Wisconsin State Law Requirements

Anyone who was born after Jan. 1, 1985 and wants to operate a snowmobile off their parents property, without an adult on the same snowmobile, must have a snowmobile safety certificate. This coming season, some 21 year olds will be required to have a Snowmobile Safety Certificate to operate a snowmobile. Taking a DNR approved course with volunteer safety instructors is the only way to earn this certificate if you are under 16 years of age. Attending one of these courses is also recommended for adults and especially the parents of young students.

You may take this course if you are at least 11 years of age, and the snowmobile safety certificate will become effective as soon as you become 12 years of age.

In some states, you are required to have a snowmobile safety certificate if you were born after 1978. This would include adults up to 28 years of age!

Information about Upcoming Snowmobile Safety Classes may be viewed on the Wisconsin DNR website.

A copy of the 2004-2005 Wisconsin Snowmobile Laws booklet in .pdf format is on the Wisconsin DNR website. .pdf help

A Snowmobile Safety School sponsored by the Sled Bugs, will be held on three Thursday nights: November 1st, 8th and 15th, 2007.

Students who have attended all three sessions and successfully performed on tests will graduate and receive a Wisconsin DNR safety certificate. Parents of youthful students and all other adults are encouraged to attend.

This class will be taught by members of our club who are DNR certified Snowmobile Safety Instructors. It runs from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm at the Village Bowl. The Village Bowl address is N86 W18330 Main Street, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051.

The cost per student is $10 and Pre-registration is required. Call Dave Rowley at 414 379-2362

We have a number of DNR certified volunteer instructors in the club, who help teach the class. The instructors involved in training the graduates for the 2005-2006 season were: Scott Landon, Laurie and Dwight Parkinson, Dave Rowley and junior instructors Shana Rowley and Monica Rowley.

Information about the DNR view on CD ROM usage may be viewed on the Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine website. This was written before the law went into effect requiring youth under 16 to take the classroom course in order to be certified.

To understand a little better why we stress snowmobile safety so much, and to help understand what can be avoided by proper training, you can review the snowmobile fatality statistics on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website.