Current Michigan County ORV/ATV Laws (P.A. 240)

As of 8/30/09

recent updates are indicated in green

No guarantee is made as to the accuracy of the information listed below. This information was compiled from many sources, and may not be the most recent information about a particular county. I’ll keep it updated as time passes.

To report dead links, and/or provide information and web links that update the information listed, please e-mail them to me: send e-mail.

Some counties are wide open and others have very limited road access. Townships can create their own ordinances as of July 17, 2009—whether or not the county has an ordinance. Townships located in “opt in” counties can “opt out”, and townships in counties that have “opted out” can “opt in”. This may create some helter-skelter laws.

Ordinances can limit which county roads (state and federal highways are not open for use) are open or closed, hours and dates available for operation, speed limits (less than 25mph), possession of a drivers license, and numerous other criteria including age and safety requirements.. These may vary within the different townships of a single county and from county to county. These laws are currently being adopted/modified/changed at a rapid pace, and will be difficult to keep up on. A county or township can rescind and/or modify their ordinance and any scheduled board meeting after adoption.

Be sure to check all local laws in that county and township before riding on the roadsides. It’s your responsibility to know the laws. No State or National Forest/Park roads are open unless so posted.

The 2010 Comprehensive OHV (ORV) Legislation (link) (currently in pre-draft form) will allow any county in the state to open county roads to OHVs (Off Highway Vehicles). There is no guarantee this language will remain in the bills.

Additional Michigan County ORV information is located HERE. ATV Road & Trail Maps for Garmin GPSr units can be purchased from this site as well.

For additional (and up-to-date) county ORV information, contact Dick Ranney (Michigan Motorized Recreation Council), Coordinator: phone at 989-469-2405 or e-mail.

Counties listed in bold are confirmed by and information agrees with MMRC.

Counties in non-bold italics are confirmed only by posted links

Upper Peninsula
County	Last Action	Websites (Click)	Web Notes (County Clerk Phone #)
Alger	Adopted 6-22-05	Alger 1 Alger 2 Alger 3	Allowed-Old Law (906-387-2076) Ordinance
Baraga	Adopted 5-14-09	Baraga	Ordinance (906-524-6183)
Chippewa	Adopted 10-13(14)-08	Chippewa	Ordinance(906-635-6300)
Delta	Adopted 9-24-08	Delta 1 Delta 2	Board Minutes (906-789-5105) Ordinance
Dickinson	Adopted 10-27-08 All Roads Open – Ordinance Unavailable	Dickinson Norway	ATV Guide (906-774-0988) City of Norway allows use.
Gogebic	Adopted 10-22-08	Gogebic 1 Gogebic 2	Board Minutes-Many ORV Notes Ordinance (906-663-4518)
Houghton	Adopted 10-21-08 (Refined 11-10-09)	Houghton 1 Houghton 2	(906-482-1150) Road Commission—906-482-3600
Iron	Adopted 12-23-08 Ordinance Unavailable On-line	Iron	Old, but current (906-875-3221)
Keweenaw	Adopted 12-17-08	Keweenaw 1 Keweenaw 2	(906-337-2229) Ordinance
Luce	Adopted 11-13-2008 Ordinance Unavailable On-line	Luce 1 Luce 2	(906-293-5521) Chamber of Commerce
Mackinac	Adopted 10-9-08	Mackinac 1 Mackinac 2	Ordinance (906-643-7300)
Marquette	Adopted 11-18-08 Roads Closed 12/1 – 3/31	Marquette 1 Marquette 2	(906-225-8330) Ordinance
Menominee	Adopted 12-23-2008	Menominee 1 Menominee 2	(906-863-9968) Ordinance
Ontonagon	Adopted 10-21-08	Ontonagon 1 Ontonagon 2	(906-884-4255) Ordinance
Schoolcraft	Adopted 10-21-08	Schoolcraft 1 Schoolcraft 2	Not Verified (906-341-3618) Ordinance
Lower Peninsula
County	Last Action	Websites (Click)	Web Notes (County Clerk Phone #)
Alcona	Adopted 6-3-09—Effective 6-11-09	Alcona 1 Alcona 2	Ordinance (989-724-9410) Board Announcement
Alpena	Adopted 10-28-08	Alpena	(989-354-9520)
Antrim	Agreement to Open Roads (5-2009) Ad Hoc Committee to implement formation of an ORV Ordinance 6-11-2009	Antrim 1 Antrim 2 Antrim 3	Minutes of 6-11-09 (231-533 6353) Newspaper article ORV Public Forum Meeting 8-11-09
Arenac	Adopted 10-14-08	Arenac	Ordinance Unavailable (989-846-4626)
Bay	Townships Will Adopt Individually (6-09)	District 1 E-mail	Commissioner Michael Duranczyk
Benzie	Adopted 5-13-2009 Effective 7-1-09 Roads Closed 12/1 – 3/31	Benzie 1 Benzie 2	Draft Ordinance (231-882-9671) Map (800-315-3593)
Charlevoix	Adopted 4-9-09—Effective 5-1-09	Charlevoix	Map and Ordinance (231-547-7200)
Cheboygan	Adopted 6-9-09	Cheboygan 1 Cheboygan 2 Cheboygan 3	Proposal (231-627-8808 or 8866) See “Old Business” Ordinance
Clare	Adopted 10-15-08	Clare	Ordinance (989-539-7131)
Crawford	Adopted 5-20-09—Finalized 5-27-09 Roads Closed 11/15 – 3/31	Crawford 1 Crawford 2	Ordinance—Note Appendix A Maps (989-344-3200)
Emmet	Adopted August 14, 2009 Effective (60 days) 10/13/09	Emmet	Draft Ordinance MMRC Information (231-348-1744)
Galdwin	Adopted 3-10-09	Gladwin	Ordinance (989-426-7351)
Grand Traverse	Adopted 8-28-09 Effective 9-1-09	Grand Traverse	Ordinance, Road Restrictions (231-922-4760)
Iosco	Adopted 1-7-09	Iosco 1 Iosco 2	See 09-010 (989-362-3497) Ordinance
Kalkaska	Adopted 2-10-09—Effective 4-1-09	Kalkaska	Ordinance (.pdf download) (231-258-3300)
Lake	Adopted 5-13-09—Effective 5-21-09 Roads Closed 12/1 – 3/31	Lake 1 Lake 2	Limited Access (231-745-4641) Ordinance with Map at End
Leelanau	Rejected (2008)	Leelanau 1 Leelanau 2	No Ordinance Listed (231-256-9824) Not in Minutes (866-256-9711)
Manistee	Rejected 4-28-09	Manistee	See 4-28-09 board minutes (231-723-3331)
Mason	Rejected 5-12-09 Under Consideration (Hamlin Township)	Mason 1 Hamlin Township	Left up to townships after 7-17-09 Bottom Right of Page (231-843-8202)
Missaukee	Adopted 10-14-08	Missaukee 1 Missaukee 2	(231-839-4967) Ordinance
Montmorency	Adopted 4-28-09	Montmorency	Ordinance (1^st 2 pages blank (989-785-8022)
Ogemaw	Adopted 9-11-08	Ogemaw	Ordinance (989-345-0215 / 0218)
Osceola	Adopted 11-4-08	Osceola 1 Osceola 2	Ordinance (231-832-3261) Ordinance (Alternate site)
Oscoda	Adopted 4-14-09 – effective 5-15-09	Oscoda	Ordinance (989-826-1110)
Otsego	Adopted 5-26-09 Effective 7-24-09	Otsego 1 Otsego 2	Ordinance (989-731-7500) Maps
Presque Isle	Adopted 1-9-09	Presque Isle	Ordinance - Old, but current (989-734-3288 or 800-334-5698)
Roscommon	Adopted 5-2009	Roscommon Roscommon	Changed To Open All Roads Brochure/Map (989-275-5923)
Wexford	Adopted 4-15-09	Wexford 1 Wexford 2	See 4-15-09 board minutes Ordinance (231-779-9450)

#35 Cheboygan 6-09-09 affective 7-09-09