ATV / UTV registration
ATV / UTV registration in Maine: the agency, the required documents, and the exact steps, sourced from Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (MDIFW).
Who to contact
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (MDIFW)
Visit the official Maine pageStep by step
Maine residents (new/first-time): register through a local town office; confirm required documents with the town office first
Provide proof of sale, machine information, and proof of sales-tax payment (or prior Maine registration)
Nonresidents: register or renew online via the IF&W ATV & Snowmobile portal
Maine residents may renew online
Pay the registration fee plus any agent fee
What to bring
Fees & renewal
Fees
Resident $70 annual; Nonresident $115 season or $100 for a 7-day pass; Antique ATV $45 (agent fees may apply: $2 new / $1 renewal)
Renewal
Renews annual.
Good to know
CRITICAL SPLIT: ATVs are registered by IF&W (NOT the BMV). All ATV registrations expire June 30; registrations issued after May 1 are valid through June 30 of the following year. Oversized machines (over 65 inches wide or over 2,000 lbs) cannot be registered in Maine. 'UTV/side-by-side' is treated within the ATV program on this page.
More for Maine
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 — Maine requires registration for this vehicle type. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (MDIFW) handles it; see the steps above.
Maine lists a annual renewal cadence for this vehicle type.
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.