ATTENTION All Wisconsin Recreational Safety Students

New Requirement: All WI Recreational Safety Students are required to obtain a WI DNR Customer ID Number before the completion of any Recreational Safety Class and will also be required to provide that WI DNR Customer ID Number along with students personal information to the instructor.  You can obtain a WI DNR Customer ID Number 7AM to 10PM by calling the WI DNR Customer Service at 1-888-936-7463 or you can visit a WI DNR Service Center during their regular scheduled hours.  For WI DNR Service Center hours and locations go to dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/cs/ServiceCenter..  Thank you.

Who may operate a snowmobile?

Beginning Jan 1, 2001, any person who is born on or after 1/1/85 and who has reached the age of 12, must have completed and received a snowmobile safety certificate in order to operate a snowmobile in Wisconsin. The certificate must be carried while operating the snowmobile, and displayed to a law enforcement officer upon demand. Go to our Upcoming Classes page to check class availablility.

This does not apply to the operation of snowmobiles upon lands owned or leased by the operator's parent or guardian. As used in this section, "leased lands" does not include lands leased by an organization of which said operator or the operator's parent or guardian is a member.

No person under the age of 12 years may operate a snowmobile unless the person is accompanied either by a parent or guardian or by a person over 18 years of age. Accompanied means to be on the same snowmobile as the operator.

Other states and Provinces that issue a snowmobile safety certificate to snowmobilers will be honored in Wisconsin.

Snowmobile Education

Snowmobiling provides great opportunities for family recreation during the winter months in Wisconsin. Many people will be operating a snowmobile for the first time and along with that, new skills must be learned and new attitudes developed. The purpose of snowmobile safety training is to expose new users to basic snowmobile safety, responsibilities, ethics, laws and mechanical functions.

1. History of snowmobiling; environmental impacts and concerns
2. Parts of the snowmobile, safety features, maintenance and repair
3. Preparation, operation and handling, terrain, fueling, safety tips, and transporting a snowmobile
4. Protective gear, clothing, equipment requirements, emergency situations, first aid, and survival techniques
5. Regulations, trail signs, alcohol, and registration
6. Courtesy and ethics

Course Information

• Classroom Instruction
  The snowmobile safety course consists of six hours of basic instruction in the principles of snowmobile safety. The course is comprised of six hours of classroom study and an optional two hours of hands-on snowmobile operation or optional snowmobile ride simulation.
• CD -ROM Instruction
  For those who are not able to locate a snowmobile safety course in their area, the Department has created a snowmobile safety course that is available on CD-ROM. The CD course covers everything taught in the classroom and is totally self-contained, all the way down to the final exam and certification at the end. For further information or to request a copy of the Wisconsin Snowmobile Safety Certification CD-ROM, please email your name and address to lesafety@dnr.state.wi.us or phone us at 608-264-8544.

Who is eligible to take a class

• Classroom Instruction
  Anyone is eligible to take the class and receive a safety education completion certificate. For children under 12 years of age, the certificate does not become valid until the child reaches 12 years of age. Go to the Snowmobile Age Requirements page for additional details. Class fee is $10.00.
• CD -ROM Instruction
  CD-ROM students must be at least 16 years old in order to take the course via the CD-ROM. CD fee is $10.00.

Length of Course

Minimum of 8 hours. May be longer depending on instructor and the student's learning ability.

Class Availability

Varies depending on area of the state and time of the year. There is at least one class per county per year. Go to our Upcoming Classes page to check latest availability.

Cost of Course:

$10.00