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Proposal would raise snowmobile registration fees to shore up trail grooming and winter operations
Summary
Senate Bill 5234 would increase annual snowmobile fees from $50 to $75 and vintage fees from $12 to $18 to stabilize funding for grooming, sanitation and winter facilities; parks staff said registrations have fallen from about 38,000 in 2002 to about 18,000 last year and estimated roughly $500,000 in annual new revenue.
Senate Bill 5234 would raise annual snowmobile registration fees to support Washington State Parks' winter recreation program, which funds grooming, sanitation and winter parking-area services.
Committee staff Brian Moore summarized the bill for the Senate Transportation Committee, saying it would increase the annual registration fee for snowmobiles from $50 to $75 and raise the vintage snowmobile fee from $12 to $18, with both changes taking effect Sept. 30, 2025. Moore said the DOL would incur a one-time $19,000 programming cost and staff estimated an annual revenue increase of approximately $500,000, with roughly 97% of that amount deposited in the state's snowmobile account.
Peter Herzog, testifying for Washington State Parks, said registrations have fallen from about 38,000 in 2002 to about 18,000 in the most recent year and that inflation has outpaced program revenue for grooming and sanitation. "When combined with inflation of heavy equipment, maintenance, and fuel costs, revenue into the program is simply no longer sufficient to sustain the current motorized system," Herzog told the committee. State Parks and its snowmobile advisory committee adopted an austerity budget for the 2024-25 winter season, including a 25% reduction in costs and temporary closure of 14 snow parks dedicated to motorized use.
Sponsor Senator Shoemake said the Parks Department requested the bill and advocates and advisory groups support it to stabilize funding for grooming, sanitation and enforcement. He described the proposed $25 increase as a modest step and said Parks and the snowmobile community should continue discussing the long-term shape of the program.
Testimony included both support and opposition. Rick Ingham, who manages vehicles for the volunteer-run Meany Lodge, asked the committee to correct an electric vehicle fee the lodge was charged when registering an electric snowmobile. Greg Figg, a long-time snowmobiler from the Spokane area, said he supported the need for revenue but opposed the approach and urged additional analysis of program declines and grant timing that reduced grooming funding.
The committee closed the public hearing; no committee action was recorded in the transcript from Jan. 20.
