(1) (a) No later than January 1, 1990, the division of parks and recreation shall devise a plan for implementation of the off-highway use permit program.

(b) On and after January 1, 1991, the owner of every vehicle required to be registered pursuant to article 3 of title 42, C.R.S., and the owner or operator of every motor vehicle and off-highway vehicle from another state or country, when such vehicle is being used for recreational travel upon designated off-highway vehicle routes, shall obtain and display on such vehicle an off-highway use permit.

(2) Off-highway use permits shall be sold by the agents referred to in section 33-12-104, and the fee to be paid for the permits must be in the amount provided by the commission by rule.

(3) Off-highway use permits, when issued on April 1, shall be valid for a one-year period, which runs from April 1 through the following March 31. All permits issued during the year at any time after April 1 shall expire on the following March 31.

(4) Off-highway use permits shall be displayed as required by the division.

(5) The following vehicles shall be exempt from the requirements of this section:

(a) Vehicles owned by the United States or another state or political subdivision thereof if such ownership is clearly displayed on such vehicles;

(b) Vehicles operated in an organized competitive or noncompetitive event on publicly or privately owned or leased land; except that this exemption shall not apply unless the agency exercising jurisdiction over such land specifically authorizes the organized competitive or noncompetitive event;

(c) Vehicles operated on public land for purposes other than recreational use, which purposes shall include but not be limited to logging, mining, grazing of livestock, firewood-cutting, and the taking of trees for noncommercial purposes.

(6) Any person who violates paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section is guilty of a class 2 petty offense and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of fifty dollars.