What an Ohio Rider Needs to Ride Redbird

What an Ohio Rider Needs to Ride Redbird

ByIndiana ATV Guide Editorial Team

An Ohio registration does not automatically cover every kind of riding in Indiana. If you’re headed to Redbird, the key is to separate Indiana’s limited visitor exemption from the trail-use permit for the park. Here’s how to choose the right option, what to carry, and which Redbird rules to check before unloading.

Choose the right permission for Redbird

For a trip to Redbird Off-Road State Recreation Area, an Ohio rider generally has two different questions to answer: Does the machine need Indiana registration, and what does the rider need to use the park’s trails? Those requirements are related, but they are not interchangeable.

According to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, a nonresident may operate an ORV registered in another state in Indiana for up to 20 days in one calendar year without Indiana registration. That exemption depends on the machine being registered in the home state. It does not mean that an Ohio registration alone covers the park’s trail-use requirement.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources offers an Out-of-State Motorized Trail Use permit for nonregistered out-of-state ORVs at Redbird and Interlake. The permit is valid only at those two Indiana properties and is not an Indiana ORV registration. Think of it as a property-specific trail-use option, not permission to ride on Indiana roads.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources lists the annual Out-of-State ORV Trail Use Permit at $20 per ORV as of November 2026. Confirm current prices and purchase details with the agency or park before your trip. If your Ohio-registered machine qualifies for Indiana’s visitor exemption, the permit may still be the relevant option for riding at Redbird; the exemption from state registration does not, by itself, replace the park permit.

Your situation What to sort out
Your ORV is registered in Ohio and you are visiting Indiana According to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, a nonresident machine registered in another state is exempt from Indiana registration for up to 20 days in one calendar year. Check Redbird’s separate trail-use requirements before riding.
Your ORV is not registered in Ohio and you want to ride Redbird The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says nonregistered out-of-state ORVs may use the Out-of-State Motorized Trail Use permit at Redbird and Interlake. It is not an ORV registration.
You plan to ride Indiana roads open to ORVs The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says an out-of-state ORV must be registered in its home state or through the Indiana BMV to operate on those roadways.
You want to ride at a different Indiana property The out-of-state trail-use permit is valid only at Redbird and Interlake, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Check the requirements for the other property separately.

If you are staying within Redbird’s marked riding areas, the park-specific permit is the issue to resolve. If your plan includes a road that a county has opened to ORV use, do not assume that the park permit or the visitor exemption is enough. Indiana counties make their own decisions about ORV use on public roads, and restrictions can differ by county. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources notes that county rules may also set limits for particular roads, vehicle types, hours, age, insurance, lights, helmets, or width.

For more on the distinction between state registration and trail access, see Indiana’s Twenty-Day Visitor Rule, Indiana’s Out-of-State Annual Permit, and Does Indiana Honor Out-of-State Registration?. If your plans include an Indiana road, Indiana Rules for Riding a County Road can help you focus on the separate local-road question.

Check the Ohio registration and carry the right documents

Before leaving home, check that the registration for the machine is valid and that its identifying information is legible. For the visitor exemption, what matters is that the ORV is registered in Ohio or another state. A bill of sale or proof that you own the machine is not the same thing as an out-of-state registration.

Indiana registration has its own requirements. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says ORV registration records include a registration number specific to the machine, along with the owner’s name and address, year, manufacturer, make, model, and VIN. The Indiana BMV handles ORV registrations. Those details matter if you need to register a machine in Indiana, but they do not turn an Ohio document into an Indiana registration.

A practical travel folder should include the machine’s Ohio registration and the Redbird trail-use permit or receipt that applies to your visit. Keep the documents accessible rather than buried in the tow vehicle. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says a valid daily receipt must be in the vehicle operator’s possession at all times. For an annual permit, check the current display or proof requirements with the park before you ride.

There are useful distinctions to keep in mind:

  • A Redbird trail-use permit is not an ORV registration.
  • An Ohio registration can support the Indiana visitor exemption, but it does not replace Redbird’s trail-use requirement.
  • A bill of sale is not a substitute for Ohio registration when relying on the nonresident exemption.
  • A park permit does not authorize riding on public roads.

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles says operators with a bill of sale from a dealer or private individual that is no more than 45 days old are exempt from Indiana registration. That is a specific Indiana registration exemption for a recent purchase; it is not a general replacement for the park permit or proof of Ohio registration. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says the bill of sale must include the purchase date, make, model, and VIN. If you recently bought the machine, carry a complete bill of sale and verify with the park what documentation it expects at the gate.

Also check whether your machine’s title paperwork is in order, especially if it was recently purchased. According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana requires a certificate of title for ORVs purchased after December 31, 2009, regardless of model year. The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles says owners must apply for an Indiana title within 45 days after purchase to avoid an administrative penalty. Those are Indiana title rules, not a replacement for checking Ohio’s requirements for your own machine.

For buying or selling paperwork, Checking a VIN Before an Indiana Purchase, Indiana ORV Registration for a Nonresident, and Indiana ORV Registration Paperwork cover related questions. If the machine is recently purchased, Riding on a Fresh Bill of Sale may also help you prepare.

Follow Redbird’s operating and safety rules

A permit gets you through the access question; it does not waive the riding rules. Redbird is an Indiana DNR off-road property, and riders must stay within the designated riding areas and on marked trails. According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, all off-road vehicles must have functioning spark arrestors and mufflers, and tire chains and studded tires are prohibited.

Age and supervision rules vary by machine type. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says an operator of a dirt bike, ATV, or UTV under 16 must be directly supervised at all times by a parent or legal guardian. For a vehicle, SUV, or vehicle type other than a dirt bike, ATV, or UTV, the operator must be at least 16 and hold a valid driver’s license. Check the park’s current guidance if your group includes younger riders or a vehicle outside those categories.

Helmet requirements deserve particular attention when children are riding. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says children under 18 must wear helmets on or in ORVs, including ATVs, UTVs, side-by-sides, and dirt bikes. The agency also says the helmet law applies on public and private property, and approved helmets must meet U.S. Department of Transportation standards. A helmet that looks like protective gear is not necessarily compliant: helmets meeting FMVSS 218 must have a DOT sticker on the outside back.

The DNR’s property rules also call for DOT-approved safety helmets, with an exception for vehicles with fully enclosed metal cabs or roll-bar protection. These property rules and the under-18 helmet law should be considered together, especially when a child is riding in a side-by-side. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources specifically says children under 18 must wear helmets in side-by-side ORVs and UTVs. A car seat does not remove the helmet requirement for a child under 18.

According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, seat belts are required for vehicle operators and occupants except on ATVs and dirt bikes. Passengers are not allowed on ATVs or dirt bikes unless the machine is designed by its manufacturer for two-up riding. Do not assume that adding a seat or carrying a passenger is allowed simply because the machine can physically hold another person.

Before loading, check the basics:

  • Confirm that the machine is suited to the trails you plan to ride and that its muffler and spark arrestor are functioning.
  • Bring helmets that meet the required standard, and check for the DOT sticker if a rider is under 18.
  • Use seat belts where required, and carry passengers only where the machine is designed for them.
  • Keep the receipt or permit proof with the operator.
  • Stay on marked trails and obey signs and closures.

If your helmet needs replacing, shopping through a retailer such as Amazon does not establish that a product is approved. Check the helmet itself for the required DOT marking and make sure it is intended for ORV use. For more detail, see Indiana Helmets at Redbird and Interlake, Indiana Rules for a Rider Under 14, and Indiana Rules for Carrying a Passenger.

Plan for the gate, the ride, and any road travel

A little preparation can prevent a frustrating stop at the gate. Before you leave Ohio, confirm which permit applies to each machine, whether the machine’s registration is current, and what proof the group needs to present. Trail-use permits are per ORV, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Do not assume that one permit covers several machines in the trailer.

The Indiana DNR lists a Daily ORV Trail Use fee of $15 per ORV, including entrance to the property, and an Annual ORV Trail Use Permit at $95 per ORV for unlimited trail use as of November 2026. It lists the out-of-state permit at $20 per ORV for nonregistered out-of-state ORVs. Confirm current charges and which option applies before setting out. These permit categories serve different situations; the out-of-state permit is specifically for nonregistered out-of-state ORVs and is limited to Redbird and Interlake.

If your Ohio-registered machine is within Indiana’s nonresident exemption, do not treat the out-of-state permit price as proof that you must buy it, or assume you can skip the park’s trail-use process because the machine has an Ohio registration. Ask Redbird which trail-use option applies to your situation. For a direct check before loading, the Indiana DNR lists the Redbird gatehouse phone number as 812-847-9172.

Keep road riding separate from the Redbird trip plan. Indiana allows counties to set rules for ORVs on public roads, and some roads may be closed even where another county permits riding. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says out-of-state visitors who want to drive on Indiana roadways open to ORV use must have their ORVs registered in their home state or through the Indiana BMV. An out-of-state owner whose machine is not registered in the home state must apply in person at an Indiana BMV branch if planning to drive on those roadways.

That road-use requirement does not make an ORV street legal. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says ORVs are designed for off-road use, and the BMV does not issue license plates for them, regardless of vehicle modifications. Confirm county rules before including any public-road segment in your route. For more on where riding is allowed, see How to Find an Indiana County ORV Ordinance and Why Indiana Roads Are Closed by Default.

A sensible plan for an Ohio visit is straightforward: verify the machine’s Ohio registration, arrange the Redbird trail-use option that fits your machine, carry proof, and keep the ride on designated trails unless you have separately confirmed that a particular Indiana road is open and that the machine meets the applicable requirements. Redbird access, Indiana registration, and county road permission are three separate questions. Sorting them out before the trip is easier than trying to resolve them at the gate or along a road.

Sources

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Laws, prices and regulations vary by location and change over time. Consult a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.

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Indiana ATV & UTV Desk
Our focus is on off-highway riding in Indiana—permits, registration, trail rules and places to ride.
To deliver clearer, more complete, and more current guides, we use AI tools throughout our research and drafting, check key figures against official sources, and correct a guide when a rule changes or a reader reports an error.
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