350.045350.045 Public utility exemption. So that public utilities may effectively carry out their obligations to the public, the restrictions imposed by this chapter relating to use on, near or adjacent to highways shall not apply to snowmobiles operated to fulfill the corporate function of the public utility in those cases where safety does not require strict adherence to the regulations related to snowmobiles in general. However, snowmobiles operated by public utilities must be operated in a safe manner at all times.

350.047350.047 Local ordinance to be filed. Whenever a town, city or village adopts an ordinance designating a highway as a snowmobile route, and whenever a county, town, city or village adopts an ordinance regulating snowmobiles, its clerk shall immediately send a copy of the ordinance to the department and to the office of the law enforcement agency of the municipality and county having jurisdiction over such street or highway.

350.05(1)(1) Persons under 12. 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.

350.05(2)(2) Persons aged 12 and older; snowmobile safety certificates and program.

350.05(3)(3) Exceptions. This section 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.

350.05(4)(4) Definition. For purposes of this section, “accompany” means to be on the same snowmobile as the operator.

350.055(1)(1) The department shall establish a program of instruction on snowmobile laws, including the intoxicated snowmobiling law, regulations, safety and related subjects. The program shall be conducted by instructors certified by the department. The department may procure liability insurance coverage for certified instructors for work within the scope of their duties under this section. For each person who is under the age of 16 years, the program shall include 6 hours of classroom instruction, and the instructor may provide to the person up to 2 additional hours of instruction on a snowmobile as to how it is actually operated. Each person satisfactorily completing this program shall receive a snowmobile safety certificate from the department. The department shall establish by rule an instruction fee for this program. An instructor conducting a program of instruction under this section shall collect the instruction fee from each person who receives instruction. The department may determine the portion of this fee, which may not exceed 50 percent, that the instructor may retain to defray expenses incurred by the instructor in conducting the program. The instructor shall remit the remainder of the fee or, if nothing is retained, the entire fee to the department. The department shall issue a duplicate certificate of accomplishment to a person who is entitled to a duplicate certificate of accomplishment and who pays a fee of $2.75.

350.055(1m)(1m) An instructor certified by the department under sub. (1) who conducts a snowmobile program of instruction may not allow a person enrolled in that program to operate a snowmobile as part of a field training exercise unless the snowmobile, in addition to meeting the requirements that apply to snowmobiles under this chapter, is in good working order and is equipped with a device that limits the speed of the snowmobile to 15 miles per hour.

350.055(2)(2) A person who is required to hold a valid snowmobile safety certificate may operate a snowmobile in this state if the person holds a valid snowmobile safety certificate issued by another state or province of the Dominion of Canada and if the course content of the program in such other state or province substantially meets that established by the department under this section.

350.08350.08 Owner permitting operation. No owner or other person having charge or control of a snowmobile may knowingly authorize or permit any person to operate the snowmobile if the person is prohibited from operating a snowmobile under s. 350.05, if the person is incapable of operating a snowmobile because of physical or mental disability or if the person is under the influence of an intoxicant.

350.09(1)(1) Any snowmobile operated during the hours of darkness or operated during daylight hours on any highway right-of-way shall display a lighted head lamp and tail lamp. A person operating a snowmobile during the hours of darkness or adjacent to a roadway shall dim the snowmobile’s head lamp when an oncoming snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, utility terrain vehicle, or motor vehicle is within 500 feet.

350.09(2)(2) After February 12, 1970, the head lamp on a snowmobile may be of the single beam or multiple beam type, but in either case shall comply with the following requirements and limitations:

350.09(2)(a)(a) The head lamp shall be an electric head lamp and the current shall be supplied by a wet battery and electric generator, by a current-generating coil incorporated into the magneto or by a generator driven directly by the motor by means of gears, friction wheel, chain or belt.