Recreational vehicles and watercraft

Titles are required for:

• Watercraft 20 feet long or longer.
• Watercraft with a permanently affixed engine, regardless of length.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) issue ORV decals. Also, most ORV dealers issue these decals. Check your local telephone directory for the DNR or ORV dealer office nearest you. 

Helmet use is strongly encouraged when riding a moped for all moped users. Helmets are required for all moped operators under the age of 19.

Eye protection, such as goggles, isn’t mandated but is encouraged.

No.

Michigan law allows owners of watercraft registered in another state use of Michigan waterways up to 60 days after which a Michigan registration is required. That means if a boat is stored or anchored in Michigan, and exclusively used on Michigan waterways over 60 days, the watercraft must be registered in Michigan.

All sailboats, motorized watercraft, and hand-powered watercraft over 16 feet must be registered. A three-year transferable registration is issued, expiring March 31.

If you register your watercraft in Michigan, you can renew your registration decal by mail up to 45 days in advance. Request a replacement decal by mail or via email at RenewalByMail@Michigan.gov.

• You will need to renew your watercraft registration by mail or at a Secretary of State office while you're in Michigan.

Schedule an office appointment

• Check with your insurance provider first to see if it can be insured for on-road use.  
• To convert to on-road use steps on the Title page, see "Assembled vehicles section" and scroll down to "Converting an ORV and ATV to on-road use."
  
  

Information on titles

Mopeds must be registered at a Secretary of State office unless operated solely on private property.

All snowmobiles must be registered unless used only on private property. The snowmobile registration number is printed on the three-year snowmobile decal. Snowmobile decals must be displayed on "each side of the forward half of the cowl above the foot well of the snowmobile."

Owners may elect to register snowmobiles 26 or more years old and owned solely as a collector's item as a historic snowmobile. A non-expiring historic snowmobile registration is issued and is placed above or below the headlight or, if the historic snowmobile was not originally equipped with a headlight, on the forward half of the cowl above the footwell. 

• Watercraft, snowmobiles, and mopeds Replacement decals can be purchased at a Secretary of State office. Schedule an office visit
• ORVs, ATVs, and off-road motorcycles replacement decals and trail permits are issued by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.  

Schedule an office visit

 If your watercraft isn't required to be titled, after transferring ownership into your name, you can cancel the previous title at a Secretary of State office if there is no lien on the watercraft.

Schedule an office visit

• Update your address online through your Secretary of State account or by submit a Change of Address form by mail. 
• To correct your name on a title or registration, you will need to visit a Secretary of State office. 
  
  

Go to Online Services

Schedule an office visit

Change address

Title correction

• Weight might be on the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin or registration.  
• Have the trailer weighed at a certified scale.  
• By law, a trailer may be towed without a plate, using the most direct route, to a certified scale. 
• Certified scales are found at truck stops, grain elevators, scrap metal recyclers, and junk yards.  
• Bring the scale weight receipt when you visit a Secretary of State office. 

The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a unique identifier of 17 characters assigned to a motor vehicle, ORV, or snowmobile by the manufacturer. Vehicles with a different VIN format (such as imported vehicles) or that are missing a VIN, may have one assigned by MDOS.

The HIN (Hull Identification Number) is a unique 12-digit number assigned to a vessel or watercraft by the manufacturer. Watercraft manufactured before 1972 weren’t issued a HIN.

The VIN or HIN may be found on the vehicle:

• Title
• Registration
• Certificate of insurance
• Purchase records
• Warranty information
• Window sticker
• Your insurance company may also have a record of the VIN or HIN.

• Go to Online Services.
• Follow the prompts to create or log in to your account.
• Print a duplicate copy of your registration.

Go to Online Services

• You need both a snowmobile registration decal and an annual trail permit from the DNR, unless the snowmobile is exclusively used on private lands or on the ice when ice fishing on public lands. 
• Trail permit sticker goes on the front of the snowmobile, centered on the hood above the headlight. 
• Trail permits cost $52 and expire each year on September 30.  
• Purchase a trail permit from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). 

• Delivery times vary. Renew a few weeks before your decal expires or before using your snowmobile.  
• Renew at a Secretary of State office to get your registration the same day.  

• Apply for your watercraft registration and decal several weeks before you plan to use your boat to allow time for processing and mail delivery.
• If you need your watercraft registration and decal immediately, you can obtain them at a Secretary of State office.

Make an office appointment

• $30 plus any additional card processing fees.  

• Watercraft registration fees are listed under the Registration fees tab on the Recreational vehicles and watercraft page.
• Registration fees are usually based on the length of the watercraft.

• Your moped registration and decal are valid for three years and must be renewed by April 30 of the third year.
• To renew your moped registration and decal, send us a note with your name, address, and moped decal number with your check or money order ($15 made payable to “State of Michigan”) before the expiration date to the:
  
  Michigan Department of State
  Internal Services Section
  7064 Crowner Drive
  Lansing, MI 48918-8264

ORV's are titled but not registered through the Secretary of State. ORV's used on public land must display an annual ORV decal. ORV decals are issued through the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). 

Watercraft may be renewed at Online Services, at a self-service kiosk, by mail or in person at a Secretary of State office. 

Snowmobiles are not titled. To transfer ownership, simply complete the back of your snowmobile registration. If you have lost the registration, then a complete bill of sale with the year, make, vehicle identification number, registration number (if available) and the names and addresses of the buyer and seller to transfer ownership. 

• If the watercraft is not titled, assign ownership by completing the back of your watercraft registration.
• If you have lost the registration, then complete a bill of sale with the year, make, hull identification number, MC registration number (if available), and the names and addresses of the buyer and seller.
• If the watercraft is titled, you must fill out the title to transfer ownership.

• You don’t need a Michigan registration to temporarily use your snowmobile here.  
• You will need to purchase a Michigan Department of State trail permit to operate your snowmobile on public lands.
  
  

Go to Michigan.gov/DNR

• Renew by mail
• or at any Secretary of State office, while you are in Michigan

If your vehicle was built before 1991 and doesn’t have a title, use a bill of sale with the following information to transfer ownership: 

• Year and make of the vehicle 
• Vehicle information number (VIN) 
• Buyer’s name and address 
• Seller’s name and address 

If the new owner does not want a title and the watercraft does not need a title to perfect a lien (show a secured party), the previous owner's title is surrendered at the time the buyer transfers the registration into his/her name and pays any tax due. The Secretary of State branch office will arrange for the cancellation of the previous title. 

• Watercraft that aren't normally titled may be titled in order to add a lienholder to the record.  
• Visit a Secretary of State office with your ID and proof of ownership, to apply for the title. 
  
  

Schedule an office visit

A trailer coach is defined as a vehicle designed and used as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel purposes that is drawn by another vehicle.  

• This classification includes pop-up campers, fifth-wheels, and travel trailers. 
• Trailer coaches must be registered with a permanent trailer plate. 
• All trailer coaches and pick-up campers must be titled.

Residents with valid driver’s license, GDL Level 1 license with a moped privilege added; or a GDL Level 2 or Level 3 license can operate a moped without the moped license.    

If you don’t have a driver’s license, you need a moped license.   

To get a moped license:  

• Must be 15 years old or older. 
• Apply at a Secretary of State office.  
• Minors need a parent or guardian’s approval.  
• Pass moped knowledge, traffic sign, and vision tests 
• Provide proof of a Social Security number, proof of identity, legal presence document and proof of residency.  

Acceptable documents

You aren’t eligible for a moped license if your driver’s license is suspended, revoked, or denied. 

The watercraft record needs to be researched. To initiate this, you may visit your local Secretary of State office, send a message at Michigan.gov/ContactSOS or call the Michigan Department of State Driver and Vehicle Information Center at 1-888-SOS-MICH (1-888-767-6424). 

Michigan law section 257.32b defines a moped as having: 

• An engine that doesn’t exceed 100 cc’s piston displacement, 
• A power drive system that doesn’t require the operator to shift gears, and 
• A top speed of 30 mph or less on a level surface. 

If the vehicle exceeds any of these criteria, it is classified as a motorcycle.  

The assigned registration and the Coast Guard documentation papers in the new owner's name must be shown to register a documented vessel.

• Valid for 3 years. 
• Expire on September 30, 
• Renew any time between July 1 and September 30. 

• Watercraft registration decals expire on March 31, every three years following issuance.
• You can renew as early as Jan. 1 of the year that your decal expires.

All watercraft on Michigan waters, including privately owned lakes and waterways, must be registered except:

Watercraft 16 feet or less, propelled by oars or paddles, and not used for rental or commercial purposes;
Non-motorized canoes and kayaks not used for rental or commercial purposes, rafts, surfboards, sailboards, and swim floats, regardless of length;
Watercraft registered in another state and used only temporarily in Michigan.

For most watercraft, the registration fee is based on length. All registrations expire on March 31 in the third year of issuance.

You must stay to the right side of the traffic lane and ride with traffic. 

Not allowed:  

• On bicycle paths. 
• Sidewalks. 
• Can’t operate a moped in a full lane of traffic.  

Trail Permit stickers are displayed on the front of the snowmobile, centered on the hood directly above the headlight.

Snowmobile trail permits cost $52 each and expire on Sept. 30 of each year. Trail permits are sold by agents of the Department of Natural Resources, including sporting goods stores, local retailers, snowmobile dealers, department stores, resort motels, etc. The generated revenue is designated to develop and maintain snowmobile trails.

In addition to the regular three-year snowmobile registration, all snowmobiles used on public land must display an annual Snowmobile Trail Permit sticker. This applies to both residents and nonresidents. Snowmobiles used on private land or used only on frozen public waters for ice fishing are exempt from the trail permit.

A trail permit is not required for snowmobiles registered as a historic snowmobile.