Registration for Off-Road Vehicles mandatory on November 1st

Effective November 1st, off-road vehicles will have to be registered and display an ICBC sticker on Crown land, following the passage of regulations in support of the Off-Road Vehicle Act.

The provisions to operating standards include:

• Helmets must be worn when operating an off-road vehicle.
• If a manufacturer has installed seat belts, then the seat belt must be worn during the operation of that vehicle.
• ORVs must use lights during low visibility conditions when riding on Crown land 30 minutes after sunset or 30 minutes before sunrise. If lights are not installed by the manufacturer, temporary lights can be attached to the ORV.
• Children must be supervised by an person 19 years or older with a valid driver’s licence, and must be riding an appropriate sized ORV as recommended by the manufacturer.

More detail of these provisions is available on the BC Government’s website.

The combined cost of the number plate and registration fee is $48. The off-road vehicle registration is being integrated within the pre-existing structure of the ICBC’s motor vehicle registry.

This is aimed to reduce implementation costs and allows off road vehicle owners to register at any ICBC insurance broker in the province.

Between November 1st and December 31st, owners who already secured an ORV number plate during voluntary registration can bring their registration and metal plate to any ICBC broker and exchange their metal plate for a sticker – all for free.

After that, it’s $18 to make the exchange.

Snowmobile owners who have already registered their vehicles under the Motor Vehicle (All Terrain) Act will be eligible for refund when they register under the ORV Act – up until November 16th.

The refund will be for the amount they had already paid – this will be $5 for transfers and $10 for registration.