Snowmobile Registration & Trail Passes
Before You Hit the Gas, Make Sure You Have a Trail Pass
The new registration and trail pass law went into effect July 1, 2015. Starting this winter you will be required to have a trail pass sticker to operate on Wisconsin snowmobile trails and corridors. The trail pass will not be needed if you only operate on your private property or on frozen water. The annual trail pass will need to be purchased separately from your registration and expires each year on June 30. You will not receive a notice, it will be your responsibility.
As a snowmobile club member and a member of the AWSC, you can buy a $10 trail pass for every snowmobile you own. They need to be purchased through the AWSC. You can buy them online by going to www.awsc.org, by calling the AWSC office at 800-232-4108, by walking into the office in Deforest, or by mailing in an order form which is available from your club and can also be found in the September issue of WSN. Please note that all passes, regardless of order method, will be mailed to you from the state and cannot be picked up from the office. To place an order you need to provide your AWSC membership number (found on your membership card and on the WSN address label) and the registration numbers for each snowmobile. These numbers can be found on the registration stickers on the side of your sled or on the registration card you receive with your registration (ie. 0000AA). If calling by phone, please have your numbers and credit card ready.
Non-club members will pay $30 and need to purchase their trail passes through the DNR by going to their web site or from any DNR authorized agent. All trail pass stickers will be sent out by mail the next day. You will need to have the stickers permanently affixed to the windshield; if no windshield the pass may be displayed in a highly visible location that is forward of the operator. So don’t wait until the snow comes, order yours today.
Snowmobile registrations are still $30 but will now be good for three years. You will be notified by the DNR when your registration expires. Snowmobiles registered in another state will need to purchase a non-resident trail pass and they will be available through the DNR and their agents the same as in the past, although price is now $50.
Snowmobiles that are 35 years old and older can now be registered for $20 for three years and then renewed for $5 every three years. The current law says the antiques will receive a free trail pass. Legislation has been introduced to change that so they will not need a sticker. Before trails open this fall, if you own an antique sled you will receive a letter explaining that the law was changed or if not, you will receive a free sticker to use for this year.
The revenue generated by the sale of registrations and trail passes will go into the snowmobile segregated fund. This fund is administered by the DNR and used to fund the snowmobile trail infrastructure and to reimburse the clubs for maintaining the trail system.