SACRAMENTO ? Attention California off-highway motorcycle and ATV owners: The Department of Motor Vehicles is notifying all owners that the type of registration sticker that is issued this year may be different than the one that was previously issued.
The California Air Resources Board has off-highway vehicle exhaust emissions standards that include the way that your off-highway vehicles are built for use in the state, how they are registered by the DMV and when they are ridden on public lands.
To facilitate enforcement in the field, all 2002 model year and older OHVs regardless of emissions standards will be ?grand fathered? into the Green Sticker category. Those 2002 model year and older, having a 2004 expiration on their Red Sticker will be issued a new 2004 Green Sticker by the DMV, as a replacement through the mail. Those having a Red Sticker expiring in 2003 will be issued a Green Sticker after paying the renewal of registration fees to DMV. Additionally, Green Stickers will be issued to all 2003 and newer OHVs that are certified by their manufacturer to meet California?s OHV emission standards for year-round use at all California OHV riding areas.
Red Stickers are issued to 2003 model year and newer OHVs that are not certified to California OHV emission standards. Owners will be issued a Red Sticker if the vehicle is a 2003 model year or newer vehicle, and the owner sees a ?C? or ?3? in the eighth digit of the VIN.
Riding OHV vehicles with a Red Sticker may be seasonal only depending on the area you ride. A list of seasonal riding periods is available by telephoning the Air Resources Board at (800) 242-4450, or on the web at
http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=21928.
The California Air Resources Board adopted OHV emission standards in 1994 to reduce the contribution from OHV emissions to California?s air pollution problem. In addition, a system of seasonal riding areas, based on local air quality patterns, was established to allow the use of new vehicles that do not meet the minimum standard.