• NEW Off-highway vehicle (O.H.V.) Stickers

The OHV Decal will only be issued by FooteWork and the MVD. The OHV Decal WILL NOT be issued at any Arizona Game and Fish Department office.

This is very important.  The OHV Decal should not be confused with “registration.” Registration is still required in addition to the OHV sticker if you want your OHV to be “street legal” (i.e., operate it on paved and improved roads and streets.)

Among other provisions, the new law requires an annual purchase of an Off-Highway Vehicle Decal.  The OHV Decal is valid for one year from purchase. MVD will NOT send a renewal notice. It will be your responsibility to renew and display a current OHV Decal on your vehicle license plate annually.  FooteWork currently has a registration reminder service in place for regular vehicles and we’ll add the OHV decal to those who wish to take advantage of this service.

Criteria for the operation of any ATV or OHV in Arizona that meets both the following criteria:

 - Designed by the manufacturer primarily for travel over unimproved terrain.

 - Has an unladen weight of eighteen hundred pounds or less.

The OHV Decal must be renewed annually to allow your OHV to legally be operated within Arizona. The decal will need to be applied to the upper left corner of your license plate, and your license plate will need to be visibly displayed on the rear of your OHV.

The dollars collected through the purchase of the OHV Decal are considered an OHV user fee and apply to all OHVs meeting the criteria.

An off-highway vehicle is any motor vehicle operated on unimproved roads, trails and approved use areas not suitable for conventional two-wheel-drive vehicular travel. Examples include: ATVs, UTVs, trail motorcycles and dirt bikes

Exemptions for the OHV sticker are as follows:

A person may operate an all-terrain vehicle or an off-highway vehicle in Arizona without an off-highway vehicle user indicia (OHV Decal) if any of the following applies.

The person is participating in an off-highway special event

The person is operating an all-terrain vehicle or off-highway vehicle on private land

The person is loading or unloading an all-terrain vehicle or off-highway vehicle from a vehicle

During a period of emergency of if the operation is directed by a peace officer or other public authority

All of the following apply (For non-residents):

The person is not a resident of Arizona.

The person owns the vehicle.

The vehicle displays a current off-highway vehicle user indicia or registration from the person's state of residency.

The vehicle is not in Arizona for more than thirty (30) consecutive days.

• ILLEGAL License plate frames

Is your license plate frame legal?  The Arizona State Legislature recently updated A.R.S. 28-2354 to include license plates holders, A.R.S. 28-2354(B).  The new statute gives amended rules for clear visibility of the Arizona license plate.  The change to the law says that the state name at the top of the plate must be visible.  Any plate covering the state name will be considered a violation of this new law.  This law will be come effective January 01, 2009.

• How To Make Sure Your "New" Used Car is Really Yours (In The Eyes of the Law)

You’ve just found the perfect vehicle. You did a great job in the negotiation process. The exchange of title work and payment went smoothly, without a hitch.

Then you discover it. Actually you don't discover it, the Motor Vehicle Division does. There are problems with your new vehicle's paperwork.

The good news is this doesn't have to happen to you. With a little bit of planning and information, this situation is avoidable. Below are some tips to help protect yourself.

Proper sign off by seller:
Check the title to make sure the person you're buying from has signed off as the seller. Different states have different (and specific) requirements on which owners are required to sign as seller. Call us at FooteWork and we can tell you exactly what you need to do.

If the state is a notary-requiring state, make sure both the signature is notarized and the notary stamp is current. But not all states require a notarized signature. For example, Arizona is a notary state whereas California is not.

Lien release:
Make sure there are no existing liens on the vehicle. If the title shows a lien, then make sure a lien release accompanies the title. Check to see that the lien release has been signed and notarized. In some states, such as Arizona’s newest version of its title, the lien holder can actually sign off on the title itself. But don't forget to make sure that signature is notarized.

In most cases, a lien release is not required if the lien is 12 years or older. Check with us for the details.

Make sure you have the original lien release -- no copies are accepted.

Internet:
If you're buying a vehicle over the Internet via one of the many vehicle-buying Web sites, you need to do a little extra homework. Many times people have come into FooteWork after buying a car over the Internet without having all the necessary documents.

If you're buying from an out-of-state dealership, they may or may not charge you sales tax. (It depends on the circumstances.) You must bring in your contract or bill of sale when registering the vehicle in Arizona. If the dealership didn't charge you sales tax, Arizona law states that we must collect 5.6% sales tax.

Keep in mind if you live in one of the Arizona Department of Revenue participating cities, you will receive a letter, sometimes up to a year later, requiring you pay the difference from that city sales tax and the 5.6% you paid when you registered the vehicle. For example: Prescott's sales tax is 8.35%. We collect 5.6% for state and county. The city then sends notice you owe an additional 2.75%.

As a FooteWork customer, we'll explain this situation to you so you'll be prepared when the letter from the city arrives.

Almost every vehicle has a title. Only certain vehicles will have just a registration or bill of sale. Call our office once you’ve decided on a vehicle and we'll be glad to check that states title requirements.

Private party sale:
If the vehicle was purchased by a private party, either within Arizona or elsewhere in the country, there is no sales tax collected. Once again, call us to check on the title requirements if purchased out of state.

Vehicle inspection:
If the vehicle has an Arizona title, a Level I inspection is not required. If the vehicle has a title from any state other than Arizona, you'll need a Level I inspection.

FooteWork can do this inspection for you – either at our office or at your location. The inspection accomplishes a few things. It verifies the VIN, odometer and vehicle make, model, cylinders and color. The inspection takes less than five minutes.

Odometer:
The last thing you should check is the odometer. Make sure the miles are correct and you're buying a vehicle with known A, B or C miles. Call our office and we’ll be happy to explain this to you.

As buyer, you're not required to sign the back of the title when you purchase the vehicle. In some situations a signature is required, we'll have you sign it when you register your "new" used car at FooteWork.