May 24, 2023 – For immediate release
Press contact: Jessica VanGinhoven, (616) 786-4847

Motor vehicle permits required Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day at County Lakeshore parks

Motor vehicle permits are now available online

Ottawa County Parks & Recreation requires a motor vehicle permit at our Lake Michigan beach parks, as well as the boat launch at Riverside Park, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

Click here to purchase your motor vehicle permit.

Have questions? Scroll to the bottom for FAQ.

Reminder: Ottawa County no longer issues a physical permit (stickers or hangtags). Your new digital permit simply requires you to register your license plate online or at the park pay stations.

How can I purchase my motor vehicle permit? There are two ways you can purchase your digital permit:  1. Online – visitors will be able to register their license plate and pay for their annual or daily motor vehicle permit online using a mobile-friendly website. Utilizing this will allow users to verify their residency and birthday, so they are able to receive discounts they are eligible for before visiting the park. This will be the only method to purchase discounted motor vehicle permits!  2. On-site – pay stations will be installed at all lakeshore beach parks including the two new parks we will be managing for Port Sheldon Township and at the Riverside Park Boat Launch. Visitors can purchase a digital permit by registering their license plate for a day or a year using the pay station. Annual permits sold at the pay stations will be $25; daily permits will be $8. The fee stations are not able to determine residency, so no discounted permits will be sold at these stations.

Permit Pricing & Discounts

Discounted annual motor vehicle permits are still available to Ottawa County residents and seniors. The only way to purchase your discounted permit is online. Discounts will not be available at the pay stations. Annual permits are $25.

• Discounted to $15 for Ottawa County residents (add an additional vehicle for $5)
• Discounted to $9 for Ottawa County resident seniors age 60+ (add an additional vehicle for $3)
• Discounted to $10 for Port Sheldon Township residents and $4 to Port Sheldon Township Seniors (this discount is subsidized by Port Sheldon Township)
• Bridge Card holders in Michigan who have received benefits in the last 18 months can receive one free annual motor vehicle permit per household. Inquire inside the DHHS office for a coupon code or call 616-394-7200 and press “0” to speak with an operator.
• Daily motor vehicle fee is $8 per vehicle

Frequently Asked Questions

How will you know that I've purchased my permit when I park?

The pay stations and mobile website will sync in real-time to a handheld device used by park staff to verify if a permit has been purchased or not. 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 view and / or purchase digital permits, you will first need to create an account as prompted by the website. You will need to sign up with either an email address or phone number. You should have your license plate number as well. 

When I purchase a multi-vehicle pass, how do I add a second vehicle license plate? 

You can only purchase a multi-vehicle pass if you are a resident of Ottawa County. It is an extra $5 ($3 for seniors). 

Login to your online account and click on Manage for the permit you'd like to view the details of. To quickly make those updates: select the "View/Add Permits Tab" at the top of the page, select the "Manage Permit" link under the permit you would like to update, then select the button that has your current vehicle information. This will open a page that allows you to make updates and add another vehicle. 

How do I add a second vehicle after I have already purchased a single-vehicle pass? 

You will need to login to your account and purchase a second single vehicle pass to add one vehicle or a multi-vehicle pass to add two additional vehicles.

The website is telling me I have an invalid address.

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. When it appears, click on the suggestion. People who live in an apartment need to omit the unit number and only enter the street 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 [email protected] with your full address and we will get back to you ASAP to resolve the issue. 

Many Port Sheldon residents with a West Olive residence have a Holland address coming up from GIS (Post Office recognizes either West Olive or Holland as being a valid, deliverable address). Please select the Holland address. 

How do I select a permit?

DON'T hit the red search button, hit the second red SELECT button for all locations.

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.

I am an active Bridge Card holder. How do I receive my free motor vehicle permit?

Inquire inside the DHHS office for a coupon code or call 616-394-7200 and press “0” to speak with an operator.

I have more questions and I would like to speak with a staff member, how do I get in touch with them?

The booths at the Lakeshore parks will be staffed from 2-4pm Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays beginning Memorial Day weekend through the end of June. Staff will be able to answer questions and help visitors purchase an MVP on their device. A tablet or computer will also be available on-site. Cash sales will not be accepted at the lakeshore booths.

Cash sales can be completed at the Nature Center at Hemlock Crossing: 8115 West Olive Rd, West Olive, MI 49460  Hours of Operation: Tues-Sat, 9 am-5 pm; Sun 12-5 pm (closed on Mondays)