification, saying the list is not complete: special mobile and construction equipment, OHVs owned by exempt agencies, forklift trucks, golf carts, self-propelled wheelchairs, certain racing motorcycles, motorized bicycles, and vehicles owned or operated by an out-of-state resident who holds a valid driver license from another state or a foreign jurisdiction. Vehicle Code section 38010 carries the full list of exemptions.
Racing motorcycles
A motorcycle used solely in organized racing or competitive events on a closed course, which the DMV describes as speedways, racetracks or defined routes of travel on or off highway, cannot be registered as an off-highway vehicle, because a closed course is not open to the general public other than event participants; the DMV cites Vehicle Code sections 38014 and 38088. Such a motorcycle may instead be issued a permit, for a fee, that allows it to be transported to and from course events. The permit is a sticker mounted on the vehicle in a clearly visible location and stays valid until the vehicle is sold or dismantled. On the DMV's fee schedule the Motorcycle Transportation Permit, form REG 712 under Vehicle Code section 38232, is $28.
Between the road and the trail
To change a highway-registered vehicle to off-highway identification, the DMV asks for the vehicle's California Certificate of Title, its on-highway license plates and stickers, and the OHV ID fee. Going the other way is harder. The DMV says an OHV is eligible for on-highway registration only if it was manufactured for both on and off-highway use: a motorcycle manufactured after 1978 with an engine of 50 cc or larger must carry a label showing it meets CARB emission standards and a manufacturer's certification for on-highway use; ATVs do not meet federal standards for on-highway use and cannot be converted; and a vehicle with a red ID plate cannot be registered for the road. Two exceptions the DMV gives: motorcycles made before 2005 with an engine under 50 cc are exempt from the emission label requirement, and motorcycles made after 2006 with an engine under 50 cc may carry a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on-highway label instead of a CARB label. Emission systems cannot be altered to qualify, and the DMV refers emission questions to CARB at 1-800-242-4450.
Not riding this cycle: planned nonoperation
An owner who does not want to renew the OHV ID must file for planned nonoperation on a Certificate of Non-Operation/Planned Non Operation Certification (REG 102), submitted by June 30 with the PNO fee, $28 on the schedule. The DMV's warning is blunt: an account that neither files PNO nor renews the ID certificate goes into collection. The DMV's planned nonoperation page adds that an off-highway vehicle must file before its expiration date or the option is forfeited and registration fees with penalties are due; the planned nonoperation guide covers the filing.
Lost plates, lost certificates, buying and selling
A lost or damaged OHV ID is replaced by applying for a duplicate certificate of title on a REG 227, or for a replacement ID certificate or substitute ID plate on a REG 156. When an OHV is bought, the DMV says the title must be transferred, and a seller should see that the new owner completes it; the transfer needs the California Certificate of Title, or a REG 227 endorsed for transfer when the title is lost, the transfer fee, a renewal fee if the ID is expired or the transfer happens after May 30 of the expiration year, and use tax if it is due.
Questions about off-highway vehicles in California
Does an OHV get a license plate?
No. It displays a DMV-issued identification plate, green or red depending on when it was built and whether it meets California Air Resources Board emission standards, and a new plate is issued every two years with the renewal.
What does OHV registration cost?
$54 for the original or a renewal on the DMV's fee schedule: $33 registration, $10 CHP, $7 service and $4 license, due every two years. A late renewal adds $27 in penalties.
When does the ID expire?
On June 30 of the second calendar year after the original ID, per the DMV; renewal fees must be received, or mailed and postmarked, by June 30 to avoid a 50 percent late fee penalty, and the DMV says fees cannot be prorated even when paid late.
Can I ride my ATV on the street?
No. The DMV says ATVs do not meet federal standards for on-highway use and cannot be converted; an OHV with a red ID plate cannot be registered for on-highway use either.
Does a racing motorcycle register as an OHV?
Not if it is used only in organized racing or competitive events on a closed course, because the DMV says closed courses are not open to the general public; a permit sticker allows transporting it to and from events.
Is an electric dirt bike an OHV?
Yes. The DMV classifies an eMoto, an off-highway vehicle with an electric motor, handlebars, a straddle seat, two wheels and no pedals, as an off-highway motorcycle subject to OHV registration.
What if I do not use the OHV this cycle?
File planned nonoperation on a REG 102 with the PNO fee by June 30. The DMV warns that an account that neither renews nor files PNO goes into collection.
Written by SearchSystems.net from the California DMV's off-highway vehicle registration page, vehicle definitions page, registration fees page and planned nonoperation page, read on October 12, 2026.