Registration of Snowmobiles

Operation Pending Registration: The Natural Resource Commission furnishes snowmobile dealers with cards bearing the words "registration applied for" and space for the purchase date. An unregistered snowmobile sold by a dealer shall bear one of these cards, which entitles the purchaser to operate it for 45 days immediately following the purchase.

The purchaser of a current registered snowmobile may operate it for 45 days immediately following the purchase without having completed a transfer of registration. A snowmobile dealer shall make application and pay all registration fees on behalf of the purchaser of a snowmobile.

Licensed snowmobile dealers are required by law to issue a "registration applied for" card with each machine to allow operation for 45 days immediately following the date of sale until registration is received. Snowmobiles cannot be legally operated unless bearing a valid registration or "registration applied for" card.

If the ownership of a snowmobile is to be transferred, the purchaser must, within thirty days, file an application for a new registration and title with the county recorder.

The registration certificate shall be carried either in the snowmobile or on the person operating the machine.

Where to Register
Resident: County recorder in county of residence.
Nonresident: County recorder in county of principal use or any electronic license vendor where hunting and fishing licenses are sold.

A listing of ELSI vendors by county can be found at http://www.iowadnr.gov/cs/files/elsivendors.pdf (*.pdf)

Registration Fees
Annual Registration Fee: $15.00
Annual registration runs from Jan. 1 - Dec. 31. After the first of September, any unregistered snowmobile may be registered for the remainder of the current year and the subsequent year for a fee of $20.00
Writing Fee: $1.25 is charged by the county recorder for each registration.

Other Fees
Duplicate Registration Fee: $5.00
Title Fee: $10.00
Lien Fee: $10.00

Registration Renewal
Where: County recorder office in the county of residence. If a registration has been renewed by a county recorder using the Electronic Licensing System of Iowa (ELSI), subsequent renewals can be done at any electronic license vendor where hunting and fishing licenses are sold.

A listing of ELSI vendors by county can be found at http://www.iowadnr.gov/cs/files/elsivendors.pdf (*.pdf)

Exemptions to Registration
Registration shall not be required for the following snowmobiles:

• Snowmobiles owned and used by the United States, another state, or a political subdivison of another state.
• Snowmobiles being used for agricultural purposes. (see current regulations for exemptions)

Registration Decals
The decal shall be affixed to the windshield or the area closest to the headlamp on the front of the snowmobile so that the decal is clearly visible.