Motorcycle Registration in Idaho

You have two choices when it comes to titling and registering your motorcycle: stay home and mail all necessary documents and fees, or take a fun ride to your local County Assessor's office.

In order to register your motorcycle in Idaho, you must follow through on the following requirements:

• Own the bike and also be an Idaho resident or business

• Title the motorcycle in Idaho before you register it

• Pay $15.25 (or $19.25 if you are a resident of Ada County in addition to a $10 to $20 Ada County Highway District fee)

• Bring along your Bill of Sale, Vehicle Identification Number inspection, and your title application (optional)

• Pay a $14 titling fee if you have not yet obtained a title

Note: If you have recently moved to Idaho, you must register and title the vehicle within 90 days of your arrival.

Titling a Motorcycle in Idaho

Registration gives you documentation that you have paid the necessary fees to operate your motorcycle on Idaho roads. But before you can register the bike, you must first get it titled in your name in Idaho (or at least submit the required documents to do so when applying for a title in your name).

A title is a document that shows legal ownership and displays the owner's name and address as well as any lien holder(s) (such as a bank or credit union) financing the vehicle.

Who Must Register a Motorcycle?

If you are an Idaho resident and you have an Idaho driver's license, then you must title and register your motorcycle. The state considers you a resident if you have made Idaho your home continuously for at least the last 90 days, and you are not a full-time student who can claim residency in another state.

When

Within 30 days of purchasing your motorcycle in Idaho, you must title it. Pushing it off until after that period will cost you a $20 late-filing penalty.

If you purchased the motorcycle in another state, you also have 30 days from the moment you brought it over state lines to title it. Procrastinate and you'll pay the $20 penalty fee.

How

You should fit under one of the four following scenarios if you are required to title and register your motorcycle:

I purchased my motorcycle from an Idaho dealer.

The dealer should prepare and submit the documents necessary to get you a title in your name. Grab your copy of the dealer's title application paperwork and head to your local County Assessor's office to register.

I purchased my motorcycle from a private party or an out-of-state dealer, and I financed it through an Idaho financial institution.

Typically, that institution will take care of this for you by submitting and preparing the documents necessary to secure a title in your name and to show its lien on the motorcycle.

I purchased my motorcycle from a private party or an out-of-state dealer, and I financed it through an out-of-state financial institution.

Typically, that institution will forward the necessary documents to the County Assessor's Vehicle Licensing office in the county in which you reside. Once you confirm that the paperwork has arrived, make a trip to the office, sign the title application, and apply for registration.

I purchased my motorcycle from either a private party or an out-of-state dealer, and I did not finance it through a financial institution.

In this case, you usually need to take the previous owner's titling documents to your County Assessor's Vehicle Licensing office and complete the title application for filing.

One Last Detail: Liability Insurance

This final detail could hold you back from registering your motorcycle. The law requires each and every driver or rider―anyone who will operate a motorized vehicle (registered or not) on Idaho roadways―to carry liability insurance with the minimum coverage of:

• $25,000 for injury or death of one person

• $50,000 for injury or death of two or more people

• $15,000 for property damage

Upon motorcycle registration, you will be asked to sign a statement certifying that your motorcycle is and will be insured as required by Idaho Code, Sections 49-117(18) and 49-1229.

Registration Renewal

When it comes time to renew your motorcycle's annual registration, the DMV has made easy the task of doing so online. Residents of Ada, Adams, Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Blaine, Boise, Bonneville, Camas, Canyon, Caribou, Cassia, Custer, Elmore, Franklin, Fremont, Gem, Gooding, Idaho, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Latah, Madison, Minidoka, Oneida, Owyhee, Payette, Power, Shoshone, Twin Falls, Valley and Washington counties can take advantage of online registration renewal. All you need is:

• Your renewal postcard

• Your credit (MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover) or debit card to cover the renewal fee, possibly a variable county fee, plus a $1 convenience fee, and

• Your billing address

Of course, you can hop on your bike and renew in person at the nearest Vehicle Licensing office. Just be sure you have the above mentioned documents.

If you have misplaced your renewal postcard or you wish to change the name on your title, contact your local County Assessor's office.

Helpful Numbers

• Vehicle titles: (208) 334-8649

• Vehicle registrations (special plates): (208) 334-8649

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