Zero Emission Motorcycle and Off-Highway Recreational Vehicle Registration Requirements
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The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has regulations in place to control emissions from on-road motorcycles, or off-highway recreational vehicles (motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, etc.) with engines having displacement greater than or equal to 50 cubic centimeters (cc). CARB's emission control regulations do not apply to zero-emission* on-road motorcycles or zero-emission off-highway recreational vehicles because they do not have an engine greater than 50 cc. CARB does not require or offer certification or Executive Orders for zero-emission on-road motorcycles. CARB does offer certification and Executive Orders for zero-emission off-road motorcycles and other zero-emission off-highway recreational vehicles, but CARB certification for these vehicles only applies to manufacturers who voluntarily participate in an optional evaporative emissions fleet averaging program.
Zero-emission on-road motorcycles and zero-emission off-highway recreational vehicles that are not certified by CARB will not have an Executive Order and will not display a CARB emissions label, referred to as a VECI label. Zero-emission on-road motorcycles are subject to federal emissions requirements and must have a US EPA Certificate of Conformity to make them legal for sale in California and the rest of the country. Zero-emission off-highway recreational vehicles are not subject to US EPA certification, so no federal label is required for these vehicles regardless of CARB certification status.
CARB has advised DMV of these requirements and recommends that the DMV proceed with registration of zero-emission on-road motorcycles and zero-emission off-highway recreational vehicles once it has been verified that they are powered by battery electricity only (no internal combustion engine, therefore not subject to CARB emission regulations for vehicles with engines 50cc and up) regardless of whether or not a VECI label is present.
| Vehicle Type | Engine 50cc or greater? | CARB Certification | EPA Certificate of Conformity | VECI Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zero-Emission On-Road Motorcycle | No | Not Required, Not Available | Required | Not Required, Not Available |
| Zero-Emission Off-Highway Recreational Vehicle | No | Optional, Not Required | Not Required, Not Available | Optional, Not Required |
| Standard On-Road Motorcycle | Yes | Required | Required | Required |
| Standard Off-Highway Recreational Vehicle | Yes | Required unless the vehicle is intended exclusively for competition use | Required unless the vehicle is intended exclusively for competition use | Required unless the vehicle is intended exclusively for competition use |
If you are having issues with registering your zero-emission on-road motorcycle or zero-emission off-highway recreational vehicle, or have any questions about these requirements, please contact Mr. Scott Bacon, Manager, Engineering and Regulation Development Section, Emissions Certification and Compliance Division at scott.bacon@arb.ca.gov or (279) 842-9122.
- *The term "zero-emission" does not refer to any specific propulsion technology, although the current market is predominately battery-electric vehicles.