Titles
A person who is a non-resident of Indiana may voluntarily apply for an Indiana certificate of title by surrendering their out-of-state certificate of title or by providing proof of ownership for an off-road vehicle (ORV) or snowmobile
Registrations
A person who is not a resident of Indiana must obtain an Indiana registration if either of the following conditions apply:
- The ORV or snowmobile is not registered in the non-resident’s state of residence and will be operated in Indiana (However, registration is not required for an ORV or snowmobile if the owner qualifies for and has obtained a valid “Motorized Non-Resident DNR ORV Permit” issued by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) – see description below).
- The ORV or snowmobile is registered in the non-resident’s state of residence but will be operated in Indiana for more than twenty (20) days a year.
A “Motorized Non-Resident DNR ORV Permit” may be purchased through the DNR if the ORV or snowmobile is from another state, is not registered in that state, is owned by a non-resident of Indiana, and will only be operated on designated trails and properties owned or managed by the DNR. If the operator obtains a “Motorized Non-Resident DNR ORV Permit” through the DNR, a certificate of registration issued by the BMV is not required unless the ORV/snowmobile will be operated outside of the designated DNR locations.
- A certificate of registration issued by the BMV provides additional operating privileges that a “Motorized Non-Resident DNR ORV Permit” does not permit, and is approximately a 50% cost savings to register through the BMV.
Many states do not register ORVs or snowmobiles. Location permits which are placed on the vehicles, may be provided, but they are typically not specific to that vehicle and do not contain an assigned registration number. DNR does not accept these permits as a valid registration in Indiana.
Out of the four surrounding states (Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio), only Ohio issues registrations for ORVs and snowmobiles. Therefore, residents of Illinois, Kentucky, and Michigan must obtain an Indiana registration or “Motorized Non-Resident DNR ORV Permit” in order to operate the vehicle in Indiana. On day one of use in Indiana, the non-resident must have a valid certificate of registration issued by the BMV or a “Motorized Non-Resident DNR ORV Permit” issued by the DNR.
For more information on “Motorized Non-Resident DNR ORV Permits” issued by the DNR, refer to the DNR website.