As a result of a change to Ohio law, as of July 1, 2009, all-purpose vehicles (APV) used on private property or on lands to which there is a contractual right are now required to be registered with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).
Since these vehicles are now required to be registered, they may be excluded from the liability portion of your standard homeowners’ policy. Therefore, if you own an APV that requires registration, it is important that you contact us to discuss this issue so that we can ensure you have adequate insurance coverage. Snowmobiles and off-highway motorcycles are exempt from the registration requirement, as well as on-farm APVs used as a farm implement.
The new law also increases fines for failing to comply with this requirement from a maximum of $25 to a minimum of $50.
According to Ohio law, an all-purpose vehicle is “any self-propelled vehicle designed primarily for cross-country travel on land and water, or on more than one type of terrain, and steered by wheels or caterpillar treads, or any combination thereof, including vehicles that operate on a cushion of air, vehicles commonly known as all-terrain vehicles, all-season vehicles, mini-bikes and trail bikes.” This does not include golf carts or utility vehicles that are designed to transport materials or cargo.
The new law also contains stiffer penalties for criminal trespass that involves an APV. Now, when a person commits criminal trespass using an APV, a court must double the fine. When a person is convicted three times of criminal trespass using an APV, the court may also impound the registration and license plate of the vehicle for at least 60 days.
In addition to the new registration requirement, a new license plate requirement will take effect July 1, 2010. Operators of APVs will be required to display a license plate and validation sticker rather than a registration number after this date. After an owner obtains a license plate, the BMV will issue a new validation sticker to display on the license plate for each three-year registration period.
