Motor Vehicle Permits
Buy your motor vehicle permit today!
Annual and daily permits are available online.
Tickets
Vehicles without a valid daily or annual permit will be ticketed. If you have received a citation, you must pay for it online.
Ottawa County Motor Vehicle Permits are required at the following locations from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
Permit Pricing
Annual permits are $25; daily permits are $8.
Discounted annual permits are available to Ottawa County residents when purchased online or at our office. Ottawa County residents who are seniors (60+), United States military members, including active duty and veterans, and/or residents of Port Sheldon Township are eligible for an additional discount when purchasing online. The on-site fee stations cannot verify residency, so no discounted permits will be sold at these stations or at the park locations.
| Fees | ||
| Annual Permit - single vehicle | $25 | |
| Daily Permit - single vehicle | $8 | |
| Ottawa County Resident Fees | ||
| Single vehicle | $15 | |
| Multi-vehicle (limited to 2) | $20 | |
| Senior or veteran/military single vehicle | $9 | |
| Senior or veteran/military multi-vehicle (limited to 2) | $12 | |
| Active Bridge Card holders in Michigan | Free | |
| Port Sheldon Township Resident Fees | ||
| Single vehicle | $10 | |
| Multi-vehicle (limited to 2) | $15 | |
| Senior or veteran/military single vehicle | $4 | |
| Senior or veteran/military multi-vehicle (limited to 2) | $7 | |
| The discount for residents of Port Sheldon is subsidized by the township. | ||
Active Bridge Card holders in Michigan can receive a free Ottawa County Parks annual motor vehicle permit!
- Limited to one permit per household.
- To receive a coupon code, inquire inside the DHHS office or call 616-394-7200 and press “0” to speak with an operator.
- Enter the coupon code into a pay station at one of the lakeshore parks listed below to receive your free annual permit ($25 value). Be sure to select ANNUAL PERMIT.
- Please note this coupon code does not work online, it must be done at a park.
How to Purchase
Online
- Purchase annual or daily motor vehicle permits from your phone or computer.
- Discounted permits available.
On-Site
- Pay stations are available at all lakeshore beach parks including Kouw Park, Windsnest Park, and the Riverside Park Boat Launch.
- Discounted permits are not available at pay stations because residency cannot be verified.
At Our Office
- Permits are available for purchase during business hours at the Nature Center at Hemlock Crossing or the Park’s Office at the Fillmore Complex.
- Cash, check, or credit cards accepted.
- You will need to provide the license plate number for each vehicle being registered, as well as your mailing address and date of birth.
- Discounted permits available.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will you know I've purchased my permit without a sticker or hangtag?
Ottawa County no longer issues physical permits (stickers or hangtags). Instead, you will need to register your license plate online or at a park pay station to obtain your digital permit.
If you purchase your permit online, you’ll receive a confirmation email and a receipt that you can print or save for your records. If you purchase your permit at a park pay station, you will receive a receipt. You do not need to put the receipt in your dashboard. The fee machines and mobile website will sync in real time with a handheld device used by park staff to verify permit status using your license plate number.
Vehicles without a valid daily or annual permit will be ticketed.
Do I need a separate account from the one I use to register for programs?
Yes. In order to purchase a digital permit, you will first need to create an account as prompted by the website. You will need to sign up with an email address.
When I purchase a multi-vehicle pass, how do I add a second vehicle license plate?
Multi-vehicle passes (limited to two vehicles) are available only to Ottawa County residents. To view the details of your permit, log in to your online account and click “Manage” next to the permit you’d like to update.
To make updates: Select the “View/Add Permits” tab at the top of the page, then click “Manage Permit” under the permit you wish to update. Next, click the button with your current vehicle information, which will open a page where you can make updates and add another vehicle.
The website is telling me I have an invalid address. What should I do?
Please note that Resident Annual Permits are for residents of Ottawa County or Port Sheldon Township only and will require address verification.
As you start to type your address, matching addresses will appear below the box you are typing in. Simply click on your street address when it appears. If you do not see your address, delete one character at a time from the end of the address you typed to broaden the search. Do not enter any additional information like apartment or suite number here if it does automatically show up. Doing so will invalidate the address. If it does not appear, then it is not on our list of resident addresses. If you are a resident of Ottawa County and your address is not appearing, please email ocparks@miottawa.org with your full address and we will get back to you ASAP to resolve the issue.
How does the auto-renewal work?
- Log in to the Permit Dashboard at ottawacounty.cmrpay.com using the username and password you created when you purchased your permit. Click “manage” next to the permit you want to auto-renew. Then click “auto renew” and “enroll”. Enter your payment information and checkout. Now you are all set every year until you choose to log back in and cancel.
- If your permit has expired, you will be unable to renew and will need to reenter your vehicle information for a new permit.
How do I update the license plate associated with my purchased permit?
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Log in to your online account and click “Manage” next to the permit you’d like to view.
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To make updates: Select the “View/Add Permits” tab at the top of the page, then click the “Manage Permit” link under the permit you wish to update. Next, click the button with your current vehicle information, which will open a page where you can make changes.
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Single car permits can be edited but require approval before becoming active, usually within 1-2 days. Multi-vehicle permits can be edited, and the new plate number will be active immediately.
I have the Michigan Recreation Passport. Do I still need to purchase a permit?
Yes, you will need to purchase an Ottawa County Motor Vehicle Permit. The Michigan Recreation Passport does not apply for Ottawa County lakeshore parks.
I am a resident and pay taxes; why do I have to pay to get into certain parks or to use launches?
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Fees play a crucial role in our diverse funding strategy, which aims to reduce reliance on tax revenue for park support. Due to the high demand at lakeshore beach parks and certain boat launches during the summer months, additional staffing is required to manage these areas effectively. The revenue generated from permit fees helps improve your experience and maintain the quality of our lakeshore parks.This fee system also allows non-residents to help support the upkeep of these popular areas.
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Discounted permits are available to Ottawa County residents when purchased online or at our office. Ottawa County residents who are seniors (60+), United States military members, including active duty and veterans, and/or residents of Port Sheldon Township are eligible for an additional discount when purchasing online. The on-site fee stations cannot verify residency, so no discounted permits will be sold at these stations or at the park locations.
