ATV / UTV registration
ATV / UTV registration in Maryland: the agency, the required documents, and the exact steps, sourced from Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA).
Who to contact
Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA)
Visit the official Maryland pageStep by step
Title the ATV/UTV with MVA — these are handled as off-highway recreational vehicles (ORVs), not standard road-registered vehicles
Complete the Application for Title Decal for Mopeds, Motor Scooters, ATVs, UTVs, Off-Road Motorcycles and Snowmobiles (VR-337)
Provide proof of ownership (MCO, title, or Affidavit of Ownership VR-450) and proof of purchase price
Apply online, through a dealer / tag & title service, or by appointment at a full-service MVA branch
Receive and affix the ORV decal
What to bring
Fees & renewal
Fees
Off-highway recreational vehicle title certificate $70; ORV decal $5
Renewal
Renewal cadence not yet confirmed.
Good to know
MVA (not DNR) handles ATV/UTV titling. They are titled as off-highway recreational vehicles and issued a non-transferable ORV decal — this is a title-decal program, not standard license-plate road registration; ATVs/UTVs are off-road use. An MVA business bulletin (https://mva.maryland.gov/your-mva-guide/businesses/bulletins-businesses/titling-and-registrations-golf-carts-atvs-utvs-and-road-vehicles) states off-road vehicles 'must be titled and registered' per 2010 legislation, referring to this title-plus-ORV-decal process. ORV decal is one-time and non-transferable (no annual renewal). Fees confirmed on the MVA fees page.
More for Maryland
General guidance
ATV and UTV registration is the most inconsistent category on this site: some states make it mandatory, some make it voluntary, and some route it through wildlife or natural-resources agencies rather than the DMV. Pick your state below for the real rule.
Some states require every ATV/UTV to be registered before it is operated anywhere, including private land. Others only require registration for use on public or state-managed trails, and a few make registration optional. The state guide below states which applies, sourced from the agency’s own page.
Because off-road vehicles are frequently regulated for trail and land use, many states register ATVs/UTVs through a department of natural resources, wildlife agency, or state parks division rather than the motor vehicle department. Check the agency named in your state guide.
Some states require a separate trail-use permit or sticker on top of registration to ride designated public trails. The state guide below notes this where the agency documents it.
Common questions
Yes — Maryland requires registration for this vehicle type. Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) handles it; see the steps above.
Maryland's renewal cadence for this vehicle type has not yet been confirmed against an official source — check with Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) directly.
It depends on the state. Some states require registration for any ATV regardless of where it is ridden; others only require it for public or state-trail use, and a few leave it entirely voluntary. Check the state guide below for the sourced rule.
It varies — some states use the DMV, others use a department of natural resources, wildlife agency, or parks division. The exact agency and its link are on your state’s guide page.