LAWS & RULES: ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE( ATV) 9
2. Criminal. A person who violates a rule regulating ATVs after having been adjudicated as having committed 3 or more civil violations under this Part within the previous 5-year period commits a Class E crime.
§ 13154-A – Age restrictions
1. Minimum age. Except as provided in subsection 6, a person under 10 years of age may not operate an ATV.
2. Permitting child under 10 years of age to operate ATV. Except as provided in subsection 6, a person may not permit a child under 10 years of age to operate an ATV.
3. Unlawfully operating ATV by person ages 10 to under 16. Except as provided in subsection 6, a person 10 years of age or older but under 16 years of age may not operate an ATV unless that person has successfully completed a training course approved by the department pursuant to section 13152 and is accompanied by an adult. Proof of having completed a training course must be presented for inspection upon request of a law enforcement officer.
4. Person under 16 years of age crossing public way. A person under 16 years of age may not cross a public way maintained for travel unless the crossing is in accordance with section 13157-A, subsection 6, paragraph A and the person satisfies the requirements of subsection 3.
5. Permitting an unaccompanied person under 16 years of age to operate an ATV. Except as provided in subsection 6, a person may not permit an unaccompanied person 10 years of age or older but under 16 years of age to operate an ATV.
6. Exceptions for certain property. This section does not apply to the operation of an ATV on:
A. The land on which the operator is domiciled;
B. Land owned or leased by the operator’ s parent or guardian; or
C. A safety training site approved by the department.
§ 13155 – Registration
1-A. Operating unregistered ATV. Except as provided in paragraph A and subsection 5-B, a person may not operate an ATV that is not registered in accordance with subsection 3.
A. The following exceptions apply.
( 1) Registration is not required for an ATV operated on land that the ATV operator owns or leases, regardless of where that ATV operator is domiciled, as long as the ATV is not operated elsewhere within the jurisdiction of the State.
( 2) Registration is not required for an ATV operated by a commercial ski area for the purpose of packing snow or for rescue operations on the commercial ski area, unless the ATV is required to cross a public way during that operation.
( 3) An ATV owned and operated in the State by the Federal Government, the State or a political subdivision of the State is exempt from registration fees but must be registered and is required to display registration numbers.
( 4) An ATV registration for the farm use specified in Title 29-A, section 501, subsection 8, paragraph E is not required for a vehicle registered with the Secretary of State under Title 29-A, section 501, subsection 8.
( 5) An ATV registered in another state or in a Canadian province may be operated without being registered pursuant to this section at a special event organized to occur in this State if the special event organizer submits a request in writing to the commissioner 60 days prior to the special event and provides the commissioner with a map of the trails to be used during the special event and the commissioner approves the request.
( 6) An ATV owned or under the control of an ATV manufacturer may be operated without a Maine registration at a demonstration event organized to occur in this State if such operation is approved by the commissioner. An ATV manufacturer or a representative of an ATV manufacturer must submit a request in writing to the commissioner at least 60 days prior to the demonstration event and shall include a description and the location of the event.
( 7) The Commissioner may annually establish one 3-consecutive-day period, 2 days of which are weekend days, during which a non-resident may operate an ATV that is not registered in Maine, if the non-resident’ s ATV has a valid registration from another state or a Canadian province.
2. Reciprocity. Reciprocity was repealed in 2004 so there are no longer reciprocal privileges for ATV registrations. A Maine ATV registration is required for nonresidents to operate an ATV in the State of Maine.
3. Application and issuance. The commissioner, or an agent designated by the commissioner, may register and assign a registration number to an ATV upon application and payment of a fee by the owner. The commissioner shall charge a fee of $ 1 in addition to the fee for each registration issued by an employee of the department. The registration number in the form of stickers issued by the commissioner must be clearly displayed on the front and rear of the vehicle. An annual registration is valid for one year commencing July 1st of each year, except that any registration issued prior to July 1st but after May 1st is valid from the date of issuance until June 30th of the following year. A registration agent shall provide to the person who requests to register an oversized ATV under subsection 5-B a written form developed and provided by the department explaining the size and weight restrictions for registering that ATV, including whether it qualifies for registration, and explaining the provisions of section 13157-A regarding the operation of oversized ATVs on designated state-approved ATV trails. The department has developed a form for use by registration agents under this subsection.
4. Form of registration. An ATV registration must be in such form as the commissioner may determine.
5. Fees. See page 7
5-B. Oversized ATV; exception. A person may not register an oversized ATV except as provided in this subsection. A resident who has registered an oversized ATV prior to January 1, 2022 may continue to register that oversized ATV upon payment of the fee specified in subsection 5, paragraph A, and upon a transfer of ownership of that registered oversized ATV, the new Maine resident owner may also register that oversized ATV upon payment of the fee specified in subsection 5, paragraph A. Registration is not required for an oversized ATV operated by a person on the land of another if written permission is received from the landowner or lessee of the land and the person is engaged solely in a business activity, other than a business activity involving recreational use of the oversized ATV. For purposes of this subsection,“ oversized ATV” means an ATV that is wider than 65 inches or weighs more than 2,000 pounds according to the manufacturer’ s specifications.
2024-25 STATE OF MAINE SUMMARY OF LAWS & RULES ATV & SNOWMOBILE