§ 3202. Registration and TMA decal required; exceptions

(a) Registration and decal required. A person shall not operate a snowmobile in this State unless it is registered and numbered by the State of Vermont or another state or province and displays a valid Vermont Trails Maintenance Assessment (TMA) decal adjacent to the registration decal on the left side of the snowmobile in accordance with this chapter, except when operated:

(1) On the property of the owner of the snowmobile.

(2) Off the highway, in a ski area while being used for the purpose of packing snow, or in rescue operations.

(3) For official use by a federal, State, or municipal agency and only if the snowmobile is identified with the name or seal of the agency in a manner approved by the Commissioner.

(4) Solely on privately owned land when the operator has the written consent of the owner, or his or her agent, of the property.

(5) On frozen bodies of water as designated by the Agency of Natural Resources under the provisions of 10 V.S.A. § 2607. For purposes of this subdivision, a snowmobile shall not be required to display a TMA decal if not operating on a portion of the Statewide Snowmobile Trail System. Liability insurance as provided for in subdivision 3206(b)(19) of this title and a valid registration decal are required.

(6) For emergency use by fire service personnel.

(7) By a person who possesses a completed TMA form processed electronically and either printed out or displayed on a portable electronic device. The printed or electronic TMA form shall be valid for 10 days after the electronic transaction. Use of a portable electronic device to display a completed TMA form does not in itself constitute consent for an enforcement officer to access other contents of the device.

(b) Registration period. The registration year for snowmobiles is from September 1 to August 31.

(c) Use of snowmobile on public or private lands. The registration of a snowmobile does not in and by itself constitute a license to cross or operate a snowmobile on public or private lands.

(d) Equipment condition and number. A snowmobile that does not comply with the provisions of section 3205 of this title or that has had its motor or serial number altered may not be registered by the Commissioner.

(e) Special decal exemptions. A snowmobile legally registered in another state or province may enter and operate in this State without a TMA decal as follows:

(1) Using a portion of the Statewide Snowmobile Trail System, a public right-of-way open to snowmobiles, or private land that is posted open to snowmobiles, for a distance not to exceed three miles for the sole purpose of accessing the closest food, fuel, lodging, and repair services. At a point three miles from the State line, trails shall be posted “VT TMA Required Beyond This Point.”

(2) In Addison, Bennington, and Rutland Counties, from the New York border to Poultney village via corridor trail 4A (Delaware Hudson Rail Trail); from the New York border in Pawlet in the north to the New York border in the south in the town of Rupert (13 miles) along corridor trail 4; and from Lake Champlain at Benson Landing to the town of Benson via the local snowmobile trail.

(3) For the purpose of accessing international customs services, on the so-called “Keyhole Trail,” for a distance of approximately one-half mile from United States/Canadian Customs at Beecher Falls to the town line of Pittsburg, New Hampshire, and for a distance of approximately four miles via Vermont Association of Snow Travelers snowmobile corridor 105 to Canaan and to the West Stewartstown, New Hampshire bridge connecting to the New Hampshire 3A snowmobile trail on the Beecher Falls to Colebrook, New Hampshire railbed, and on immediately adjacent areas for services.

(4) In Essex County, for a distance of approximately 18 miles to and from the New Hampshire border to the village of Beecher Falls in the town of Canaan, via Vermont Association of Snow Travelers snowmobile trails 103 to 96 to 105/96 to 105.

(5) The Commissioner may authorize the temporary operation of snowmobiles on designated regular or temporary trails for special events.

(f)-(h) [Repealed.]

(i) Authority of Agency of Natural Resources. Nothing in this section relating to operation on frozen bodies of water shall be construed to affect the authority of the Agency of Natural Resources to regulate uses of public bodies of water. (Added 1983, No. 212 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; amended 1987, No. 126 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 1989, No. 126 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Feb. 23, 1990; 1991, No. 119 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Feb. 21, 1992; 1993, No. 1, § 1, eff. Feb. 19, 1993; 1993, No. 234 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 1994; 1995, No. 64 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Jan. 30, 1996; 1997, No. 3, § 2, eff. March 8, 1997; 1999, No. 20, § 4; 1999, No. 144 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 2001, No. 126 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 12, 2002; 2003, No. 115 (Adj. Sess.), § 75, eff. Jan. 31, 2005; 2003, No. 116 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 2011, No. 138 (Adj. Sess.), § 27, eff. May 14, 2012; 2011, No. 164 (Adj. Sess.), § 8; 2013, No. 189 (Adj. Sess.), § 22.)