ORV Regulation

Public Act 240 of 2008 amended Part 811 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA) to allow eligible counties and townships in those counties to authorize the operation of off-road vehicles (ORVs) on roads.

Beginning July 17, 2009, a township may adopt an ordinance to close roads to ORV operation.

MCL 324.81101 defines an ORV as:

""ORV" or "vehicle" means a motor driven off-road recreation vehicle capable of cross-country travel without benefit of a road or trail, on or immediately over land, snow, ice, marsh, swampland, or other natural terrain. ORV or vehicle includes, but is not limited to, a multitrack or multiwheel drive vehicle, an ATV, a motorcycle or related 2-wheel, 3-wheel, or 4-wheel vehicle, an amphibious machine, a ground effect air cushion vehicle, or other means of transportation deriving motive power from a source other than muscle or wind. ORV or vehicle does not include a registered snowmobile, a farm vehicle being used for farming, a vehicle used for military, fire, emergency, or law enforcement purposes, a vehicle owned and operated by a utility company or an oil or gas company when performing maintenance on its facilities or on property over which it has an easement, a construction or logging vehicle used in performance of its common function, or a registered aircraft."

MCL 324.81131 is the section of of the NREPA that governs the local ordinance process.

MDNR Handbook of Off-Road Vehicle Laws

MDNR ORV/ATV Riding in Michigan Web page

Michigan Department of Natural Resources Updated ORV Management Plan (.pdf)

Here are links to some county ORV ordinances:

Alpena County

Charlevoix County

Cheboygan County

Chippewa County

Clare County

Crawford County 

Delta County 

Gladwin County

Houghton County

Iosco County

Iron County

Mackinac County

Marquette County 

Menominee County

Ogemaw County

Osceola County 

Otsego County

Roscommon County