The $15 Trail Tax Inside Your Registration
The $15 trail tax can look like an extra charge when you register an ATV or UTV in North Dakota. It is not an additional fee on top of the resident registration total: it is the portion of that total designated as the off-highway vehicle trail tax. Here’s how to read the charge, what it does and does not tell you, and how the rules differ for visitors.
What the $15 trail tax means
For a North Dakota resident, the trail tax is included in the OHV registration cost. According to the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department, resident OHVs operated on public lands and trails require a $20 registration fee. The North Dakota Century Code designates $15 of the total resident OHV registration costs as the off-highway vehicle trail tax. In other words, the $15 is part of the $20 total, not another $15 added after it.
That distinction matters when you are budgeting or checking a receipt. If a fee breakdown lists registration and trail tax separately, those labels may describe how the total is accounted for rather than two separate charges. The trail tax does not change the registration period, and it is not a separate trail pass that you need to buy after registering. For more on the overall charge, see North Dakota OHV Registration Cost and Reading the Two Charges on Your Registration Receipt.
According to the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department, an OHV registration covers a two-year period and expires on even-numbered years. The same department lists the OHV registration fee as $20; the North Dakota Century Code identifies $15 of resident OHV registration costs as the trail tax. The registration and the tax designation go together, but they are not the same thing: one is the required registration, while the other describes a designated portion of its cost.
This applies to OHVs that must be registered for public-land use. The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department says OHVs operated on public land in North Dakota generally must be registered with the North Dakota Department of Transportation. All riders must be properly registered or permitted to ride legally in North Dakota. Registration is not, by itself, permission to ride anywhere: the land must be open to OHVs, and other rules still apply.
| What you are checking | What it means | Agency information |
|---|---|---|
| Resident registration total | The OHV registration fee is $20. | The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department provides the fee. |
| Trail tax within the resident cost | $15 of resident OHV registration costs is designated as the trail tax. | The North Dakota Century Code provides the designation. |
| Registration period | Registration covers two years and expires on even-numbered years. | The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department provides the cycle. |
| Out-of-state machine | Its owner must buy a non-resident public trails and lands access permit. | The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department provides the permit rule. |
| Non-resident permit period | The permit is valid from January 1 to December 31. | The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department provides the permit period. |
The table separates the charge from the permission it supports. A registration receipt can help show that a machine is properly registered, but it does not establish that a particular trail is open, that the route is legal for your machine, or that local land access is allowed. Before heading out, check the applicable access rules as well as the status of the riding area. North Dakota Registration and Trail Access covers that distinction in more detail.
How the rule differs for out-of-state machines
Visitors should not assume that a home-state registration is enough to ride North Dakota’s public lands and trails. According to the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department, owners of out-of-state registered OHVs must purchase a non-resident public trails and lands access permit. The department lists that permit at $10 per year, and says non-resident permits are valid from January 1 to December 31.
That permit is not the same as paying the resident registration fee with its trail-tax designation. A visitor’s machine remains registered under its home-state system, while the North Dakota permit addresses access to public trails and lands here. The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department says all riders must be properly registered or permitted to ride legally, so check which category applies to your machine before traveling. North Dakota’s Non-Resident OHV Permit explains the visitor permit in more detail.
The practical mistake to avoid is treating “registered” and “permitted” as interchangeable in every situation. A North Dakota resident generally needs the state OHV registration for public-land operation. An owner of an out-of-state registered OHV needs the non-resident access permit described by the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department. If you have recently moved, or your machine’s registration status is unclear, confirm the correct route before riding rather than relying on an old decal or paperwork from another state.
Neither a resident registration nor a non-resident permit guarantees that every area is open on the day you arrive. For example, the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department evaluates trail closures at Pembina Gorge State Park, Roughrider OHV Trail, and Turtle Mountain State Recreation Area every 24 hours. Check current conditions and local access notices before you unload. Trail status and legal access are separate checks from the payment itself.
What the trail tax does and does not tell you
The designation tells you that part of resident registration costs is set aside as an OHV trail tax. It does not mean that every dollar you pay is a direct payment to the particular trail you ride, nor does it tell you which facility will receive work or funding. The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department describes several kinds of trail funding, but they should not be confused with the $15 designation in the North Dakota Century Code.
For example, the Recreational Trails Program provides funding for ATV riding among other recreational trail uses. According to the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department, that program’s funds come from the Federal Highway Trust Fund and represent a portion of the motor fuel excise tax collected from non-highway recreational fuel use by ATVs. That is a separate funding source from the trail-tax designation in resident OHV registration costs.
The department also administers an OHV Courtesy Patrol Grant Program funded through OHV trail tax and safety fee revenues. That means the trail-tax revenue is associated with more than just the physical construction or maintenance of a route. It is better to read “trail tax” as a designated public OHV funding stream, not a promise that the money is assigned to one named riding area or that a fee buys access to a specific trail.
North Dakota has varied riding settings, from designated state trails to recreation areas managed by other land managers. The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department describes Pembina Gorge as having over 16 miles of trails, Roughrider OHV Trail as 22 miles long, Turtle Mountain State Recreation Area’s trail as 10 miles long, and Kimball Bottoms, also known as The Desert, as a 400-acre play area. Those are separate places with their own access and operating conditions; paying the registration cost does not override those conditions.
For trail information, the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department says North Dakota State Park and Recreation Area trail information is available on the OuterSpatial App. Use current area information alongside your registration or permit, particularly when weather or closures may affect riding. For background on funding, Where Trail Tax Money Is Spent and Why North Dakota Lets You Pick a Plate or Decal may help clarify other parts of the registration system.
What to check before you ride
A quick paperwork check can help you avoid confusing the registration charge with the rules for operating the machine. Start with the machine’s status and where you plan to ride, then check any rider requirements that apply.
- Confirm whether resident registration or a visitor permit applies. The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department says OHVs operated on public land generally must be registered with the North Dakota Department of Transportation, while owners of out-of-state registered OHVs must purchase the non-resident public trails and lands access permit.
- Check the registration details. The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department says the registration application asks for the owner’s name and address, make, year, and serial number. If you are handling a new registration or renewal, see How to Register an ATV in North Dakota or North Dakota ATV Registration Renewal.
- Verify that the area is open and that your route is allowed. Registration or a permit is not a substitute for checking trail status, land access, and any applicable operating rules.
- Check the operator’s age and safety requirements. According to the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department, youth ages 12 through 15 without a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit must take a safety certification class to legally operate OHVs on allowed public lands. The department also says OHV safety certification is required for operation on land other than a parent’s, including designated trails and ditches.
- Use required protective equipment. The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department says riders and passengers under age 18 must wear a DOT-approved helmet when riding any OHV, including dirt bikes, ATVs, and side-by-sides. If you are comparing helmets or eye protection on Amazon, check fit and the required DOT marking rather than choosing by appearance alone.
For a young rider, course logistics can matter as much as the registration paperwork. The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department offers free hands-on OHV safety courses, with each in-person class limited to eight participants. Students must complete the introductory online e-course before the in-person course and bring their certificate number. The department says the hands-on sessions are held from May through August, and participants must wear over-the-toe shoes, long pants, and a long sleeve shirt, and provide their own eye protection. A free helmet is provided at the beginning of the hands-on course for students to keep.
The department says participants in a hands-on class must be at least 12 years old. Children who are 11 but turn 12 within six months of a class date may take the hands-on course, but receive their certification card when they turn 12. The full online OHV Safety Course is a separate option with a fee; check the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department for the current course details and cost before enrolling.
The key takeaway is straightforward: for residents, the $15 trail tax is a designated portion of the registration cost, not an extra charge added to it. Visitors with out-of-state registered OHVs follow a different permit rule. In either case, payment is only one part of being ready to ride—verify the machine’s paperwork, the rider’s requirements, and the current rules for the area.
Sources
- North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department — OHV Permits & Registration | ND Parks and Recreation – Business and Grants (checked November 3, 2026)
- North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department — OHV Safety | ND Parks and Recreation – Business and Grants (checked November 3, 2026)
- North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department — Motorized Safety | North Dakota Parks and Recreation (checked November 3, 2026)
- North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department — Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) | ND Parks and Recreation – Business and Grants (checked November 3, 2026)
- North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department — OHV Trails | ND Parks and Recreation – Business and Grants (checked November 3, 2026)
- North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department — Snowmobile Permits & Registration | ND Parks and Recreation – Business and Grants (checked November 3, 2026)
- North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department — Snowmobile Safety | ND Parks and Recreation – Business and Grants (checked November 3, 2026)
- North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department — Snowmobile Trails | ND Parks and Recreation – Business and Grants (checked November 3, 2026)
- North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department — 04-2022%20OHV%20Brochure%20WEB.pdf (checked November 3, 2026)
- North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department — OHV%20Summary%20Document.pdf (checked November 3, 2026)
- North Dakota Century Code — T39c29 (checked November 3, 2026)
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Laws, prices and regulations vary by location and change over time. Consult a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.
