Division briefs Outdoor Adventure Commission on OHV plate-mounting rule; no action taken

The Division of Outdoor Recreation presented a draft administrative rule clarifying where off-highway vehicle license plates and decals must be mounted, telling the Utah Outdoor Adventure Commission the item is informational and requires no commission action.

The presenter summarized the clarifying language as a refinement of existing statute and said the rule "should be mounted on the furthest back part of the vehicle" and mounted securely "such that it doesn't swing or fall off over rough terrain, and that the plate and the sticker should be clearly visible." Staff said the rule covers non-street-legal ATVs and UTVs and will not change requirements for street-legal motorcycles or off-highway motorcycles unless those are specifically registered as OHVs.

The presenter said the division will submit the proposed administrative language to the governor's office and to the Office of Administrative Rules; if the governor's office returns no substantive changes, the rule would be posted for a 30-day public comment period and, after final administrative processing, would take effect following publication procedures (staff described an effective timeline of several weeks to a couple of months depending on review schedules). The presenter emphasized the change is clarifying placement and visibility rather than creating new substantive obligations for owners.

Commissioners asked whether the rule applied to side-by-sides, four-wheelers and snowmobiles; staff replied it applies to OHV-registered off-highway vehicles (non-street-legal ATVs and UTVs) and not to street-legal motorcycles or vehicles already licensed as motor vehicles.

The commission took no vote on the rule; staff characterized the item as statutory compliance and an advisory briefing and will return only if changes or questions arise.