Combining an Annual Permit With Day Passes
When a group heads to Redbird or Interlake, one rider may already have an annual permit while everyone else is visiting for the day. The confusing part is that trail permits, park entrance fees, and machine registration are separate things. This guide explains how to combine an annual permit with day passes, plan for multiple machines, and avoid surprises at the gate.
How annual permits and day passes work together
The permit generally follows the machine
An annual ORV trail permit is tied to an individual machine, not to the owner’s whole group. If your ATV or UTV has a valid annual permit, you generally do not need to buy a separate day permit for that same machine during the permit’s valid period. But that does not automatically cover a friend’s ATV, a second machine you own, or the UTV your family brought along.
Day permits are useful for machines that need access for a limited visit. For example, if your family owns three ATVs but only one has an annual permit, the other two may need their own day permits for a single riding day. The permit assigned to your annual-permitted machine cannot simply be moved among the vehicles as riders swap seats.
That distinction matters when people plan around riders rather than machines. A group of four does not necessarily need four permits if some people are passengers and the machines are covered appropriately. On the other hand, two riders sharing two separately operated machines should check the permit requirement for each machine, even if they are traveling together in one truck.
For an overview of who needs a permit and where it applies, see [Do You Need a Permit for Indiana ORV Trails?]. The practical takeaway is to make a list of the machines you expect to ride, then match a permit to each one before you leave home.
A day pass can cover a short visit, not every trip
A day permit is designed for a limited riding visit. It can be a sensible choice when you are trying a park for the first time, visiting with relatives who ride infrequently, or bringing an extra machine for one weekend. It also gives you a way to cover a guest’s machine without purchasing an annual permit for someone who may not return.
An annual permit may be more convenient for a machine that will make repeated trips to Indiana’s state off-road areas. But an annual permit on one machine does not turn the rest of the group’s machines into covered vehicles. If your riding plans include several machines, compare the total cost of day permits against the annual option for each machine you expect to use often. Permit amounts and terms can change, so check the Indiana DNR’s current permit information before budgeting.
A useful way to think about the choices is:
| Riding situation | Permit approach to consider | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| One machine visiting for one day | Day permit for that machine | Whether the selected area has separate entrance charges |
| One machine making repeated visits | Annual permit for that machine | Validity dates and which areas accept it |
| One annual-permitted machine plus guest machines | Keep the annual permit with its machine and arrange day permits for each uncovered machine | Permit rules for every machine being operated |
| Several machines making repeated trips | Compare annual permits for frequently used machines with day permits for occasional-use machines | Total trips, machine count, and current permit terms |
| A group carrying more machines than riders | Match coverage to the machines that will actually be ridden | Whether any spare or borrowed machine will be used |
These are planning examples, not a substitute for checking the permit terms. A machine that stays on the trailer throughout the day may not have the same practical permit need as one that is unloaded and ridden, but do not assume that leaving a permit-covered machine at home lets you transfer its permit to another one. Confirm how permits are issued and displayed.
The entrance charge is a separate part of the budget
A common source of frustration is paying for a trail permit and then discovering that admission to the recreation area is charged separately. The permit and entrance fee serve different purposes. A trail permit covers the specified riding access under its terms; the entrance charge relates to entering the site. Buying an annual permit does not necessarily eliminate a gate or entrance charge on each visit.
That means the total cost of a trip may include a permit for each machine, an entrance fee for the people or vehicle entering the property, and any other applicable charges. The exact setup can differ by riding area, residency status, and the permit or pass you choose. Check the relevant park’s official information before loading the trailer, especially if your group is traveling from out of state.
For a closer look at why these charges are separate, read [Why an Entrance Fee Sits on Top in Indiana] and [Indiana State Recreation Area Entrance Fee]. If you are comparing repeated visits, also review [Combining an Annual Permit With Day Passes] alongside the park’s entrance information, rather than treating the annual permit as an all-in admission pass.
How to combine permits for a group trip
Start with a machine-by-machine checklist
Before deciding what to buy, write down each machine that may be ridden. Include the family’s own machines, borrowed machines, rental machines, and any extra vehicle that might be unloaded after you arrive. Then note whether each one already has a valid annual permit.
A simple checklist might look like this:
- List every ATV, UTV, or other off-road machine in the trailer.
- Mark which machines have a valid annual permit.
- Identify which machines will actually be ridden during the visit.
- Arrange a day permit or another eligible permit for each uncovered machine that will be ridden.
- Confirm the entrance charges and any park-specific rules.
- Keep permit confirmation and other required documents accessible during the trip.
This prevents the familiar parking-lot scramble: one person is trying to remember whether the permit was bought for the red ATV or the blue one while everyone else waits to unload. If the permit is associated with a particular machine, record that clearly before the trip and keep the proof with the correct vehicle or in a place where the group can retrieve it quickly.
Use day permits for occasional-use machines
Suppose your household has an annual-permitted side-by-side that goes to the trails several times a season. A neighbor joins for one day on their own ATV. It may make sense for the household machine to use its annual permit while the neighbor obtains a day permit for the ATV. The visitor should not count on the household’s annual permit to cover the neighbor’s machine.
The same logic applies when a family owns several machines but only brings one or two on a particular outing. A day permit may suit an extra machine that is used once in a while, while an annual permit may be worth comparing for a machine that will return often. The right choice depends on planned use, not simply the number of people in the household.
For groups, it can help to nominate one person to confirm the permit plan and another to check the park’s entrance requirements. This is especially useful when riders arrive separately or bring machines from different households. Make sure everyone knows which machine is covered by which permit; vague group assumptions are how a guest’s machine gets missed.
Remember that rentals and borrowed machines may have their own arrangements
A rental machine may come with some required paperwork or park arrangements handled by the rental business, but do not assume that every rental automatically includes the DNR trail permit or the appropriate registration. Ask the rental provider what is included, what is not, and what you must show at the park. If you are borrowing a machine from a friend, ask which permits are attached to it and whether the documentation is available.
These questions are worth asking before the day of the trip. A rental counter or a friend’s garage is a much easier place to resolve uncertainty than a busy entrance area. For rentals, [Indiana Rules for a Rented Machine] and [Do Rentals Include the DNR Trail Permit?] provide useful related context. For borrowed vehicles, see [Does Every Machine in the Truck Need Its Own Permit?].
If your group is riding a mix of rented, borrowed, and personally owned machines, keep the arrangements separate in your checklist. A rental’s permit status does not establish coverage for a privately owned machine riding alongside it.
Planning for Redbird, Interlake, and the trip itself
Confirm the rules for the specific riding area
Indiana’s state off-road recreation areas include Redbird and Interlake, but do not assume that every detail is identical across parks or every type of visit. Check the park’s current information for permit acceptance, entrance charges, operating conditions, and any posted riding restrictions. A permit is not permission to use a closed trail, ride outside the designated area, or ignore local rules.
For trip planning, use official park and DNR information for permit requirements and closures. A mapping tool such as onX Offroad can help you review routes and organize a plan, but it should not replace posted signs, park maps, or official closure notices. A line shown on a map does not necessarily mean a route is open or authorized for ORV use.
This matters at a place like Redbird, where trail conditions and closures can affect the day’s plan. Before unloading, check the gate board and current park notices. [Indiana Trail Closures to Check First] and [Indiana Trail Conditions Before You Ride] are useful reminders to verify access rather than relying on an old screenshot or a route someone saved months ago.
Keep permit proof easy to find
Even when the permits are sorted out, the proof can be hard to locate. One rider has an email confirmation, another has a printed receipt buried in a glove box, and the person who paid is already walking toward the staging area. Before leaving, save confirmations where the group can reach them and make sure each person understands what may need to be shown.
You can use a phone for convenient access, but do not make the phone your only plan if you expect poor service or a drained battery. Save relevant details in advance and keep any required physical permit or display material with the correct machine. If you use onX Offroad to plan a route, keep your permit confirmation separate and easy to retrieve; a navigation app is not proof that a machine has a valid trail permit.
It also helps to agree on a simple routine: the driver checks the machine’s permit, the group lead confirms entrance arrangements, and everyone pauses at the park information board before riding. That short check can prevent a costly or frustrating interruption later in the day.
Plan routes without confusing navigation with permission
A navigation app can help your group stay oriented, locate staging areas, and plan how to get to a riding area. onX Offroad may be useful for organizing route information, but the park’s official maps and signs remain the authority for where riding is allowed. Conditions can change, and unofficial tracks or saved routes may not reflect current closures or restrictions.
Before a trip, use onX Offroad as one planning aid rather than the final word. Compare what you see with official park information, then follow posted signs once you arrive. If the map and the gate notice appear to disagree, stop and ask park staff rather than guessing.
The same care applies to the group’s permit plan. A route map does not establish that a machine is covered, and an annual permit does not authorize riding on every nearby road or trail. For broader planning, see [Where to Ride an ORV in Indiana] and [Indiana's Daily and Annual Trail Permits]. Use the map to organize the trip and the official permit and park information to confirm what is allowed.
Common mistakes to avoid when mixing permit types
Assuming one annual permit covers every machine
The most important mistake to avoid is treating an annual permit as a group pass. If two machines are being ridden, check the coverage for both. One machine’s annual permit does not automatically cover a second ATV or side-by-side, even if the same person owns both or one rider is a passenger part of the day.
Likewise, do not assume that a permit can be shifted from one vehicle to another because the annual-permitted machine is not being used. Check the permit’s terms and identification requirements before making any change. If the annual permit is assigned or displayed for a specific machine, plan around that assignment.
Forgetting the entrance fee when comparing options
When comparing an annual permit with multiple day permits, include the entrance charge in the trip budget separately. If your group goes several times, the permit cost may be only one part of the total. If you are visiting once, the entrance charge may be a substantial part of what you spend that day. The relevant park’s fee details will help you make a realistic comparison.
Avoid deciding based on a single number remembered from an older trip. Permit and entrance amounts can change, and the total can depend on residency, pass type, and the site. Check the official information before purchasing.
Leaving the permit decision until the gate
Last-minute purchases can cause confusion, particularly when several machines arrive together or riders are meeting at the park. Decide in advance which machines will be used, which have annual permits, and which need day permits. Then confirm how to buy the right permits and what proof you should carry.
A little preparation makes the visit smoother: verify each machine, separate permit costs from entrance costs, check current trail conditions, and keep the documentation accessible. That way, an annual permit and a few day passes can work together without turning the start of your ride into a paperwork puzzle.
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.
