A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the registration of off-highway vehicles.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill specifies that dealers of off-highway vehicles shall require a purchaser of an off-highway vehicle to complete the off-highway vehicle registration application and pay the registration fee in order to complete the sale of an off-highway vehicle, unless the purchaser attests that the off-highway vehicle will be used exclusively outside the state. The bill clarifies that a dealer that does not comply with the registration requirements is subject to a fine of $200 per instance of noncompliance. The bill also explicitly authorizes the parks and wildlife commission to adopt rules concerning the enforcement of the registration requirements of off-highway vehicles.
Under current law, proof of ownership is required for the registration of an off-highway vehicle. The bill removes this requirement so that an individual registering their off-highway vehicle no longer has to provide the division of parks and wildlife with proof of ownership for the off-highway vehicle.
The bill amends certain provisions related to the off-highway vehicle recreation fund (fund) to clarify what the money in the fund shall be used for. The bill also specifies that money remaining in the fund at the end of a given fiscal year shall remain in the fund and only be used for specific purposes related to the use of off-highway vehicles in Colorado.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that:
Page 2, Line 3(a) Off-highway vehicle recreation is the second highest
Page 2, Line 4recreational use of public lands in Colorado, only behind the skiing industry;
Page 2, Line 5(b) There are over 290,000 households that participate in off-highway vehicle recreation each year;
Page 2, Line 6(c) In the 2022-23 season, there was over $1.4 billion in direct
Page 2, Line 7sales of off-highway vehicles and an additional $1.4 billion in indirect
Page 2, Line 8and induced sales related to off-highway vehicle recreation, accounting for a $2.8 billion contribution to the Colorado economy;
Page 2, Line 9(d) Off-highway vehicle recreation supports nearly 19,000 jobs in Colorado and $1 billion in labor income; and
Page 2, Line 10(e) Money collected by off-highway vehicle registration fees is
Page 2, Line 11used to support the use, maintenance, and quality of off-highway vehicle
Page 2, Line 12recreation areas in Colorado and is one of the only user-funded trail maintenance programs in the state.
Page 2, Line 13(2) Therefore, the general assembly further declares that it is in
Page 3, Line 1the interest of the state of Colorado to require that purchasers of
Page 3, Line 2off-highway vehicles register their vehicles and pay the registration fee
Page 3, Line 3at the point-of-sale in order to protect a vital source of revenue for the
Page 3, Line 4state and help ensure the continued growth of an important industry for the Colorado economy.
Page 3, Line 5SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 33-14.5-102, amend (2)(a) and (8) as follows:
Page 3, Line 633-14.5-102. Off-highway vehicle registration -
Page 3, Line 7nonresident-owned or -operated off-highway vehicle permits - fees -
Page 3, Line 8applications - requirements - exemptions - rules. (2) (a) (I) Except as
Page 3, Line 9provided in subsection (2)(a)(II) of this section, every dealer shall
Page 3, Line 10require a purchaser of an off-highway vehicle to complete a registration
Page 3, Line 11application and pay the registration fee
before the vehicle leaves thePage 3, Line 12
dealer's premises, except for those off-highway vehicles purchased forPage 3, Line 13
use exclusively outside of this statePage 3, Line 14(II) A purchaser of an off-highway vehicle who attests
Page 3, Line 15that the off-highway vehicle is being purchased for use
Page 3, Line 16exclusively outside of this state is not required to complete a
Page 3, Line 17registration application or pay the registration fee pursuant to subsection (2)(a)(I) of this section.
Page 3, Line 18(8)
Anysubsection (2)(a)Page 3, Line 19subsection (2)(a)(I) of this section commits a civil infraction and, upon
Page 3, Line 20conviction, shall be punished by a fine of
onePage 3, Line 21off-highway vehicle sold without the purchaser completing a registration application or paying the registration fee.
Page 3, Line 22SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 33-14.5-103, repeal (1) as follows:
Page 4, Line 133-14.5-103. Record of registered off-highway vehicles
Page 4, Line 2maintained. (1)
The division shall require proof of ownership for anPage 4, Line 3
off-highway vehicle prior to the initial registration required under this article, but the division shall not issue a certificate of title for the vehicle.Page 4, Line 4SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 33-14.5-106, amend (1) as follows:
Page 4, Line 533-14.5-106. Off-highway vehicle recreation fund - creation -
Page 4, Line 6use of money. (1) (a) All fees collected from the registration of
Page 4, Line 7off-highway vehicles and all fees collected from the sale of off-highway
Page 4, Line 8use permits, plus all interest earned on
such moneysPage 4, Line 9credited to the off-highway vehicle recreation fund, which fund is
herebyPage 4, Line 10(I) The administration of this
article,Page 4, Line 11(II)
forPage 4, Line 12(III)
forPage 4, Line 13(IV)
forPage 4, Line 14(V)
forPage 4, Line 15access to public land for uses consistent with the provisions of this
article;Page 4, Line 16(b)
However, any moneysPage 4, Line 17dollars per
originalPage 4, Line 18(c) The general assembly shall make annual appropriations from
Page 4, Line 19the off-highway vehicle recreation fund for the purposes enumerated in this subsection (1).
Page 5, Line 1(d) Any unexpended and unencumbered money remaining
Page 5, Line 2in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year or any money that
Page 5, Line 3is returned to the fund remains in the fund and shall not be transferred to the general fund or any other fund.
Page 5, Line 4SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 33-14.5-107, amend (1) introductory portion; and add (1)(e) as follows:
Page 5, Line 533-14.5-107. Rules. (1) The commission shall adopt rules in the manner provided by article 4 of title 24,
C.R.S.,Page 5, Line 6(e) Enforcement of off-highway vehicle registration
Page 5, Line 7requirements in accordance with sections 33-14.5-102 and 33-14.5-104.
Page 5, Line 8SECTION 6. Act subject to petition - effective date -
Page 5, Line 9applicability. (1) This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following
Page 5, Line 10the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the
Page 5, Line 11general assembly; except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant
Page 5, Line 12to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an
Page 5, Line 13item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item,
Page 5, Line 14section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the
Page 5, Line 15general election to be held in November 2026 and, in such case, will take
Page 5, Line 16effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.
Page 5, Line 17(2) This act applies to violations occurring on or after the applicable effective date of this act.