what is the minimum age to ride in Michigan?

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sgauthier

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southwest, ontario, Canada
thinking of going up to Gaylord, MI for a weekend of riding but i have a 15 year son who has had his OSFC snowmobile license since he was 12. Does Michigan have anything like that or do they have a minimum age? do you have to be a ful licensed driver?

any info would be greatly appreciated

;)!
 
I am not 100% sure of what the OSFC is, but if it is like a snowmobile training certifrication, he needs to carry it. Anyone under the age of 17 in Michigan has to have a snowmobile safety certifrication to cross any road, or ride on any snowmobile trail which is a road. I ran into this with my son, even though he has a drivers license he is still under 18 and we had to get a safety certifrication to be legal. You also as an adult have to be in direct supervision of the younger driver. ie; he can not go out and ride alone. Al
 
thanks alswagg for the reply.

the OFSC is the Ontario Federation Snowmbile Club. in Ontario you only need to be 12 years old to take the driving course and if you pass you get a certificate to carry with you. you are then legal to drive on the trails with an adult supervising. same thing here he couldn't cross the roads (I let him anyways when we were in the middle of nowhere) etc until he was 15 years old. he still can not go by himself until he has his drivers license.

does anyone know of a web site i could go and look at?
 
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sgauthier said:
thanks alswagg for the reply.

the OFSC is the Ontario Federation Snowmbile Club. in Ontario you only need to be 12 years old to take the driving course and if you pass you get a certificate to carry with you. you are then legal to drive on the trails with an adult supervising. same thing here he couldn't cross the roads (I let him anyways when we were in the middle of nowhere) etc until he was 15 years old. he still can not go by himself until he has his drivers license.

does anyone know of a web site i could go and look at?
Click to expand...


Google Michigan DNR.
 
what alswag said ..except that he may ride by himself and cross a road if he has a safety certificate in his possession.
 
ok this is what i found out.

Restrictions on Youthful Operation
A person under the age of 12:

May not operate a snowmobile without direct supervision of an adult, except on property owned or controlled by the parent or legal guardian.
May not cross a highway or street.
A person who is at least 12 but less than 17 years of age:

May operate a snowmobile if they have a valid snowmobile safety certificate in their immediate possession or are under direct supervision of a person 21 years of age or older.
May not cross a highway or street without having a valid snowmobile safety certificate in their immediate possession.
Safety Education and Training
Snowmobile safety education training is recommended for all snowmobile operators and is required for youth ages 12 to 17.


now. does this mean that he has to have a certificate or would he be OK if i was supervising him? it looks like it says OR in the 2nd paragraph in the 1st line. i will have to see if i can contact someone at the DNR and ask to make sure.

thought this might help others if they plan on taking there youngester to Michigan riding.

;)!
 
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OK, I called the DNR in Gaylord. He was very helpful. i was told that our OFSC safety certificate from Ontario( or any other out of state snowmobile safety certificate) is recongnized and valid in Michigan. he has to carry it with him of course and he can cross the roads since he has the ceritficate. i also need to be supervising him when he is operating his snowmobile and he can not ride by himself. this is basically the same as it is here in Ontario.



hopefully this information will help anyone else who was wondering the same thing

thanks everyone for the help. ;)!
 
That is exactly what we were told, You or someone who is of age must be directly supervising even if he holds a safety certifricate. Al
 
Sorry about your misinformation but that is simply not true! A person between the ages of 12 and 17 indeed may ride a snowmobile by them selfs with a valid safety certifcate in there possession and they may indeed cross roads!!!!!! Its in the law boys! What that dnr officer told you simply is not true. i'VE BEEN RIDING SNOWMOBILES IN THIS STATE ALL MY LIFE.(Im 49) and a 12 yr old can ride alone...legally...Been thru it already several times.
 
yes i know he can drive his own sled alone but he has to be in visual contact of an adult. which means he can't take off and do a 100 mile loop without someone of age with him. this comes directly from the DNR in Gaylord. it doesn't matter anyways because i would never let my son take off by himself without me.

all is good.

;)!
 
It looks like maybe we were slightly missinformed. I found this on the DNR webs site.;
Restrictions on Youthful Operation
A person under the age of 12:

May not operate a snowmobile without direct supervision of an adult, except on property owned or controlled by the parent or legal guardian.
May not cross a highway or street.
A person who is at least 12 but less than 17 years of age:

May operate a snowmobile if they have a valid snowmobile safety certificate in their immediate possession or are under direct supervision of a person 21 years of age or older.
May not cross a highway or street without having a valid snowmobile safety certificate in their immediate possession

The way I read it is: if you are between 12 and 17 you either have to have a safety certifricate OR be under the direct supervision of a person who is 21 or older. But the last sentince muddy's it up some, does it mean a 12 to 17 cannot cross a street without the safety certificate? Al
 
if he does not have a safety certificate and they are between 12-17 then they CAN NOT drive a snowmobile alone/by themselves on the trails. you must have the safety certificate 1st to be allowed on the trails within that age group and then you as an adult must have them within your view while you are driving your own sled to be legal.

this pretty well sums it all up "no ceritifcate no driving on the trails unsupervised whatsoever under 17 years of age even thou they might have a drivers license".

:letitsnow
 
sgauthier said:
if he does not have a safety certificate and they are between 12-17 then they CAN NOT drive a snowmobile alone/by themselves on the trails. you must have the safety certificate 1st to be allowed on the trails within that age group and then you as an adult must have them within your view while you are driving your own sled to be legal.

this pretty well sums it all up "no ceritifcate no driving on the trails unsupervised whatsoever under 17 years of age even thou they might have a drivers license".

:letitsnow
Click to expand...
NO NO NO NO , That is not the way it is! He can ride a snowmobile if you are riding with him...(following or leading) ..,on another sled even if he has no certificate! He just cant cross highways. If he has a certificate he can ride anywhere anytime alone! Now,...... a child under 12 has to be riding with an adult ( following or leading ,on his own sled)..He cannot ride alone unless with a parent or guardian! or if he is on his parents property
 
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i'm not going to argue this point,

doesn't matter to me anyways because he will not be alone, and this tells anyone from Ontario that there young ones are legal to drive in Michigan if they already have there OFSC safety. that's all i wanted to know anyways, i was trying to help others by clearing it up.

have a good day
 
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Y a its all good and its a good point . The thing is is that the dnr think they are gods. and that what ever they say is law! It simply is not , and they don't have that authority, That is one of the problems with this structure of dnr law enforcement. That is why it is going thru change right now,...(dnr being restructured) . Its good to get this out in the open for everyone to see. D.N.R ...Damned...Near...Russia !! Or what I like to refer them to is.... Gestapo
 
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Direct supervision is meant on the same sled not on a separate sled... 12 years with a certification can ride anywhere whether solo or unsupervised... (total freedom)
 
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